Canal Street Dreams – "Best Dressed of the Year With Noah Thomas"

Hosts: Eddie Huang & Natashia Perrotti
Guest: Noah Thomas (Director of Men's and Kids at Macy's)
Date: February 24, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode celebrates Noah Thomas as the inaugural champion of the Jan De Leon Slob Fest "Best Dressed" award. Eddie and Natashia sit down with Noah for a rich, candid discussion about his evolution in the fashion world, the realities of NYC versus LA creative culture, rising trends in kids and menswear, and their shared joys (and struggles) of evolving personal style—parenthood included. The show closes with rapid-fire fashion takes and a detour into food culture and the importance of authenticity and writing in travel food television.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Noah Thomas: From Aspiring Chef to Style Director

(00:55 – 08:14)

• Fashion Origin Story:

  • Noah reveals he initially wanted to be a chef as a kid. His mom encouraged his kitchen experiments:

    "I was, like, making weird, like, blueberry pasta ... trying to go for it, you know?" (01:34, Noah)

  • A pivotal moment: Watching "The Last Emperor" and "Devil Wears Prada" inspired him to switch to fashion (“this is the world I need to be a part of”).
  • Early ambition:

    “I printed out the FIT menswear requirements ... from sixth grade on, every summer I went to like a pre-college program. I got a sewing machine and I just was like, very dedicated.” (02:47, Noah)

• FIT and Learning Style:

  • Got into FIT but didn't graduate due to low grades, preferring hands-on work over formal education.
  • Emphasizes hands-on learning as key—relates to fellow guest/host's similar experiences:

    "I'm not an in the classroom learner. I'm a hands on learner. I think it's maybe a Pisces thing." (03:59, Natashia)

• Internshipped to the Top:

  • After failing a key class, Noah took extra time to rack up crucial internships at Fashion Snoops (trend forecasting), Marnie (helping with markets during the Consuelo era, before it became hype), Vogue Australia, Rick Owens, and then Highsnobiety.

2. Breakthrough at Highsnobiety & Transition to Macy’s

(08:14 – 13:29)

• Describes entering Highsnobiety (“dream come true"), finding his lane on camera rather than writing, and how community/friendship in NYC contrasted LA’s transactional, status-driven culture.
• On LA’s culture shock:

  “It’s not easy to cultivate a friend group ... be known in New York ... and then move to LA ... when you do meet people, they're kind of weird.” (08:33, Noah)

• Eddie contrasts:

  “New Yorkers move like—do I vibe with you as a person? In LA, it’s really like, what’s up with your LinkedIn?” (10:07, Eddie)

• Noah credits networking and mentorship (especially Gian) for getting his current Macy's role.

3. Inside the Macy’s Fashion Director Role

(12:29 – 14:02)

• Actual title: Associate Men's and Kids Fashion Director—now focused on “trend office.”
• Responsibilities:

  “I look at all of the runway, I go into stores, pay attention to what’s, you know, movies and ... culture ... These are the colors, these are the fabrics ... the items that we need to have in order for us to stay relevant.” (13:02, Noah)

• Macy’s audience is “regular people ... not really like, fashion heads,” but he’s helping usher a new energy and relevance there.

4. Trends in Kidswear: Mini-Me and Stone Tones

(14:14 – 19:32)

• Parents want kids to dress as “mini-mes”—adult-inspired styles, with unexpected muted/stone tones trending over brights.
• Natashia on buying for her son:

  “The general vibe is very, like, beige ... it’s almost, like, too, like, chic for a kid.” (15:38, Natashia)

• Eddie:

  “A kid needs to be a kid ... I need to know the spaghetti stain gonna look good.” (16:42, Eddie)

• Cost of kids’ luxury brands (Bonpoint, Mini Rodini, Il Gufo, etc.) debated—Natashia insists on affordability and fun (vintage, eBay, playful prints).
• Noah recommends:
  • Mini Rodini, Bowden, The Campamento, Il Gufo, New Society, Fish and Kids, Sunday Collective, and Bonpoint (“if you’re on the chic wave.”) (18:46, Noah)

5. Menswear Trends: Sartorial Shift, Personal Evolution

(19:34 – 23:58)

• Current trend:

  “More sartorial vibe ... I want trousers and loafers and ... suits every day. But custom, right?” (19:41, Noah)

• Deep respect for Armani and Ralph Lauren:

  “To me, Armani is Godzilla ... Ralph Lauren is King Kong.”

• Suits: Prefers Brioni, Armani, Dunnis Hill; respects Comme des Garçons and Tom Browne’s silhouettes but favors classic tailoring.
• Aging out of streetwear:

  “Highsnobiety era wardrobe ... I looked in the mirror one day and I felt stupid. ... I can’t keep dressing like this.” (22:38, Noah)

• All hosts reflect on navigating evolution in personal style—especially with major life changes like parenthood.

6. Rapid Fire: Eyewear & Brand Takes

(24:31 – 30:37)

• Noah’s eyewear picks:
  • Loves Loewe (“bigger shape glasses”), but Jacques Marie Mage wins for quality and durability over Cartier or Chrome Hearts.
  • Tom Ford is universally praised (“never missed an era of eyewear”—27:44, Natashia).
  • Seline under Phoebe Philo highlighted as iconic for women; Gucci is “hit or miss” and lacks clear direction post-2000s.
• On brand longevity:

  “Tom Ford is the last A-list luxury brand to exist ... a brand that can last past him ... strong enough codes to ... still go crazy.” (30:01, Noah)

• Eddie:

  “If I’m going acetate, I get Jacques Marie Mage. If I’m doing jewelry on the face, I get the Cartier ... buffs, leopards, panthers ... it’s just doing a lot.” (28:25, Eddie)

7. Food, Travel, & Cultural Representation

(32:28 – End)

• Noah is back to cooking—embracing "mob wife" energy (“calamari, chicken parm, ziti ... trying to make my own tortillas”).
• Sings Eddie’s praises:

  “You guys made food cool.” (33:25, Noah)

• On the lack of “cool” food travel shows today:

  “It's like, Hollywood execs being like ... put him in a food show ... you gotta love the shit ... and have the ability to write. That's what Tony (Bourdain) could do that made it great.” (35:18, Eddie)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On personal career philosophy:

  “It doesn't matter what age you are, just go for it.” (02:53, Noah quoting Pharrell)

• On LA creative culture:

  “People lead with money ... they’ll put you in their back pocket and be like ... if I need you, I’ll be your friend.” (10:12, Natashia)

• On kids’ muted color trend:

  “Millennial parent ... dress them like themselves, and it’s, like, too chic. Like, a kid needs to be a kid.” (16:42, Eddie)

• On evolving style:

  “As I get older, I hate all my clothes ... I want suits ... classic Armani feel.” (19:41, Noah)

• On Tom Ford:

  “There’s never been a bad era of Tom Ford eyewear ... Tom Ford has never missed.” (27:02, Natashia)

• On writer-driven food travel TV:

  “The thing that Tony could do that made it great was like, he was a writer ... it loses that gonzo journalism if you’re not.” (35:40, Eddie)

Timestamps – Important Segments

• Award chat, Jan De Leon Slob Fest: 00:00–01:05
• Noah’s backstory, fashion roots: 01:13–03:32
• School/Internships/FIT experience: 03:36–06:09
• Highsnobiety journey, NYC vs LA culture: 08:14–11:44
• Macy’s director role/trend process: 12:29–14:14
• Kids’ fashion trends and affordability: 14:20–19:32
• Menswear shifts, sartorial discussion: 19:34–23:58
• Personal style evolution/parenting: 22:59–24:30
• Eyewear rapid fire: 24:31–30:37
• Brand legacy/Tom Ford/Jacquemus: 30:01–32:29
• Food/Travel TV authenticity: 32:29–35:56

Final Thoughts & Episode Tone

This episode is packed with authenticity, inside stories, and unfiltered warmth from three seasoned creatives. Noah’s fashion knowledge is deep but accessible; the hosts are self-deprecating yet proud of their evolution. Whether you're deep into fashion or just beginning your own style journey—or parenthood—this is a must-listen for honest insights and trend wisdom, delivered with true NYC (and Canal Street) flair.