Podcast Summary: Fashion People – "Dior Couture and Peptide Mania"

Host: Lauren Sherman
Guest: Chris Black
Date: January 27, 2026

Episode Overview

Lauren Sherman, Puck’s Line Sheet journalist, is joined by Chris Black (How Long Gone) for an insider’s discussion on what’s happening across fashion’s runways, backstage, and behind the streams. They dissect the most recent men’s and couture shows in Paris, the state of buzzy brands (Dior, Celine, Jacquemus), the streamer incursion into fashion, the peptide health craze gripping the industry’s elite, and the latest M&A and gossip—from Marchesa’s woes to new launches in media. The conversation is quick, witty, and honest, reflecting the off-press-release realities of fashion.

1. Paris Fashion Week: Men’s and Couture Shows

Lauren’s Paris Dispatch and Show Scene

• Lauren is reporting from Europe, fresh off Dior and Schiaparelli Couture, Chanel, Armani, Hermes’ last menswear under Véronique, and Jacquemus.
• She teases Line Sheet exclusives and industry gossip for the newsletter. [01:04]
• Shows are described as hectic but invigorating. Lauren and Chris reflect on the atmospheres in Paris and a snowy New York, with playful banter about weather, driving, and singing in the car. [03:08–05:12]

Key Menswear and Collection Highlights

• Both hosts agree: as always, some collections are “good, some really bad.”
• Ralph Lauren solidly outscores imitators:
  “I really appreciated Ralph kind of showing all of his imitators who's boss… it was actually pretty good and cool.” (Chris, 05:41)
• Celine’s new direction is a hit among insiders:
  “I think that the Celine... everything looks like pretty wearable, you know, which is kind of nice. It's not a freak show… even the stuff that's more crazy or experimental still feels relatively wearable...” (Chris, 07:25)
• Lauren notes Celine’s 2025 collections are winning the hearts (and wallets) of industry people for the first time since Loewe or Prada’s heyday. [07:45]
• The red Repetto shoes from Celine are a standout accessory:
  “She had a pair of the red repetto’s on that were all beat up. And it just looked… They looked.” (Lauren, 08:53)
• The Dior belt buckle and costume jewelry are praised for being “affordable, cute, and wearable.” [09:12]

Wearability & Critic Response

• Chris voices his usual skepticism about runway pieces versus what stars are seen in at shows:
  "When I see, like, young, Lean and Robert Pattinson… they look so cool and almost normal. And then when the show starts, it's a blouse. You know what I mean? It's like a sequined blouse…” (Chris, 09:40)
• Discussion of normcore vs. experimental fits: Josh O’Connor at Dior Couture in “real normie outfit.” [10:11]
• The untucked shirt with blazer gets playful ribbing: "I've never felt okay about that personally, but maybe that's just my traditional views." (Chris, 10:30)
• Lauren: “I think that’s you being from the South.” [10:50]

Dior Men’s and Couture: In-depth

• Both hosts admit the first Dior Men's collection was more exciting—critics loved the new one more than either host did, but “the guy has got to be burnt the fuck out… you can’t deliver that much all the time.” (Chris, 11:38)
• Couture, by contrast, was “really good… It clarified it for me. And also it was pretty. And I, I saw a woman leaving who was a client and she liked it. Like there were people talking. I think it’s… gonna take a couple years, but it's gonna work fine.” (Lauren, 15:36)
• John Galliano’s visible enjoyment at Dior Couture is a notable moment. (12:41)
• New Dior Book tote “Dracula bag” highlighted as the next “upgrade” item (14:05).
• The challenge of single creative direction across huge houses (Dior, Vuitton) leads to burnout:
  “Matt Tubazi has 10 collections. I don’t even… Jonathan probably has 25 collections he has to do.” (Lauren, 15:08–15:16)
• LVMH’s “One Dior” internal campaign poked fun at:
  "One Dior is so dramatic. It sounds like a credit card or something." (Chris, 15:03)

2. The Streamer-to-Fashion-Designer Phenomenon

• Chris flags streamer Kai Cenat as the latest digital celebrity attempting a pivot to fashion design.
  Who is Kai Cenat?
  • “He's a young... mouth-breathing dork who turns the camera on and makes a fortune for not doing anything.” (Chris, 19:48)
  • Massive reach: celebrities go on his stream for promotion.
• Lauren and Chris are skeptical of the fashion move:
  “He posted a job listing for, I wish a Union heard this, $30,000 a year to help him design his front.” (Chris, 20:29)
  • "He doesn't really know what he's gotten into." (Chris, 21:15)
• The Kanye effect:
  “This is... it's Kanye's fault. Like they think they can get rich making clothes and they can’t.” (Chris, 21:18)
• Kanye’s recent full-page WSJ apology is noted [21:47].
• “Let’s see if Kai Cenat can go toe to toe with him.” (Chris, 22:47)

3. Jacquemus: Runway, Reformation, and Pop Fashion

• Lauren attended Jacquemus and notes its appeal to non-industry types: “People love this. It looks like it would be in a movie. It's like a fashion brand.” (Lauren, 23:37)
  • Chris: “I'm not saying it's not a good bit… It's a good business because it's reformation, but French, you know?” (23:43)
  • The brand isn’t “designer,” it’s contemporary—but that’s what buyers want.
  • “What Emily in Paris thinks clothes are—that's the most accurate thing I've seen.” (Chris, 24:04)

4. Peptide Mania & Wellness Culture in Fashion

The New Health Stack

• Lauren asks: “Do you take peptides?” [24:36]
• Chris’s peptide journey:
  • “Yeah, I mean, I don’t mean to boast, but I’ve been taking peptides for three or four years.” (Chris, 24:40)
  • Prescribed by Dr. Mike Carragher, an L.A. longevity specialist: “If you do this now, you’ll love it.” (24:53)
  • His focus: Sermorelin for muscle recovery, injects nightly.
  • “It’s unbelievable…issues with my elbows specifically from… weightlifting movements… gone.” (Chris, 27:59)
• Lauren’s observations from parties: “Literally every single person was talking about it. And you should see the stacks people sent me.” (Lauren, 25:42)
• Chris: “some of this is a little... a more advanced version of vitamins where if you want it to work, then it does.” [25:49]
• Noted “contradictions”:
  • “Everyone is stacking supplements and also smoking.” (Lauren, 26:53)
  • Chris: “They want to look hot and skinny and feel good... they're not worried about cancer. It's two different things.” (27:02)
• Lauren predicts a rise in health shortcuts may enable worse real habits (like GLP-1 usage for weight loss).
• Parisian vs. American difference in health obsessions: “No one is doing that here. Well, they're smoking…it's fine, it's fine. It's a different lifestyle.” (Lauren & Chris, 28:44)

5. Marchesa/Georgina Chapman Financial Troubles

• Lauren details ongoing Marchesa drama:
  • Non-shipment of orders, mortgage default, and a public lawsuit by 16 ex-employees for unpaid wages. [30:23–31:58]
  • “It’s just fascinating.” (Lauren, 31:58)
• Chris is bemused at still being able to order off the website:
  • “That's really... interesting.” (Chris, 31:56)

6. Gossip, Media, and Hollywood Shows

• Mentions of new tabloid launches (NY Post’s California edition) and their targets (Safdie Brothers’ alleged controversies).
• Riff on the coverage and differences in media strategy between New York and LA.
• Curious speculation: “Why did the Duplass brothers break up?” [33:41]

7. What’s Next: Fashion Shows, Grammy Parties & Watch Parties

• Most anticipated shows: Calvin Klein NYFW, Kate, and Tory Burch [34:41–34:53].
• Chris: “I'll be here, which is nice, because I'm going to LA on Friday for the Grammys... We're going to do some partying.” [34:53]
• Lauren plugs upcoming guest Yasi Salek to discuss Grammy fashion.
• Both hosts reflect on music discovery (Shazam shoutout) and the vital role of show soundtracks.
• Discussion of Puck’s forthcoming Oscar de la Renta x Super Bowl watch party in NYC [38:15–39:15].

8. Notable Quotes & Moments

• “I really appreciated Ralph kind of showing all of his imitators who's boss… it was actually pretty good and cool.”
  – Chris Black, 05:41
• "Everything looks like pretty wearable... it's not a freak show... which I think was always my beef with this kind of shit." – Chris Black, 07:25
• "One Dior is so dramatic. It sounds like a credit card or something." – Chris Black, 15:03
• "Mouth-breathing dork who turns the camera on and makes a fortune for not doing anything." – Chris Black, on streamers, 19:48
• "If you give us a hit, people won't care. But if you just keep talking, people aren't... going to give you the time of day." – Chris Black, on Kanye, 22:31
• "Everyone is stacking supplements and also smoking." – Lauren Sherman, 26:53
• "It's a good business because it's Reformation, but French, you know?" – Chris Black, on Jacquemus, 23:43
• "I don’t think we should disclose where it’s gonna be." – Lauren Sherman, on Super Bowl party, 38:52

9. Timestamps of Important Segments

• Paris show week rundown: [01:04–05:12]
• Menswear and Celine/Dior in-depth: [05:12–15:35]
• Discussion of creative director burnout (“One Dior”): [15:00–16:20]
• Streamers & fashion: Kai Cenat: [19:26–22:47]
• Jacquemus and commercial fashion: [23:10–24:18]
• Peptide mania and wellness stacks: [24:36–28:44]
• Marchesa/Georgina Chapman money drama: [30:11–32:25]
• Gossip/media/NY Post LA launch: [32:48–34:31]
• Previewing women’s shows, Grammys, Super Bowl party: [34:31–39:15]

10. Tone & Closing Thoughts

Tone

Conversational, irreverent, frank, and full of the kind of world-weary industry banter and affection for fashion’s oddities that fans of Lauren and Chris expect.

Closing

• Both hosts sign off with plans for LA, Grammy reporting, and New York Fashion Week/party schedules.
• Teasing next week: Grammy red carpet recap with Yasi Salek.

Useful for newcomers:
This episode delivers frank, funny insights for anyone interested in what fashion insiders really say about the big brands, personalities, trends, and the curious collision of pop culture, TikTok, and luxury. If you care about what’s coming next—or love a bit of fashion gossip—don’t miss it.