Fashion People: "The Good, the Bad, and the Versace"

Host: Lauren Sherman (Puck)
Guest: Jacob Gallagher (New York Times)
Date: September 30, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Lauren Sherman and NYT journalist Jacob Gallagher review Milan Fashion Week, preview the upcoming Paris shows, and dive into the shifting landscape of sneakers in the fashion world. They discuss buzzy designer moves, shifting brand strategies, pricing anxieties, notable collections (Versace, Gucci, Jill Sander, Bottega Veneta), and the ambiguous fate of sneakers as a "fashion" item. The episode delivers candid, behind-the-scenes industry commentary, sharp takes on the week’s standout collections, and predictions for how current creative director shake-ups will play out.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking News: Sylvia Venturini Fendi Steps Down

• Lauren breaks the news that Sylvia Venturini Fendi is stepping down, amid rumors of Maria Grazia Chiuri being appointed as Creative Director for both men’s and women’s at Fendi.
  • The two discuss the implications of the "one designer, two lines" model starting to spread in Milan, comparing approaches at LVMH houses.
  • Lauren notes: "A lot of her [Maria Grazia's] clients are going to move to Fendi now...It'll be the same woman that Dior might lose" ([07:56]).

2. Milan Fashion Week Highs & Lows

• Jill Sander: Both praise Simone Belante’s debut, calling it a smart statement on minimalism, but voice concerns about pricing and consumer targeting.

  • Jacob: "That show...was a really great statement and a really crisp reminder of why minimalism, I think, does have...is still so compelling." ([14:28])
  • Lauren: Emphasizes the importance of attainable pricing, referencing Dries Van Noten as an example.
  • Notable footwear: “That little lace up shoe...that's gonna go.” ([11:52])
  • The material quality and styling looked better in person than runway images suggested.

• Versace: Both see huge potential in the collection, describing it as colorful, true to the brand’s heritage, and refreshingly fun in a market where "there's not a lot of fun."

  • Jacob: "It is amazing that if you just put a lot of color in your collection right now, it feels so different" ([16:18])
  • They discuss the behind-the-scenes drama, noting Donatella’s absence and the odd decision not to livestream the show.
  • Lauren: “If [Versace] don’t keep him [the current designer], they are nuts. He is so talented, and it was amazing.” ([20:15])
  • The set design and overall spectacle were called "totally engaging."
  • Pricing is again noted as a potential issue: "If those woven shoes are a thousand bucks or even 1300, you're gonna be able to sell them. If they're 1885, you're not." ([24:23])

• Gucci:

  • Mixed reviews about Demna’s first collection, which relied heavily on celebrity campaigns and a film project. Both question the staying power of celebrity endorsements.
  • Jacob: “The power of celebrity in this age...is to me fading a little bit. I think people see through the mechanisms.” ([28:31])
  • The new Jackie bag gets high marks from Lauren for material choice and execution.
  • Both praise Demna's technical abilities and professionalism, predicting that the approach to the archives could hold long-term rewards.

• Bottega Veneta:

  • Lauren and Jacob agree the new collection was “heavy,” lacking the fantasy and ease of previous creative direction.
  • Jacob: “There was a leaden atmosphere to the whole collection...it suffered for it. I think there should have been more of her in there.” ([33:34])
  • Lauren admires the designer’s work ethic and agrees with critiques, hopeful for a lighter, more cohesive next outing.

3. Looking Ahead: Paris Fashion Week

• Both are excited for debuts—especially Jonathan’s first women’s show at Dior, and a reportedly “minimalist” Chanel collection.
  • They discuss the challenges designers face translating a unique vision to historic houses with massive platforms.
  • Lauren: “This guy is going to win. He has three to five years. He’s going to win.” (re: Jonathan at Dior) ([43:02])

4. Death (or Not) of the Sneaker

• New York fashion insiders agree: sneakers are no longer "cool" at the shows, with personal anecdotes about feeling out of place in even design-y Asics.
  • Jacob: “I think the sneaker industry did itself a disservice by telling people over and over again, you got to buy this new thing...” ([45:18])
  • The shift is attributed to “trend fatigue,” overproduction, and a move back to loafers and “hard shoes” as the new fashionable silhouette.
  • Lauren: “People, like comfort, sneakers aren’t going away...But I think, like, as a fashion piece, it’s been harder to maximize.” ([47:44])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "[Milan] was one of the more... weird but also so fun... of all seasons, for me to miss this felt like a real banger of a season and maybe an agenda-setting one in Milan, which never seems to be the case recently."
  — Jacob Gallagher ([04:28])

• "Every man should take [paternity leave]. It was an amazing time. I... cannot recommend more that time if you can take it."
  — Jacob Gallagher ([04:07])

• "Normal prices, which are like so eye wateringly high that it kind of, I think makes fashion in a lot of ways a spectator sport."
  — Jacob Gallagher ([14:28])

• “It’s amazing that if you just put a lot of color in your collection right now, it feels so different...Versace was just doing something completely different. And I really, I liked it.”
  — Jacob Gallagher ([16:18])

• "[Versace] felt very much more...the Gianni era of designing than anything that would be the Donatella period, to me at least. But...it's good directionally."
  — Jacob Gallagher ([17:32])

• “If they don’t keep him, they are nuts. He is so talented, and it was amazing.”
  — Lauren Sherman ([20:15])

• "The power of celebrity in this age... is to me fading a little bit. I think people see through the mechanisms."
  — Jacob Gallagher ([28:31])

• “Sneakers are no longer cool. What happened?”
  — Lauren Sherman ([45:18])

• "Their ability to break a shoe and make it happen, it's definitely diminished."
  — Jacob Gallagher ([47:09])

Timestamps by Segments

| Timestamp | Discussion | |-------------|-------------------------------------------| | 03:39 | Jacob Gallagher’s return, paternity leave | | 04:53 | Breaking Fendi news, Maria Grazia rumor | | 10:04 | Milan Fashion Week: Jill Sander | | 15:51 | Versace show: color, drama, fun | | 25:45 | Gucci collection, celebrity culture | | 32:57 | Bottega Veneta: “heavy,” need for change | | 40:05 | Paris preview: Dior, Chanel, trends | | 44:28 | The “death” of the sneaker trend |

Tone & Takeaways

Lauren and Jacob offer a breezy, insider’s critique—conversational yet sharp, with humor and honesty about industry quirks, egos, and consumer realities. They focus on how brands must balance old-school spectacle and modern commercial realities, repeatedly citing pricing and product accessibility as make-or-break issues.

For fashion insiders and fans, this episode offers:

• Insight into major creative director shakeups and why they matter.
• Candid reviews of Milan’s key shows—beyond the press release.
• Commentary on broader industry trends: the cult of celebrity vs. consumer skepticism, the fate of historic brands in new hands, and the waning of hype-driven sneaker culture.
• Anecdotes and observations sure to resonate with anyone tracking the pulse of fashion’s ever-evolving business and creative landscape.