Greetings from Tokyo! I’m writing this after waking up at 3.20pm, whilst eating a packet of sour Supermario Haribo because it’s the only food in my Airbnb. Jet lag is a strange beast.
Today I’ve got another classic episode of the Threads of Conversation podcast, where I ask my guest to choose eight items of clothing to represent different moments in their life and career (FYI you can also listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify).
This week’s conversation is with Sharmadean Reid, the founder, writer and creative consultant who started off in fashion before becoming a figurehead for women in business around the world.
Originally from Wolverhampton, Sharmadean moved to London to study at Central Saint Martins. There, she began working with Nicola Formichetti, aka. Lady Gaga’s stylist, and consulting for clients like Nike. She then founded an innovation-led salon called WAH nails, which Millenial girlies will remember as the coolest place to hang out in the 2010s. She also received an MBE from Queen Elizabeth for services to the Beauty industry.
After closing the salon in 2015, Sharmadean founded a groundbreaking beauty startup, Beautystack, based on her learnings from WAH. During the pandemic, Beautystack evolved into The Stack World, a media company and global community for mission driven women. She also became the first Black woman in the UK to raise £1m in venture capital.
In every new phase, Sharmadean has remained steadfast in her pursuit of empowerment and equity for women, something she’s written and talked about throughout her career. This year, she distilled her learnings into a book, ‘New Methods For Women: A Manifesto for Independence’ 49 powerful essays that offer new perspectives on life, work, self, friendships, parenthood, and relationships. After years of living in London, she also moved to the countryside near her hometown, and is currently working on a scripted TV show about female founders.
Sharmadean has been someone I’ve admired for many years. A fearless leader in life and work, she’s the kind of person who smashes through the glass ceiling, and then throws down a sturdy rope ladder for other women to join her. She’s also very stylish, having grown her love of fashion into a unique career path, with a distinct aesthetic to match.
Below you’ll find pictures of the pieces that Sharmadean has chosen to represent her journey so far. Don’t forget that you can also listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Subscribe for more Threads of Conversation, and follow along on Instagram and TikTok.
The piece that reminds Sharmadean of her childhood…
“One of the key pieces of clothing that I remember as a child was a Katherine Hamnett-style sweater. It was white and it said ‘Save the Dolphins’ on the front. I'm guessing it was a rip-off from Wolverhampton Market. Me and my brother both had matching sweatshirts.”
The item that reminds her of her career…
“I love wearing knee-high boots. The first pair I ever bought were Kenzo black suede, with a single zip from the toe all the way up the shin to the kneecap.”
The piece that reminds her of a high…
“A pink Jacquemus dress that I bought to accept my Veuve Cliquot Bold Future Award. It’s sexy and powerful and cool - everything that’s important to me.”
And a low…
“There are a bunch of dresses I bought to go on dates with boys who definitely didn't deserve them. That was me in my people-pleasing-needing-boys-for-validation era. It's a version of me that just doesn't exist anymore.”
The piece that makes her feel part of something…
“A Stüssy x Comme des Garçons baseball jacket. It reminds me of a very specific era in fashion history where, if you wore something of that ilk, there’d be just a handful of people who knew where it was from.”
The piece that reminds her of a great party…
“I held a goddess birthday party at Oakley Court in Windsor, and asked everyone to come dressed as a goddess from their ancestry. I wore a gold-bronze sequinned Vivienne Westwood dress, which fit like a glove.” (Read more about the party here.)
The piece that makes her feel sexy…
“A Paris Georgia dress that I wish I could wear every single day. It’s both business-like and sexy. You can wear it for day, you can wear it for night. I'm obsessed with it.”
And the ones that got away…
“I was so upset about not getting anything from the Prada tropical banana collection. Similarly, missing out on the recent Miu Miu x New Balance collab. To me, that shoe is almost the equivalent of my Stüssy x Comme des Garçons jacket. It's that high-low; sporty and street, but fashion.”
Threads of the week
I’ve visited some amazing shops here in Tokyo, which I’ll cover in a future newsletter. One of my favourites is Radd Lounge, where I went to see Marie Lueder’s collection (remember Marie?). I also found this dress by a brand called 3R. It was pretty short on me - hence cropping out the bottom of the photo - but I love the upcycled racing aesthetic (more on that here).
Loose Threads
I can’t stop thinking about this photography documentary, ‘Everybody Street’, a 2013 film about some of New York’s most iconic street photographers. I first saw it about a decade ago, but it pops into my head all the time. I think I need to watch it again. Luckily, the entire thing is on YouTube.
For anyone in branding, this was an interesting read.
Idk why this made me laugh so much.
Start your own Thread
Add your thoughts in the comments, and let me know whose Threads of Conversation you want to hear next! And if you enjoyed this edition, why not forward it to a friend?
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