Podcast Summary: Fashion Neurosis with Honey Dijon

Episode Title: Fashion Neurosis with Honey Dijon
Release Date: February 12, 2025
Host: Bella Freud
Guest: Honey Dijon, renowned DJ and fashion icon

1. Introduction to Honey Dijon and Her Style (00:38 - 03:03)

Bella Freud welcomes Honey Dijon to Fashion Neurosis, initiating the conversation by delving into Honey's fashion choices.

• Outfit Description: Honey describes her attire as a "Canadian tuxedo," emphasizing head-to-toe denim paired with leather and cowboy boots, a nod to the 1970s New York urban jungle. She appreciates denim in all its forms, whether baggy or slim, as it reflects her daily comfort and identity.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (00:55): "I just chose something that really feels like how I like to move through the world, which is simple but a Nod to the 70s and specifically New York in the late 70s."

• Cher Inspiration: Honey highlights how images of Cher, particularly Norman Seff's portrayal of her in a black silk shirt and jeans, deeply influence her style, emphasizing the power of a great pair of jeans.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (02:05): "My favorite Cher image is by Norman Seff... there's nothing sexy than a great pair of jeans."

2. Early Influences and Fashion in Her Upbringing (03:03 - 07:00)

Bella inquires about Honey's childhood and the role fashion played in her life.

• Family Background: Born and raised in a middle-class African American family in Chicago, Honey credits her parents for instilling the importance of fashion as a form of self-expression and resistance against oppression.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (03:13): "Fashion was always in my house... it was where you communicated to the world."

• Music and Subculture Influence: Honey discusses the impact of being born at the inception of house music culture. She explains how club fashion was integral to identifying with different tribes within the scene, drawing inspiration from high-fashion magazines like Vogue and designers like Versace.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (04:10): "Fashion to me has never been about aspiration. It's always been about inspiration."

3. The Intersection of Fashion, Music, and Identity (07:00 - 13:04)

Bella and Honey explore how album covers and music shaped Honey's relationship with fashion.

• Life-Changing Album Cover: Honey identifies Grace Jones' "Nightclubbing" as the album cover that "literally changed [her] life," highlighting the synergy between graphic design, fashion, and music.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (06:04): "That album cover changed my life... she's my shaman and North Star."

• Influence of Malcolm McLaren: Honey expresses admiration for McLaren's perspective, stating, "the look of music and the sound of fashion sums it up for me."

4. Journey into DJing and Fashion in New York (13:04 - 29:19)

The conversation shifts to Honey's early experiences as a DJ and her integration into the New York fashion scene.

• First DJ Experience: Sharing a personal anecdote, Honey recounts her first time DJing at age 8 during her parents' basement parties, dressed in pajamas, which fostered her love for community and celebration.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (07:55): "The music and the laughter and the clanking of the glasses... I fell in love with the joy and celebration."

• Navigating Fashion on a Budget: Honey reveals her resourcefulness during her early DJ days, using Macy's credit card to acquire and return clothes, highlighting the necessity of maintaining a unique look in New York's competitive environment.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (09:20): "New York is brutal for that. You couldn't be caught dead in the same thing twice."

• Connections with Fashion Designers: Honey discusses her relationships with influential designers like Kim Jones and Ricardo Tisci, which propelled her into the fashion world, emphasizing clubs as laboratories for creative exchange.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (28:15): "Club culture for me has never been about entertainment. It's always been about a laboratory of creative exchange."

5. Navigating Identity and Overcoming Insecurities (29:19 - 40:00)

Honey delves into the role of fashion in her personal journey, addressing body image, identity, and resilience.

• Fashion as Liberation: Honey reflects on how fashion served as armor and courage, especially as a trans woman of color, using clothing to affirm her identity and combat societal oppression.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (13:48): "Having a look sort of gives you courage to navigate the world. It can also be a form of armor."

• Embracing Insecurities as Strengths: Honey shares her realization that the very insecurities she faced were her strengths, leading her to celebrate her uniqueness.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (15:50): "I found out a lot of my insecurities were actually my strengths... I just decided to put a fucking gold star on it."

• Influence of Literature: She highlights the impact of books like "The Artist's Way" and "The Four Agreements", introduced by friends in the leather community, which have been pivotal in her personal growth and self-reflection.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (17:45): "Three pages of journaling every morning. And I still do it to this day."

6. Intersectionality: Sex Work, Trans Culture, and Pop Influence (40:00 - 48:00)

Honey expounds on the interconnectedness of sex work, trans culture, and their profound influence on mainstream culture and fashion.

• Body Autonomy and Kink Culture: She identifies gender as the "last frontier", where body autonomy and kink intersect, fostering a space for trans expression through fashion and body modification.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (20:25): "Gender is the last frontier because people are mixing up ways of dressing and expressing body autonomy and the kink community."

• Influence on Mainstream Fashion: Honey traces how subcultural styles from sex work and trans communities permeate mainstream fashion, from nail culture to laissez-faire styles adopted by major brands.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (21:00): "What happens in the street always ends up on the runway in some form or another."

7. Personal Style Preferences: Bags, Makeup, and Fragrance (48:00 - 51:30)

The discussion turns to Honey's specific fashion and beauty preferences, highlighting her love for designer bags, makeup, and perfumes.

• Designer Bags: Honey expresses a deep appreciation for vintage and designer bags, mentioning favorites like Balenciaga Nicola Ghesquier bags and vintage Coach bags from the '70s. She explains how these items serve as status signals and affirmations of success.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (40:11): "Designer bags can change lives... sometimes it's nice to have that flex."

• Makeup and Skincare: While she prioritizes skincare, Honey acknowledges her admiration for makeup artists like Pat McGrath and Way Bandy, appreciating the artistry and self-expression they provide.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (34:06): "I love perfume... it's how you live."

• Fragrance as Emotional Uplift: Honey shares her ritual of using perfume and scented baths to elevate her mood, emphasizing that style encompasses how one lives.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (32:40): "Style is not what you wear, it's how you live."

8. New Collection: Honey Fucking Dijon (51:30 - 52:19)

In the final segment, Honey introduces her latest fashion collection in collaboration with Dover Street Market.

• Concept and Inspiration: The collection, titled "Honey Fucking Dijon," aims to communicate culture through clothing, celebrating the intersection of music, clubs, and community. Honey integrates elements from iconic artists like Keith Haring, Jean Michel Basquiat, and Robert Mapplethorpe, infusing the collection with references to music and sex culture.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (47:18): "Honey Fucking Dijon is basically a celebration... using clothing as a communication of that culture."

• Inclusivity and Non-Binary Design: Emphasizing non-gender-specific fashion, Honey ensures the collection resonates with anyone connected to the club and music scenes, maintaining a critical yet celebratory stance rather than mere nostalgia.

  Notable Quote:
  Honey Dijon (48:15): "It's not in a nostalgic way, but in a critical way that speaks to now and speaks to the kids today."

• Future Collaborations: Honey hints at ongoing and upcoming collaborations, signaling an exciting expansion of her fashion endeavors.

Conclusion

Throughout the episode, Honey Dijon eloquently intertwines fashion, identity, and cultural expression, illustrating how clothing serves as both a personal armor and a medium for communal connection. Her journey from the basement parties of Chicago to the high-fashion runways of New York underscores the profound impact of self-expression and authenticity in navigating and shaping one's identity.

Final Notable Quote:
Honey Dijon (50:26): "Keeping it honest and real and true to you and inviting people along for your ride."

This episode of Fashion Neurosis offers an insightful exploration into the symbiotic relationship between fashion and identity, as navigated by the illustrious Honey Dijon. For those intrigued by the unspoken language of clothing and its influence on personal and societal narratives, this conversation provides a compelling listen.