Back Row with Amy Odell

Latest Episodes:

Marina Larroudé on Anna Wintour, Barneys, and Building a Multi-Million Dollar Brand Feb 23, 2026

Show notes

Amy Odell talks with fashion director-turned-entrepreneur Marina Larroudé about why she left Teen Vogue for Barneys -- and then started her own brand. Marina recalls Style.com's earliest days; how top brands really weren't on board with the internet; what it was really like to work for Anna Wintour; and what she saw from inside the industry that convinced her there was a big business opportunity in footwear.

Part 2 is available to paid subscribers at BackRow.net (which includes full newsletter access) or through Apple Podcasts or Spotify. In Part 2, Marina talks about how she makes walkable heels; what it was like for Taylor Swift to wear her shoes on the Eras tour; and her plans for the future of Larroudé.

Products mentioned in this episode:

⁠Boat shoes⁠

⁠Fuzzy lined ballet flat⁠

⁠Dolly platform sandal⁠ (the same style Taylor Swift wore):

⁠Stella sneaker⁠

CHAPTERS:

00:00 — Introducing Marina Larroudé

03:00 — Why are people so fascinated by Anna Wintour and the Condé Nast world?

05:30 — What does the fashion director at Teen Vogue do?

09:00 — Marina's experience at Style.com

13:30 — The Bella Thorne photoshoot disaster

16:30 — Marina's experience working with Anna Wintour

18:40 — Why Marina left fashion media to work at Barneys

25:10 — On founding Larroudé: "No one was making high-quality shoes for drop-off"

35:00 — How Marina makes Larroudé's shoes comfortable

38:30 — Listen to part 2 for Marina's take on what makes a walkable heel

Back Row newsletter

Amy Odell - Instagram

Marina Larroudé:

Larroudé:

This episode was produced by Amy Odell and edited by Amy Odell, Jonathan Voytko, and Joyce Ciesel.

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Why Big Fashion Doesn’t Dress Olympic Figure Skaters Feb 19, 2026

Show notes

This is the audio version of the Back Row newsletter published February 17, 2026.

Why don't fashion designers view Olympic figure skating the way they do red carpets — as a forum to exploit for brand impressions? The sport is fabulous, glamorous, and awe-inspiring, after all. Amy digs into how figure skating costumes are made and why the world's top ready-to-wear designers generally don't want anything to do with making them — and why the athletes also aren't clamoring for brands to step in.

Plus, a special New York Fashion Week report (6:00).

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Confessions of a Luxury Sale Whisperer (with Madison Avenue Spy) Feb 16, 2026

Show notes

Part 2 is available to paid subscribers at backrow.net (which includes full newsletter access) or through Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

In Part 2, Amy and Lila debate the Saks Fifth Avenue bankruptcy — detailing the brand's fraught relationship with Amazon, the possibility of government intervention, and what it all means for the future of the department store.

On this episode of the Back Row Podcast, Amy talks with Lila Delilah, THE Madison Avenue Spy, about the current unhinged state of luxury retail — from the "Very Important Client" system to how luxury brands deal with all-out frenzies over once-secret sales. They also discuss the Hermès game, brands that have threatened to sue Lila, and more.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 – Introducing Madison Avenue Spy

5:10 – Were there VICs in 2010?

7:00 – How have luxury sales evolved?

13:10 – The lines are getting out of control

15:00 – What are the most legendary sales right now?

16:10 – Will The Row do invitation-only sales?

20:00 – Hermès shoppers are begging for appointments

27:00 – The brands that threatened to sue Madison Avenue Spy

31:10 – The bag-buying experience at Chanel vs. Hermès

34:40 – Reacting to the “Great Reset”

37:45 – Was Hermès ever really a fashion brand?

41:00 – What could break the spell Hermès has on shoppers?

Links & Resources:

Back Row Newsletter

Amy Odell - Instagram

Madison Avenue Spy:

This episode was produced by Amy Odell and edited by Joyce Ciesil and Jonathan Voytko.

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Are Awards Shows Just Luxury Marketing Now? Feb 09, 2026

Show notes

Are awards shows still about movies — or are they now luxury fashion marketing disguised as cultural prestige? And who’s actually funding all these celeb red-carpet appearances — the studios, the stars, or the brands?

Amy Odell is joined by Debra Birnbaum, Editor-in-Chief of awards season news outlet Gold Derby, to break down how modern awards campaigns actually work and why the fashion is so important. Amy and Debra talk Timothée Chalamet’s Marty Supreme press tour and if it was too annoying to win (23:10); who really pays for all the glam (14:30); and how the Met Gala came to overshadow the Oscars (33:30).

Subscribe to Amy's Back Row newsletter: https://www.backrow.net/

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Check out Gold Derby for more awards season predictions.

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How the Bravo Look Took Over Fashion and Beauty (with Watch What Crappens) Feb 02, 2026

Show notes

Part 2 of this episode is available to paid subscribers at backrow.net (which includes full newsletter access) or through Apple Podcasts or Spotify. After years of quiet luxury, opulence is back in fashion. In this episode of the Back Row podcast, Amy traces the origins of fashion’s current obsession with excess — all the way back to… Bravo?

Joined by Ben Mandelker and Ronnie Karam of the wildly popular Watch What Crappens podcast, they discuss how Real Housewives culture shaped today’s luxury landscape, even as the fashion world distanced itself from reality stars. Lauren Sánchez may be one of the most talked-about attendees at couture week — but Bravo stars have been doing her look for 20 years! They also talk about how much Bravo helped get Gigi and Bella Hadid's careers going, Rachel Zoe's debut on RHOBH, and more. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introducing Ben & Ronnie of ‘Watch What Crappens’ 01:20 – Lauren Sanchez’s style is just the Bravo look 05:00 – Breaking down the Bravo aesthetic 10:40 – Are Sky tops coming back? 16:50 – Will fashion ever accept the Real Housewives? 24:30 – Would the Hadids have happened without Bravo? 27:30 – What’s up with Mauricio’s Chanel blanket? 30:40 – Is Rachel Zoe too confident for the Real Housewives? 37:10 – Bravo misidentified a Kelly bag 40:20 – The Birkin that costs $1,000,000 (before you can buy it!) 44:30 – Is plastic surgery the new Birkin? Links & Resources: Back Row newsletter Back Row Podcast: Apple Spotify

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Celebrity Brands: What Works, What Doesn’t (Goop, Rhode & More) Jan 26, 2026

Show notes

In Part 2, Ana Andjelic and Amy Odell break down Meghan Markle’s new brand As Ever, how The Row quietly built one of the most powerful luxury brands in fashion, and what's next for Chiara Ferragni after her acquittal. Part 2 is available to paid subscribers at backrow.net (which includes full newsletter access) or through Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Celebrity brands are everywhere—but what separates the ones that thrive from those that fail? Can fame alone turn a celebrity idea into a lucrative enterprise? In this episode of the Back Row Podcast, Amy Odell sits down with branding expert Ana Andjelic (former Chief Brand Officer of Esprit & Banana Republic, author, and the voice behind the newsletter The Sociology of Business) to break down the secret formula behind the most successful celebrity businesses. From Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop to Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty and Hailey Bieber’s billion-dollar sale of Rhode, they explore why fame alone isn’t enough, how authenticity clashes with marketing hype, and what it really takes to turn star-power into a lasting cultural phenomenon. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction: Why some celebrity brands succeed while others fail 03:20 – What is Gwyneth Paltrow even selling at Goop? And with the relaunched Gwyn clothing line? 09:10 – The death of quiet luxury: where does Gwyn fit? 10:50 – Apple Martin and Gwyneth’s viral Calvin Klein moment 11:30 – What’s kept audiences captivated by Gwyneth for 30 years 18:00 – Predicting the future of Gwyneth’s brands 21:10 – Alex Cooper and Unwell Hydration is more than just trendy water 29:00 – The key to Hailey Bieber’s $1 billion brand deal 32:45 – Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty is playing the long game 35:00 – Shay Mitchell and Toddler Face Masks: rage bait or reputation ruin 36:00 – Meghan Markle’s brand As Ever: “Last time I talked about her, I got raked over the coals” Links & Resources Back Row Newsletter Amy Odell - Instagram Ana Andjelic: Instagram The Sociology of Business (Newsletter) The Business of Aspiration (Book) Hitmakers (Book) This episode was produced by Amy Odell and edited by Amy Odell and Jonathan Voytko.

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Retail Confessions: Inside Harrods — Demanding Shoppers and the Rules of the Ultra-Rich Jan 19, 2026

Show notes

On this holiday episode of The Back Row Podcast, Amy Odell shares a special installment of Retail Confessions, featuring an anonymous interview with a former Harrods sales associate.

The interviewee discussed what it was really like working on the shop floor at one of the world’s most famous luxury department stores — from intense sales pressure and demanding clients to the unspoken rules of the über-rich. To preserve anonymity, the interviewee’s responses are read by Amy’s husband, Rick.

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The Recession of Size Inclusion in Fashion (with Lauren Chan) Jan 12, 2026

Show notes

Amy Odell talks with model and writer Lauren Chan about what she calls a "recession of size inclusion" in fashion. After years of progress, brands are reverting back to casting “straight size” models by default —and the consequences go far beyond aesthetics.

Lauren shares a fashion week story that captures the problem perfectly: a major entertainment cover shoot featuring a size-12/14 talent had no designer samples available, Amy and Lauren discuss why it matters when the fashion industry ignores bigger bodies; how AI will affect body diversity in fashion; the impact of GLP-1s; and more.

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Emily in Paris vs. Real French Style Jan 05, 2026

Show notes

FOR PART TWO OF THIS PODCAST, sign up for Back Row Premium in Apple or Spotify. In part two, Amy gets Dana Thomas's thoughts on Emily in Paris after watching it for the first time; how French attitudes toward plastic surgery compare to those in America; and how the French feel about the Bezos billionaire lifestyle. In this episode of the Back Row podcast, veteran fashion journalist Dana Thomas joins Amy Odell to talk about Emily in Paris! She reveals what it was really like to actually live the fantasy of moving to Paris at 18 years old to work in fashion, how it influenced her style, and how actual French fashion is so different from the show. CHAPTERS 00:00 Why Emily in Paris works as fantasy 01:30 Dana Thomas’s real “Emily in Paris” story 03:40 Modeling and learning French beauty and style rules 06:40 French chic vs. American cool 09:50 Life as a teenage model in the 1980s 12:00 Falling in love and moving to Paris 14:00 How French women actually dress 17:20 Scarves are very important 22:30 The French style formula, explained 26:20 Handbags, pockets, and why French women don’t carry much 29:00 Men’s style in Paris vs. the "Emily in Paris" fantasy Links & Resources: Back Row newsletter Amy Odell - Instagram Dana Thomas Instagram Deluxe (book) Gods & Kings (book) Fashionopolis (book) Style Files (newsletter)

This episode was produced by Amy Odell and edited by Amy Odell and Jonathan Voytko.

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How Gwyneth Paltrow's Extreme Diet Sparked a 'Detox' Craze Dec 29, 2025

Show notes

Gwyneth Paltrow has long been known for promoting various wellness fads that drive experts crazy. Long before she was publicly singing the praises of raw dairy products, she would publish "detox" diets each January. These were the foundation of Goop's wellness business. In this excerpt from Amy's latest book Gwyneth: The Biography, hear about how Goop began, how its viral diet advice generated great controversy (along with invaluable notoriety) in its early days, and how health and medical experts felt about it all.

Get the full Gwyneth audiobook here.

Get Gwyneth: The Biography in hardcover or ebook here.

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