Previously on Threads of Conversation
Meet guests including Margaret Zhang, Raven Smith, @williamcult and HAAi
Season 3 of the podcast is coming! Before the new episodes start to drop, let’s revisit our past guests.
Not familiar with the format? Each guest picks eight items of clothing from eight categories, using them as a way to talk through their life and career. Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
One piece that reminds you of your childhood
Margaret Zhang, Vogue China editor-in-chief, chose a quilted coat by Helmstedt.
“My parents are the most wholesome, most sweet parents one could ask for. We were a very academic household, with a lot of opportunities despite humble conditions. But the fashion choices - as selected by Mama Zhang - were quite particular. This coat reminded me of a piano Eisteddfod [prestigious Australian music competition] where I literally had a full teddy bear head on the collar of my blouse. I think at the time I was like, “Oh, you know, this is something that my mum thinks I should wear for this.” There was a lot of that ridiculousness - hand-knitted things with excess pom poms… a lot of 3D things. It was like Moschino, but make it Chinese and 1995.”
Listen to Margaret’s episode HERE.
One piece that reminds you of your career
HAAi aka. Teneil Throssell, DJ and producer, chose her “J’adore Hardcore” t-shirt.
HAAi: “J’Adore Hardcore is actually a record label from Australia called Soothsayer and they made these really great shirts. The reason I chose mine is because I think I’ve worn it to more gigs than anything else. For me, it just reminds me of being on the road, and it’s a connection back to Australia as well.”
Georgia: “I have this great picture of you and Daniel Avery playing back-to-back at Glastonbury in 2019. It reminds me of that meme where it’s two old people, and the old guy’s t-shirt says: “If lost please return to Jan” and the old woman’s t-shirt says “I am Jan”.
HAAi: “Hahahaha. That was pretty much us at Glastonbury!”
Listen to HAAi’s episode HERE.
One piece that reminds you of a high
Agathe Rousselle, breakout star of Titane, chose the Louis Vuitton dress she wore to the London Film Festival.
Agathe: “It’s transparent black with a big cerceau, like a princess dress. It just looked fabulous. I went to the the Louis Vuitton [SS22] show, and because I was going to London two days after, they were like, “Pay attention, because you have to pick your dress from the show.” So I felt like it was the best way to do shopping!”
Georgia: “Like a fashion menu.”
Agathe: “I was like, “I want this, I want this, I want that.” And then I went and tried it on, and it was a match.”
Listen to Agathe’s episode HERE.
One piece that reminds you of a low
Ronan Mckenzie, photographer and designer, chose a trio of pieces from her clothing line, Selasi.
Ronan: “I’ve chosen a Selasi top and trousers, which made up one outfit I wore to the opening of HOME. The top is a mini apron that you tie around the back, and there’s a cropped jumper that goes underneath that, and then these seamed balloon trousers.”
Georgia: “So just to clarify, Selasi - it’s your brand essentially?”
Ronan: “It sounds weird saying it like that, but yeah. I just started making clothes during lockdown - it was never actually intended to be anything, but then I started sharing it, and I was enjoying the process of it. How I was able to translate the same ideas that I would talk about through my photography, directing and film work, but in garments.”
Listen to Ronan’s episode HERE.
One piece that made you feel a part of something
Willy Ndatira (perhaps better known by his IG handle, “@williamcult”), chose his Telfar pieces.
“Why Telfar makes me feel a part of something is that it starts conversations. There was an old woman on the bus and she saw my cap and she was like, “I’ve been trying to get the bag, but I want to get it in this colour...” I call them my Telfar conversations. I think the best one was last February - I was coming back to London from Paris after fashion week. I was putting my luggage through the X-ray, and one of the security guards came up to me, and he’s like, “Oh my God, do you know how long I’ve been trying to get the bag in green?” after seeing my cap. So we had this long conversation about Telfar. What I like is these unexpected conversations with everyday people, and connecting over a brand where it’s not your usual fashion industry conversation.”
Listen to Willy’s episode HERE.
One piece that reminds you of a great party
Lynette Nylander, Dazed’s Executive Editorial Director, chose a gold spangly top.
“It was my 30th birthday and I’d spent months planning for 10 friends to come to Jamaica from Los Angeles, New York and London. The logistical planning was a feat. So hellish, in fact, that the day before we flew out I realised I had nothing to wear on my actual birthday.
So, I was running down Broadway - and Broadway in New York is much like the wrong side of Oxford Street in London. You have all these shops and you think, “What are these things? Are these fronts for other things? What are these really cheap fashions?” I saw this little spangly top in the window of a place called Mystique Boutique in New York. Every girl knows it - it’s like your favourite cheap little hole-in-the-wall shop. Stuff that you wear once, and let go and let God. I saw this little top and thought, “I’m going to wear that.”
It was perfect. I wore the spangly little gold top with denim shorts, had the most amazing dinner, my friends gave me the most amazing gift, and then we went to a strip club. It was incredible.”
Listen to Lynette’s episode HERE.
One piece that makes you feel sexy
Celestine Cooney, stylist, chose a dress from Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière.
“It’s a Balenciaga 2002 Nicolas Ghesquière dress. It’s black and very naked. Any sudden movements and your whole boob can literally come out of it, so you’ve got to stay poised. It’s really sexy but it’s not trashy, it’s a bit technical. It’s got a front pouch so you can keep your stuff. It’s not a flimsy woman, it’s a powerful woman. Ghesquière did that futuristic cyborg thing, and for me that was so desirable because I’m so into sci-fi.
I went through a phase of only wearing really high heels and really short skirts and really tight tops and tiny leather jackets. I used to dress like that every day - if I was going to the shop, I’d wear heels and a tiny skirt. I couldn’t not dress sexy.”
Listen to Celestine’s episode HERE.
The one that got away
Raven Smith, writer and humorist, chose a Prada shirt.
Raven: “There’s a shirt. It’s like a swirl of green, Prada tie-dye. I couldn’t afford it when it came out, and now I wish I had it more than anything. I bought one on one of those apps, Grailed. We did a deal and it was great, but two days later the guy was like, “I’m sorry this was an inventory muck-up.” I was devastated.”
Georgia: “This is a bit sinister, but which outfit would you like to be buried in?”
Raven: “I told my husband I had a cold and he said, “Yeah, but what are you gonna wear in your coffin?””
Georgia: “…I just got that joke.”
Raven: “I don’t know what I want to wear forever - the best thing about clothes is their constant evolution.”
Listen to Raven’s episode HERE.
Special thanks to The Standard London where the episodes were recorded.