Brynn Putnam: Founder of Mirror and Board

In today’s episode, associate fashion editor Yusra Siddiqui sits down with Who What Wear May cover stars the Jonas Brothers. Four years after the release of Happiness Begins, Nick, Kevin, and Joe are back with The Album, and they’re here to break down everything from key influences to their creative process to how their dynamic as brothers and as musicians has evolved over the years. Plus, they’re diving into the style direction that they’re each excited to showcase on tour.

24 Touko 202330min

After just a few short years within the industry, Zarna Garg has comedic achievements most could only dream of. When Garg isn’t touring the world with her show, she’s performing 15 times a week at New York City’s Comedy Cellar, all while creating content for her 709k TikTok followers. Just last week, her brand-new comedy special, Zarna Garg: One in a Billion, premiered on Prime Video. But this hasn’t always been Garg’s life and career. After immigrating to the U.S. as a teenager to avoid an arranged marriage, Garg went on to practice civil litigation law before stepping away to become a stay-at-home mom to her three kids. She eventually decided to write a screenplay called Rearranged—which beat out 11,000 other scripts to win the Top Comedy Screenplay Award at Austin Film Festival in 2019—before eventually pursuing a new career path as a performer.

22 Touko 202351min

This week, Hillary is joined by shopping editor Indya Brown and Associate Director of Special Projects Kristen Nichols, who are here to tell us everything we need to know to be the best dressed wedding guests at any and all summer nuptials. They’re breaking down what exactly constitutes the various levels of formality you may see on an invite, the trends that your most stylish friend will definitely be adorned in, and the practical factors to take into consideration to make sure you have a fun time. Plus, we answer a ton of your wedding guest questions, including recommendations for just what to wear—where.

17 Touko 202334min

Jessamyn Stanley is an award-winning yoga instructor, internationally acclaimed voice in wellness, and so much more. While Stanley was working to get her MA in performing arts management, a friend introduced her to Bikram yoga. As she began to share her practice on social media, her growing followership encouraged her to enroll in a yoga teacher training course, and the rest is history. Today, Stanley is a regular contributor to Self magazine, has written two yoga books, and has built her own inclusive wellness app, The Underbelly. In this episode, Stanley speaks about the systemic inequity Black women face, especially within the wellness industry, as well as why she believes in the benefits of naked yoga. Tune in to this week’s episode to hear how her pivots, including attending culinary school, helped Stanley find her path.

15 Touko 202355min

Today, fashion editor Anna LaPlaca is back on the show to discuss her brand-new story State of Style. In this deep-dive piece, Anna brings us inside what’s hot in the style zeitgeist right now. She’s tapped industry experts to explain the multitude of factors that influence what we’re seeing take center stage at the moment, including fashion psychology and history. You’re going to want to stick around for it all, from the rise of puddle pants to the origins of quiet luxury. Read State of Style here: https://www.whowhatwear.com/state-of-style/ Shop Vince Camuto here: https://www.vincecamuto.com/?cm_mmc=display-abg%7Cabg_spring23_whowhatwear_display%7Cpodcast_roundup

10 Touko 202325min

Melissa Ben-Ishay is the founder and CEO of the bite-sized-cupcake empire Baked by Melissa. Since Ben-Ishay and her partners founded the company in 2008, Baked by Melissa has sold over 250 million cupcakes, opened 14 brick-and-mortar stores, and created a thriving e-commerce business. Though Ben-Ishay always loved baking, she actually started her career in advertising, and after being let go from her role as an assistant media buyer, she went to her brother for advice. “Don’t worry. It’s the best thing that ever happened to you. … Go home. Bake your cupcakes. We’ll start a business together,” he told her. From there, Baked by Melissa was born. Tune in to hear how Ben-Ishay continues to evolve her career, including stepping into the role of CEO of the multimillion-dollar company and her most recent pivot to TikTok sensation.

8 Touko 202346min

Thought leader, founder, designer, activist, and author Aurora James may be best known as the founder of the accessories and footwear brand Brother Vellies, which has supported artisan communities across Africa and beyond. In 2020, she launched the Fifteen Percent Pledge, a call to action for major corporations to create sustainable and supportive ecosystems for Black-owned business which has signed on companies like Sephora and Nordstrom. On this episode however, she’s here to discuss her highly personal, emotional, and absolutely brilliant memoir, Wildflower. In the book, Aurora shares both beautiful and heartbreaking stories from her childhood to the present day.  Preorder now: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wildflower-aurora-james/1141987008;jsessionid=BF345FD71EF295895AC6677E4DE5B64D.prodny_store01-atgap13?ean=9780593239452&st=AFF&2sid=Random%20House%20Inc_8373827_NA&sourceId=AFFRandom%20House%20Inc

3 Touko 202342min

Madison Utendahl is the founder behind the all-female, Black-owned, anti-trend branding and design agency, Utendahl Creative, behind brands like Simon Huck’s Judy, Halsey’s About-Face, and Chris Paul’s Good Eatn. But back before she went out on her own, she was helping to create viral sensations like The Museum of Ice Cream and Refinery29’s 29 Rooms. She was even a production assistant for HBO’s acclaimed series Last Week Tonight With John Oliver. Along the way, she made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, won two Webby Awards, and eventually felt burnt out. In today’s episode, Madison talks about what it was like to feel so depleted after years and years of a highly productive and successful career, and why after walking away from it all, she decided to found a company of her own.

1 Touko 20231h 2min