Fashion People – Episode Summary

Episode Title: The Legacy of Valentino Garavani, the Great Prada Men’s Show, and Fashionable Sex
Release Date: January 20, 2026
Host: Lauren Sherman
Guest: Isabella Burley, founder of Climax Books

Episode Overview

In this rich and fast-moving episode, Lauren Sherman welcomes Isabella Burley to dissect the hottest currents in the fashion world – the passing of legend Valentino Garavani, standout moments from the Milan men’s shows, particularly Prada, the shifting status of couture, and the evolving conversation around sex in culture and fashion retail. Isabella also opens up about building Climax Books, the brand’s unique approach to physical retail, and the interplay between curation, sex, and style. The show’s tone is chatty, insightful, irreverent, and always inside-track.

Key Topics and Insights

1. Milan Men’s Fashion Shows: Decline and Highlights

[07:11–12:54]

• Dolce & Gabbana Controversy:

  • Isabella points out the obvious yet disheartening lack of diversity at the Dolce show:

    “Only white people in the Dolce show… they’re totally aware of what they’re doing” (07:23 – Isabella).

  • Lauren and Isabella discuss the ethics and business of giving controversy so much air.

• Milan’s Shrinking Relevance:

  • Lauren laments the reduced number of shows, especially with London’s men’s week now defunct.

    “The fact that London doesn't even exist anymore… it used to historically start with London menswear, and that didn’t happen” (09:22 – Isabella).

• Prada Steals the Scene:

  • Prada’s show is universally praised for its creativity and substance.

    “I loved it. I’m never jealous of missing a fashion show at this point... but that one, I was jealous.” (10:48 – Lauren)

  • Both speakers relish the “intellectual,” “nuanced,” and “generous” spirit of Prada’s designers, Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada.

    “If you lick layers away, you reveal beauty.” (14:13 – Lauren quoting Raf Simons, citing Prada’s philosophy)

2. The Death of Valentino Garavani: Marking the End of an Era

[15:20–19:14]

• The news of Valentino Garavani’s death breaks live during the episode, providing a raw and authentic reaction.

  “Oh my God. Valentino just died. Wow.” (15:20 – Lauren)

• Reflection on Valentino’s legacy:

  • Retired relatively early but remained influential—a model unlike many contemporaries who worked into their last days.
  • Impact on modern dressmaking, especially in Italy’s ready-to-wear scene of the 1970s and 80s.

    “He was one of the last designers to… build a brand before the conglomerates existed and all of that” (18:27 – Lauren)

• Anticipation regarding Valentino’s upcoming couture show and whether it will become a tribute.

3. Couture & the Future: New Creative Directions

[19:39–23:43]

• Anticipation for new directions as Jonathan Anderson and Matthieu Blazy (the “class of 2025”) take on big couture houses.
• Questioning how “modern” designers will leverage the old-world traditions of couture for contemporary meaning.

  “How does that become part of a bigger kind of brand message? It’s really interesting.” (23:12 – Isabella)

• Discussion of designers incorporating daywear and accessible elements (e.g., jeans) into couture, blurring high/low fashion.

4. The Legacy of Stylists: Remembering Melanie Ward

[23:43–32:57]

• The new Perfect zine honoring stylist Melanie Ward’s radical, future-facing work.

• Lack of widespread recognition for stylists despite massive behind-the-scenes influence.

  “It never really happens with stylists… the impact Melanie Ward had on fashion, on designers, on photographers… is so influential but can go unrecognized.” (27:00 – Isabella)

• The difference between today’s “full look culture” (commercially driven) and the experimental, youthful editorial freedom of the 1990s.

• Emotional resonance in the community’s reactions to Melanie Ward’s passing.

  “This felt really, like, affecting in many ways, because I think her work and also the spirit… shaped the kind of, like, history of fashion.” (30:00 – Isabella)

• A memorable quote from Kate Moss, reflecting the audacious spirit of earlier fashion eras:

  “Corinne Day and Melanie used to say to her, like, ‘Come on, we’re gonna change fashion today.’ And the thing is, that’s the attitude people need to have.” (30:40 – Lauren quoting Kate Moss)

5. Sex in Contemporary Fashion and Culture: Climax Books

[32:57–38:47]

• Isabella traces the seeds of Climax Books to a lockdown passion project:

  “It really started as… my personal archive… building a kind of, like, online world… with no expectations whatever, that it would turn into anything physical.” (33:16 – Isabella)

• Physical stores in London and New York offer a curated, tactile, community-building approach, with “gallery-like” presentation but playful, subversive notes.

• On sexuality in brand identity:

  “The name is Climax. It’s such a kind of confronting name. But then all of the branding and the website is almost quite cold and gallery-like… We’re constantly kind of challenging people.” (37:26 – Isabella)

• Commentary on the “sexlessness” of current culture and how Climax reflects/addresses that—a balance of provocation and comfort.

6. The Business & Aesthetics of Climax: Bags, Merch, and Retail Philosophy

[39:10–45:05]

• Detailed discussion of Climax’s famed shopping bag and latex bag—both design statements and tools for branding and experience.

  “It’s this kind of gloss, stiff envelope that feels really luxe… the opposite of most bookstore bags… almost like luxury fashion packaging.” (41:23 – Isabella)

• Approach to “merch”:

  “We like to use the term ‘wearables’… not throwaway… we spend like six months getting the perfect hoodie shape.” (43:51 – Isabella)

• Merch as a key business driver, not just a marketing afterthought.

• Teases of a major, confidential collaboration launching later in 2026.

7. The Return to Physical Media and Cultural Ephemera

[45:05–50:11]

• The allure of collectible books, invites, and cultural objects in a digital era:

  “For most creative people, books totally change your life… there’s an interest and curiosity for something that isn’t just imagery online, being regurgitated.” (46:16 – Isabella)

• Adding context and “snippets of history” is vital to the brand’s educational mission.

• The power of physical items (invitations, flyers, club pamphlets) to anchor cultural histories and inspire new creativity.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Prada’s show and creative leadership:

  “I think for me, Prada also represents something that feels… nuanced and surprising and intellectual… you’re constantly uncovering elements of it.”
  — Isabella, [12:54]

• On Raf Simons’ contemplative approach:

  “If you lick layers away, you reveal beauty.”
  — Raf Simons via Lauren, [14:13]

• On legacy and transition:

  “He was one of the last designers to… build a brand before the conglomerates existed…”
  — Lauren, [18:27]

• Reflecting on the impact of stylists:

  “It never really happens with stylists… the impact Melanie Ward had on fashion, on designers, on photographers… is so influential but can go unrecognized.”
  — Isabella, [27:00]

• On the changing attitude in fashion:

  “Corinne Day and Melanie used to say to her, like, ‘Come on, we’re gonna change fashion today.’ And the thing is, that’s the attitude people need to have.”
  — Lauren quoting Kate Moss, [30:40]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [07:11] – Milan men’s fashion week, Dolce & Gabbana controversy
• [10:48] – The standout strength of Prada’s show
• [15:20] – Valentino Garavani’s death breaks on-air
• [18:27] – Reflection on Valentino’s legacy
• [19:39] – Upcoming couture shows and new creative directors
• [23:43] – Remembering Melanie Ward and the stylist’s legacy
• [32:57] – Climax Books: genesis, philosophy, and physical retail
• [37:26] – Sex, provocation, and cultural trends in retail
• [41:23] – Design and symbolic power of Climax’s shopping bag
• [43:51] – Merch (wearables) as a brand pillar
• [46:16] – Collecting books, ephemera, and the value of physical culture

Closing Thoughts

This episode captures a mood of transition—industry legends passing, new creative directions emerging, and a community rethinking what inspires, excites, and endures in fashion. Through honest dialogue, Lauren and Isabella explore how brands, people, and physical objects can be both provocative and deeply meaningful, even as the culture around them shifts.

End of Summary