Graydon Carter is a celebrated Canadian journalist, editor, and cultural commentator best known for his 25 years as the Editor of Vanity Fair. Born in Toronto, Graydon Carter began his career in journalism in Canada where he co-founded Spy magazine in 1986. The satirical monthly became famous for its sharp, irreverent take on media, politics, and celebrity culture, establishing him as a critical voice in American media. In 1992, Graydon Carter became the editor at Vanity Fair, transforming the magazine into a powerhouse of long-form journalism, celebrity profiles, and cultural commentary. Under his leadership Vanity Fair became known for its investigative reporting - breaking a number of key political scandals; also the much anticipated photographic spreads and covers featuring Hollywood stars, shot by the legendary photographer Annie Liebovitz. Graydon Carter stepped down from Vanity Fair in 2017, founding Air Mail, a digital weekly aimed at worldly readers interested in culture, politics, and style. With his signature wit and curatorial flair, he has published his memoir 'When The Going Was Good' with author James Fox.
In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Graydon Carter discuss the joys of ironing, creating desirable trinkets for people to 'take home' from the Vanity Fair party, and whether it was Aerosmith's Steve Tyler, or Kate Moss who actually said 'nothing tastes like skinny feels.'
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57:41
Fashion Neurosis with Bethann Hardison
Bethann Hardison is a pioneering force in fashion and activism in a career spanning over five decades. Emerging from Brooklyn in the late 1960s, she became one of the first Black models to gain prominence in both New York and European fashion scenes. Her runway appearances for designers Willi Smith, Calvin Klein, and Oscar de la Renta were groundbreaking, culminating in her legendary performance in the 1973 'Battle of Versailles' fashion show - an event which showcased five french and five American designers. Transitioning from modeling, Hardison founded Bethann Management in 1984, one of the first Black-owned agencies, where she mentored trailblazers Tyson Beckford, Nick Kamen, and Iman. In 1988, she co-founded the Black Girls Coalition with Iman, advocating for equitable representation and pay for models of colour. Hardison's activism continued with the launch of the Diversity Coalition in 2013, prompting global fashion houses to confront racial disparities. In 2019, she joined Gucci as Executive Advisor for Global Equity and Cultural Engagement. Hardison remains a revered mentor and advocate, co-directing the documentary Invisible Beauty, which reflects on her legacy and ongoing impact on the fashion industry.
In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Bethann Hardison discuss her first shoots with Bruce Weber, forming the Black Girls Coalition with Iman, and how she approached Brides Magazine about including Black, Asian and Latino women in their campaigns.
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1:01:02
Fashion Neurosis with Sam McKnight
Sam McKnight is one of the most celebrated hairstylists in the world. His career has spanned more than 40 years at the forefront of cutting edge fashion, beauty, and pop culture. Known for his creative vision, Sam McKnight has collaborated with top designers including Chanel, Fendi, Vivienne Westwood, and Balmain, and worked with all the legendary models and photographers including Patrick Demarchelier, Nick Knight, and Mario Testino. He has more Vogue covers than Kate Moss (200 globally) and he is a key force behind countless runway shows and advertising campaigns. He was famously the stylist behind Princess Diana’s iconic short hairstyle—an enduring image of elegance and modernity. In 2016, his exhibition Hair by Sam McKnight at Somerset House in London offered a rare look at the role of hair in fashion and culture. That same creative spirit lives on in his bestselling haircare line, Hair by Sam McKnight, designed to bring editorial styling to everyday routines. With a blend of artistry, innovation, and wit, Sam McKnight continues to influence the fashion industry while inspiring a new generation of creatives to think beyond trends and embrace the power of personal style.
In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Sam McKnight discuss Lady Gaga's wigs, how a haircut can make homelessness more bearable, and the moment Princess Diana asked him to cut all her hair off - and how it changed her life.
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1:03:43
Fashion Neurosis with Marina Abramović
Marina Abramović is one of the most influential and groundbreaking performance artists of our time. Born in Belgrade, Serbia, she has spent over five decades pushing the limits of the mind, body, and spirit through art. Known for her extreme and often controversial performances, Abramović uses endurance, pain, vulnerability, and direct audience interaction to explore themes of identity. During her most celebrated artistic performance 'The Artist Is Present' at the Museum of Modern Art in 2010, she sat silently across from museum visitors for over 700 hours, creating powerful, wordless connections with almost a million strangers. Marina Abramović has also worked extensively to preserve and teach performance art, founding the Marina Abramović Institute, which focuses on long-durational performance and interdisciplinary collaboration. Her legacy continues to influence artists, thinkers, and audiences worldwide.
In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Marina Abramović discuss how happiness is not conducive to making great art; climaxing as a required element of a performance; and how 80 is too young for her to make a documentary about her life.
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58:13
Fashion Neurosis with Es Devlin
Es Devlin is a British artist and stage designer celebrated for creating large-scale, emotionally resonant installations and performances that fuse light, music, language, and space. Her work has shaped the visual identity of global tours for artists including Beyoncé, Adele, The Weeknd and U2, while also redefining the theatrical landscape through her work with the Royal Opera House, National Theatre, and the Metropolitan Opera. Es Devlin brings a poetic sensibility to her immersive environments. Her public art installations—such as Forest for Change at Somerset House and Poem Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai—invite audiences to reflect, explore, and engage with urgent global themes. In October 2024 she unveiled CONGREGATION, a large-scale choral installation created in partnership with UK for UNHCR, The Courtauld and King's College London. Es Devlin’s designs have been exhibited at major institutions including the V&A, the Serpentine Gallery, and the Venice Biennale. She is a Royal Academician, the recipient of numerous awards, and was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to stage design.
In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Es Devlin discuss the logistics of raising a steel orb out of the sand in the Moroccan desert for the St Laurent menswear show; seeking out jumble sales in Time Out magazine when she was 11; and making a collage for her bedroom from a catalogue of Japanese art that turned out to be full of pornographic illustrations.
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Each week join the renowned fashion designer Bella Freud as she invites a special guest to ‘lie on the couch’ and explore the connection between fashion and identity. Bella’s conversations begin with questions about style and what we reveal through the clothes we wear. Bella also shares her own anecdotes and the conversations expand into deeper discussions on life’s universal themes—love, identity, culture, anxiousness, and even politics.
Through a series of tailored questions, Bella creates a relaxed, intimate atmosphere where her guests—ranging from fashion icons to cultural figures in sport, art, music and literature reveal more about themselves than they might expect. Fashion is often dismissed as superficial, but in this podcast, it becomes the lens through which we examine our inner lives, relationships, and society.
From Kate Moss to other notable guests, Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud offers a unique, thoughtful, and engaging conversation that goes far beyond what we wear: diving into the unspoken language of clothing and the ways in which we use style to navigate and communicate in the world.
www.fashionneurosis.com
@fashionnueorsis_bellafreud
Netherlands