Stay ConnectedDesigned for curious minds, “What’s Contemporary Now?” engages various thought leaders across cultural industries taking in their broad, compelling perspectives and unveiling their common threads.
Hosted by Christopher Michael
Produced by Sasha Grinblat
Copyright: © What's Contemporary
In his first-ever podcast interview, Ludovic de Saint Sernin traces the journey from a nomadic childhood to becoming one of fashion’s most closely watched voices. He talks about the diary-like beginnings of his brand, the Mapplethorpe collaboration that became a full-circle moment, and why he sometimes becomes his own muse.
We explore queerness, visibility, and the tension between intimacy and scale as his label grows, along with how travel, community, and personal history shape his work. He's a designer committed to beauty, honesty, and the freedom to define oneself.
If you want to understand the world of LDSS—its sensuality, vulnerability, and conviction—this episode is the essential entry point.
“Being contemporary now is being recognized for your uniqueness and cultivating it with audacity and strength, with a community around you that helps you build the message.” - Ludovic de Saint Sernin
PS His collection for Zara is available in stores today.
Episode Highlights:
On names and identity The full name is a mouthful, even in French. LDSS exists so the world can say and recognize it easily while still honoring who he is.
On an itinerant childhood Born in Brussels, raised in Abidjan, then dropped into Paris’s 16th where labels mattered. It was the shock that taught him how clothes define presentation and power.
On finding fashion From sketching landscapes and Disney to sketching clothes in Paris. A mother who spotted the obsession early and sent him to draw, paint, and sew.
On family and those legendary road trips Seven siblings across three marriages, languages braided together, summers packed into a car from Brussels to Portugal. A chaotic joy that shaped his sense of community.
On travel as fuel Travel began as risk and escape and became a network. Work trips are less sightseeing than people finding. Inspiration now comes from the community he builds city to city.
On launching the brand Leaving Balmain, making a first collection alone, putting a diary on the runway, and discovering a business on the fly when buyers immediately placed orders.
On message and responsibility Autobiography became brand DNA. The work mirrors his story and holds up a mirror to queer life today, insisting on visibility without losing grace.
On Mapplethorpe and making it personal A full circle collaboration treated like a six-month devotion, with hand work by Ludovic himself and the show in New York to honor the photographer’s city and spirit.
On the designer as muse He steps in front of the camera when the story is intimate and the image needs his body to make sense. Be your own muse as liberation, not vanity.
On what is contemporary now Visibility, audacity, community. Cultivating uniqueness with confidence and surrounding yourself with people who help you build the message.
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For GQ’s global fashion correspondent Samuel Hine, clothes have always been more than fabric; they were a form of identity long before they became his career. Growing up as an identical twin in Chicago, he learned early that style could be a language of individuality. That instinct eventually led him to New York, a meeting with Will Welch (through a friend of his grandmother, no less), and what’s now a decade-long career shaping how we read and interpret menswear.
In this conversation, we talk about the evolution of fashion criticism, the rebirth of men’s style, and why GQ’s “new new masculinity” reflects more than just trend but a cultural recalibration. Hine shares his thoughts on writing as both love and labor, the designers moving fashion forward with integrity over hype, and what he calls a quiet “masculine renaissance” where men might not all be okay, but at least they’re dressing the part.
“I never thought of being visible or outward-facing as a strategy. I just always felt that being out in the world—seeing what people are wearing, what they’re talking about—is part of the job. It’s not just a role you perform, it’s a person you become.” - Samuel Hine
Episode Highlights:
Finding identity through clothes — Growing up as an identical twin in Chicago’s North Shore, Samuel used clothing to differentiate himself, from refusing blue jeans to obsessing over Oxford shirts and shaggy sweaters.
From Chinese and history to fashion — A self-described reader before writer, he majored in Chinese and history, then realized fashion could be his intellectual project as much as his personal style.
Early media spark — Running his high school radio station and interviewing Liz Phair showed him media could be a passport into worlds far from his suburban life.
Studying men’s fashion criticism — An independent study traced men’s fashion writing from Oscar Wilde to Tumblr, convincing him there was space to take menswear as seriously as he did.
The GQ break — A friend of his grandmother connected him to Will Welch; he started as Welch’s assistant, then grew with the brand across print, web, social, and events.
What the global correspondent does — “Go where the action is.” He covers the men’s and co-ed weeks worldwide, files features and fast leads, collaborates with 13 GQ markets, and lives between planes and pages.
Show Notes and niche obsession — His GQ newsletter lets him cover the hyper-specific: show reviews, underground designers, and off-runway lore, building a direct pipe to readers beyond SEO.
Who’s winning now — He praises Ralph Lauren for steady world-building over clout-chasing, and singles out Dario Vitale’s Versace debut for feeling genuinely fresh, young, and wearable.
Who would matter without hype — Designers who would make clothes regardless of money or press: Eckhaus Latta, Kiko Kostadinov, Telfar. Purpose and compulsion over noise.
What’s contemporary now — Print. As an antidote to algorithmic brain-rot, magazines channel human taste and help readers develop their own; the medium feels newly vital.
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At this year’s WSJ. Magazine Innovator Awards, Billie Eilish asked, “If you’re a billionaire, why are you a billionaire? Give your money away” — a line that instantly reverberated far beyond the room. It was a reminder of the event’s magnetic pull and its place as a mirror for culture’s contradictions. Under Editor in Chief Sarah Ball, WSJ. Magazine has become precisely that kind of reflection: glamorous, self-aware, and culturally indispensable.
In this episode, Ball reflects on her path from a D.C. household stacked with newspapers to leading a magazine that continues to grow in both influence and revenue. She speaks about the art of editing in an age of speed, the new language of luxury journalism, and the enduring power of a story told with precision and care.
““I loved beautiful glossy fashion and style media, but I also loved very tart writing about style and fashionable people — that eyebrow-raised, gimlet-eyed, social scorecard kind of writing that mixed elegance and critique.” - Sarah Ball
Episode Highlights:
On Growing Up Surrounded by Media — Raised in a Washington, D.C. household that received five newspapers a day, Sarah describes an early life shaped by constant conversation, curiosity, and the sound of pages turning.
On the Early Spark — Between Capitol Hill’s newsroom corridors and stacks of Vogue and Vanity Fair, she found herself drawn to storytelling that combined politics, aesthetics, and human behavior.
On Robin Givhan’s Influence — She credits Givhan’s fashion criticism for teaching her that clothing could be language — a way to read power, politics, and cultural change.
On the London Years — A summer at the Associated Press covering the highs and lows of early-aughts London — from Kate Moss’s tabloid saga to art auctions and nightlife — cemented her love for culture writing.
On the Golden Age of Vanity Fair — She recalls the thrill of that newsroom under Graydon Carter: “You don’t know you’re in a golden age until the golden age is over.”
On Quality Over Quantity — Ball resists the speed-at-all-costs mentality of digital publishing: “If what you’re serving is reheated garbage, are you really going to keep that reader?”
On The WSJ. Audience — She describes WSJ. Magazine as a luxury product with a discerning readership: “They pay a lot to access our content, therefore they expect a lot.”
On Visual Storytelling — A cover, she says, must surprise: “It has to show you someone in a new light — a story and an image that feel like an experience you can’t get anywhere else.”
On Video and the Future of Formats — Ball sees video — particularly conversational formats like podcasts on camera — as one of the most powerful frontiers in media: “The informality of the video podcast is replacing entire swaths of traditional television. These conversations now shape culture in real time.”
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Talking to Tish Weinstock offers the kind of unfiltered honesty — or, as she calls it, radical honesty — that every interviewer hopes to find in a guest. She has a unique ability to move between the frivolous and the deeply meaningful with equal parts wit and whimsy, leaving you to wonder whether she’s someone who refuses to take herself too seriously or simply someone who won’t struggle against whatever feels truthful in the moment.
Whether you know her from her work as a writer, her time in front of the camera or on the runway, or simply as a familiar face at all the right parties, she’s one to watch for anyone curious about culture and the people shaping it. In a conversation that spans her early experiences with loss and grief, the chaos of her intern years, and a recent visit to a trauma retreat in America, this episode has a little something for everyone.
“When I wrote that piece called I’m an intern, not an idiot and someone from upstairs came running in to tell me to take it down, that’s when I realized your words actually matter, that they can shake something even if the system doesn’t want them to.” - Tish Weinstock
Episode Highlights:
On early influences Tish grew up in London in a traditional home marked by early loss, gravitating to darker, sardonic heroines and art that felt surreal, spooky, and sincere.
On first contact with fashion She obsessed over ad campaigns on her bedroom wall and later realized that what drew her in was storytelling through images as much as clothes.
On finding the door in A chance encounter at a friend’s house led to internships at Tank and Garage where she learned the grind and took her first steps into writing.
On writing as power At i-D she published I’m an intern, not an idiot and learned that words move systems even when the system pushes back.
On becoming a beauty writer by accident She did not care about products at first and then noticed beauty as identity and language in a new wave of body positivity, drag, and Instagram natives.
On Isamaya French and Dazed Beauty Collaborating there showed her how beauty can merge subculture, technology, and art long before the wider culture caught up.
On creativity and authenticity The work sings when the obsession is real and it falls flat when the topic is traffic bait that she does not care about.
On writing today Substack rekindled her love of writing as a living diary where immediacy and imperfection feel more honest than highly polished feeds.
On wellness and the mind A week without a phone at a trauma program helped her reframe negative thoughts and confirmed that presence is a practice not an arrival.
On what is contemporary now Radical honesty feels most alive today since culture is saturated with performance and curation and audiences are hungry for what is real.
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The morning after his show debut as Victoria’s Secret’s new Creative Director, Adam Selman joined me to talk through the emotions still vibrating from the night before. The conversation moved from backstage calm to creative catharsis, touching on the full-circle moment of opening the show with Jasmine Tookes, who walked his first-ever presentation years ago.
This isn’t a conversation about lingerie or spectacle, it’s more about connection, leadership, and the power of joy as a design principle. Adam spoke about collaboration as communion—how designing with rather than for transforms the room—and how lessons from Rihanna, his “School of Rihanna,” continue to inform how he leads and creates today.
He also shared what it means to step away and return stronger, finding the space between Adam the man and Adam the brand, and discovering how quiet became his greatest teacher.
“I think joy is contemporary now. Feeling is contemporary now. Celebration is really what it’s all about.” — Adam Selman
Episode Highlights:
On The Morning After the Show — Recorded just hours after his Victoria’s Secret debut, Adam reflects on the calm, joy, and sense of unity that defined the show’s atmosphere.
On Full-Circle Moments — Opening with Jasmine Tookes, who walked his first-ever show when he had his own brand, marked a personal and poetic return to where it all began.
On Collaboration Over Command — Rather than dictating looks, Adam co-created them alongside the models, inviting input and feedback to build genuine creative connection.
On Working with Carlyne Cerf — He calls their partnership effortless, built on laughter and instinct. “She finishes my sentences,” he says.
On Diversity with Intention — Rejecting tokenism, he focused on authenticity: “We’re all sick of ticking boxes.” Casting was rooted in real conversation, relationships, and shared respect.
On Joy as Practice — For Adam, joy isn’t decorative—it’s foundational. He sees joy as the most contemporary expression of creativity and leadership.
On Learning from Rihanna — He calls his years designing with her “the School of Rihanna,” a masterclass in courage, collaboration, and cultural fluency.
On Stepping Back to Move Forward — Time away from his brand gave him space to recalibrate. Through meditation and reflection, he found peace between Adam the man and Adam the brand.
On The Maker’s Mindset — A lifelong builder, he’s never afraid to fix what breaks. “You can’t be afraid of it. You have to own it, make it, fix it.”
On What’s Contemporary Now — For Adam, it’s joy, connection, and the courage to redefine beauty through authenticity rather than perfection.
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Nicholas Aburn’s path to AREA was never a straight line. He grew up watching CNN Style with his mother, worked full time at Prada while studying at Central Saint Martins, and famously failed under Louise Wilson before showing his collection anyway and becoming the first in his class to get a job when he was hired by Tom Ford. He now calls that failure a “delayed education,” one that taught him how to manage his own creative and emotional state — a lesson more valuable than any critique. From Ford, he learned the beauty of discipline and real clothes, and from Demna, during his time at Balenciaga couture, the importance of reduction and authenticity.
In this episode he speaks about balancing fantasy with function, leadership through empathy, and optimism as a deliberate practice rather than an accident of temperament. To Aburn, what’s contemporary now is simple and human, defined by less ego, more honesty, and the courage to describe what you actually see.
Episode Highlights:
On Early Fascination with Fashion — Watching CNN Style with his mother shaped his early understanding of fashion as something serious, creative, and meaningful.
On Working at Prada During School — Balancing full-time retail work at Prada with his studies at Central Saint Martins taught him discipline and grounded his creativity in reality.
On Failure as a Delayed Education — His experience with Louise Wilson became what he now calls a “delayed education,” showing him that self-management is the foundation of all creative longevity.
On Observation and Duality — Moving between Prada’s commercial world and St. Martins’ creative chaos made him both participant and observer, sharpening his sense of perspective.
On Learning from Mentors — From Tom Ford he learned the beauty of discipline and real clothes, and from Demna the importance of reduction and authenticity.
On Leadership and Empathy — As creative director at AREA, he sees leadership as both creative and emotional, centered on clarity, inspiration, and shared enthusiasm.
On Wearability and Fantasy — He views AREA’s identity as a balance between product and performance, believing that real clothes and theatricality can coexist.
On Introversion as Creative Strength — A self-professed introvert, he finds energy and perspective in solitude, designing through observation rather than noise.
On Optimism as Practice — He treats optimism not as naivety but as a skill that fuels creativity, curiosity, and resilience.
On What’s Contemporary Now — For Aburn, it’s simple and human — less ego, more honesty, and the courage to describe what you actually see.
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When we first thought to sit down with Jerry Lorenzo, we planned to talk about culture, fashion, the first official womenswear collection from Fear of God, and the unique background that made his future feel wide open — though not necessarily destined for fashion. We did all of that, but the timely wisdom he shared reached far beyond the industry. Lorenzo speaks with the calm authority of someone who knows where he stands and why, and his reflections feel essential — filled with the kind of clarity we all need in an era when certainty is elusive and conviction, or belief in something greater than oneself, is a most valuable anchor. His belief in answering the call that is uniquely yours, above the noise of approval or criticism, is both admirable and a powerful reminder worth practicing in any life or vocation. Twelve years after founding the brand, his advice to himself is still to keep on going.
Episode Highlights:
On Early Lessons in Presentation — Growing up as a person of color in different communities taught him that how you present yourself carries weight, shaping both identity and access.
On Faith as Foundation — He describes his father’s spiritual approach to leadership and how faith became the anchor of his own creative and business philosophy.
On Purpose Over Product — For Lorenzo, design begins with intention — clothing as a means to help people feel grounded, confident, and closer to their best selves.
On Fear and Freedom — He reframes “Fear of God” as reverence, explaining that true freedom begins where fear ends — a guiding principle for both life and brand.
On Conviction and Calling — He believes success lies in answering the unique call on one’s life, rather than seeking approval or validation from the outside world.
On Women’s Wear — The decision to expand into women’s fashion stemmed from a sense of absence — creating what he felt was missing for women just as he had for men.
On Sobriety and Clarity — Sobriety gave him the ability to be fully himself in every space — a kind of freedom and constancy that fuels his creativity and peace.
On Building a World, Not Just a Brand - Fear of God is less a label than a language. Its universe extends beyond clothes into values — presence, reverence, and belief.
On Fashion’s State of Flux — Lorenzo sees fashion as a mirror of the times — reactive, often performative, and more about perception than truth.
On Success and Stillness — Twelve years after founding Fear of God, he measures success not by scale or revenue, but by peace, integrity, and the ability to keep going.
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What’s more contemporary than the pursuit of happiness? The restless task of creating it, sustaining it, sharing it. It’s a game not so far from that of the creative class, with its inevitable demand for the next turn, the next gesture, the next affirmation of relevance. Designers, editors, critics, even self-anointed new media mavens know it all too well. Exploring larger cultural truths in their microcosmic forms is a habit we’ve happily returned to this season, and one we look forward to sharing across the months ahead.
Because happiness, like relevance, is never fixed. It slips just out of reach the moment it seems secured, requiring constant reexamination and reinvention. The same holds true for the people and industries we cover: what feels urgent today risks redundancy tomorrow. That cycle of fulfillment, exhaustion, and reinvention, is the rhythm of both creativity and life. And in that rhythm lies the story of what it means to be contemporary now.
New episodes begin Monday, October 6th.
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While the world appears to have taken leave of anything resembling objective reality, and our feeds continue to oscillate between the surreal and the mundane in a choreography of dissonance, we have returned to the quiet act of making. Production on the new season is underway, and with it comes the opportunity to explore the role creativity holds within culture. More than ornament, it serves as reflection, as resistance, and occasionally, as remedy.
Whether through personal narrative or collective observation, there is no shortage of terrain. The world, in all its instability and invention, continues to offer more questions than answers. That feels like the right place to begin.
We will be back this fall with a new season!
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In recent years, it’s become harder to tell whether fashion can still stand on its own, without leaning on the scaffolding of sport, film, or whatever cultural tentpole happens to be in rotation. But with the sustained relevance of System and the sharp ambition behind its latest expansion, Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Wingfield offers a clear answer: yes—fashion can still trade on itself.
It is a business, unquestionably—but a beautifully complex one, in constant dialogue with culture. And in that dialogue, the currency of creativity proves more stable than gold. Unlike so many aspects of contemporary life, its role is inimitable, its value evergreen.
In this conversation, Wingfield traces his own route—from suburban teenage boredom and record sleeves to the visual literacy that would come to define his work. We talk about System’s origins, the logic behind System Collections, and what gets lost when coverage is dictated by algorithms rather than curiosity.
“The most interesting commentary on a film often came from the costume designer, not the star. That logic applies to fashion too.” - Jonathan Wingfield
Episode Highlights:
From suburban boredom to fashion curiosity - Wingfield traces his creative awakening to the disconnect between small-town life and the cultural energy of nearby London—music, record sleeves, and magazines were his early portals.
The record sleeve as first editorial influence - A Peter Saville–designed cover for New Order’s True Faith becomes an entry point into the world of typography, photography, and image-making.
A formative mentorship on the road - A months-long carpool with UK publishing legend Alan Lewis becomes a crash course in magazine craft—headline writing, storytelling, and editorial voice.
Why editing is about the final decisions - For Wingfield, the joy of putting a magazine together isn’t in the interviews—it’s in the final details: captions, pull quotes, and headlines that shape meaning.
System’s founding as a response to access fatigue - Frustrated by increasingly hollow interviews with celebrities, Wingfield wanted a space for deeper, more sustained conversations—System was his answer.
Virgil Abloh as a cultural inflection point - A cover story featuring Virgil becomes a turning point for System, bridging industry credibility and outsider influence, and reframing who the magazine is for.
The slow reveal: System’s relationship to time - Wingfield shares why the magazine resists real-time commentary and favors longer arcs—interviewing designers after the noise has died down.
The launch of System Collections - He introduces System’s newest project: a seasonal, time-capsule-style publication that offers deep visual and editorial takes on fashion month.
On interviewing well—and waiting for silence -One of his top tips: don’t rush to fill silences. Real answers often follow the pause.
What’s contemporary now? Swerve the algorithm - Wingfield’s closing reflection: avoid being trapped in feedback loops. Discovery, intuition, and counterintuitive creativity are what truly move culture forward.
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