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- [00:00]
A
If you know me, and many of you do, you know that I like shopping, but what I really love about shopping in the time we live in is that Poshmark exists. Truly. The breadth and depth of what their sellers are offering is unparalleled. My recent purchases on there have included a Kate bodysuit from a few seasons ago, a pair of Mnz Ballet flats from a few years ago, and a vintage Ballantine Scottish cashmere cardigan from a few decades ago. As I'm sure you know, you really can't find good Scottish cashmere that often and there's tons of it on Poshmark. Plus you can negotiate with sellers on price so you always feel like you're getting a great deal. I am truly a very big fan. Shop Poshmark today and find what feels like you. Download the Poshmark app and use code PUC P U C K for free shipping on your first order. That's PUC for free shipping on your first Poshmark order. Have you heard of this thing called Bilt? With Bilt, every rent payment earns you points that can be used towards flights, hotels, Lyft rides, Amazon.com purchases and so much more. And here's something I'm really excited about. Bilt members can earn points on mortgage payments for the first time ever. You can get rewarded wherever you live and unlock exclusive benefits with more than 45,000 restaurants, free fitness studios, pharmacies and other neighborhood partners. Personally, I do all that stuff. I go work out, I go out to eat, I go pick up prescriptions. But I am going to be redeeming my points for Amazon. Obviously it's simple. Paying rent is better with build. Owning a home will be better with build too. Earn rewards and get something back wherever you live. Join the loyalty program for renters@joinbuilt.com fashion that's J-O-I N B I L T.com fashion. Make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you. Hello and welcome to Fashion People. I'm Lauren Sherman, writer of Puck's Fashion and beauty Memo line sheet. And today with me on the show are designers Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia, co founders of Montse. We're talking about their decade long gig at Oscar de la Renta what it's like to run an independent label in America right now and believe me, plenty.
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B
More.
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A
Before we get going. I wanted to remind you that if you like this podcast, you'll definitely love Puck where I send an email called Line Sheet. If you're a fashion person, you get that reference, it's an original look at what's really going on inside the fashion and beauty industries line. She is scoopy, analytical and above all, fun. Along with me, a subscription to Puck gains you access to an unmatched roster of experts reporting on powerful people and companies in entertainment, media, sports, politics, finance, the art world and much more. If you're interested listeners of Fashion People get a discount. Just go to Puck News Fashion people to join Puck or start a free trial. Happy Friday everyone. I did not write this intro so let's try not to get too out of hand. But I'm having a great time in New York. Very busy as I'm recording this. I am going to the Michael Kors show and then I am headed to our Puck private dinner with Starbucks at Cove. I have not been to Cove yet. So very excited to eat Flynn's food. I always kind of approve these menus and this was probably the first and last time I was like, I don't need to approve the menu. It's gonna be great. So very excited about that. Thank you to the Starbucks team and Ana Angelic for making that possible and for everyone who is attending. I also recorded an upcoming episode of Fashion People with Daniela Kalmeier who's show is Friday and that was really great too and we'll run that in the next couple weeks. And Starbucks is actually her partner on the show and made the recording possible. So it's really interesting to me the whole kind of Starbucks infiltrating Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week at this time and like culture and the brands they're partnering with and the sort of position Starbucks has in this post third wave coffee culture. Anyway, very fascinating. I talk a little bit about it with Daniella, but we'll probably get into it another time. In the My Puck email line sheet which you should all read, there's a great piece on. Well, I think it's pretty good. A really interesting look at Luca de Mayo's first 100 days at caring. They had their quarterly earnings and their capital markets day is April 16th. I hope I get to attend in person, which yeah, he's a fascinating non fashion fashion CEO and there's lots, lots to look at there. Also a little bit of a scoop about GQ and the future editorship there and then also some layoffs at J. Crew. But you gotta subscribe and upgrade to the inner circle if you haven't. You all know what to do. But let's get going with Lauren Fernando. We've known each other forever. It's a real fun conversation and thanks for listening. Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia, welcome to Fashion People.
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C
Thank you for having us.
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B
Hello, Lauren.
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A
So happy to see you two. How are you doing? You're prepping for two collections right now?
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B
Yeah, we have like five more days to work on it, so. So it's getting close.
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C
It's around the clock. Seeing new things come in, editing and styling.
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A
This will be the last February where you have two collections to design. Is that correct?
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B
Yes.
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A
How are you feeling about that? Can you give us a little bit of background on what I'm talking about?
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B
Well, February is fall New York Fashion Week, and it's actually one of the hardest season to put together because there's Christmas involved. Italy. Italy's close to like January, usually 8th or 10th, so it's a hard one. And there's a lot of weather problems. All the packages are stuck. And.
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C
And I think it's particular to New York City because everybody else gets another week or two. Right. And pre fall usually shows in December, so it's quite back to back.
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B
So I'm not going to miss doing two fall shows next year.
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C
Yeah. So to answer your question, we're. We're departing from Oscar after the election.
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A
Yes, really quickly because we forgot when you're busy like this, what kind of breakfast do you have in the morning? Because I know that you both like food and Laura is a good cook too.
- [07:05]
B
Wow. Well, my breakfast routine, it's very complicated because I only really eat breakfast and then lunch and dinner. I nibble, but I don't, I would never like sit down for dinner unless it's like an event or meeting. So I wake up, I make celery juice and then I make ginger tea. But you have to like space it out 30 minutes in between. Okay. And then after like two hours, I eat like traditional Korean breakfast.
- [07:42]
A
What is that?
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B
It's like soup, rice, some sort of protein. Like today I had chicken with soy glazed chicken with tofu. So every day is different, but I definitely have like Korean breakfast in the morning.
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C
And I'm the guinea pig. With all of her experience, she made this, a rainbow colored pasta yesterday that she turned into noodles. For what can you describe it?
- [08:07]
B
It was like a Korean hand cut noodles, but I guess to Fernando it looked like pasta.
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A
Sounds delicious. And Fernando, what do you eat when Laura's not able to feed you in the mornings? Do you eat anything?
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C
Take out.
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A
Just take out in the morning.
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C
I'm remaking my kitchen in this apartment. So I currently am unfortunately spending too much money on takeout But I am.
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A
But do you eat that in the morning?
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C
Oh, no, but I have a little tiny stove and I have eggs and I do something egg based usually.
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A
Yeah, I'm an egg person too. Apparently. This is a very American thing.
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C
Oh, really?
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B
But it's good for you to eat eggs in the morning.
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A
I love, I love an egg. It's the, to me, is the ultimate. It's a perfect.
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C
I can do any kind of egg. It's the best.
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A
Okay, so back to why you all are so busy. So you're leaving. I wanted to do this podcast with you because you all are leaving Oscar de la Renta after 10 years. And I've been with you since the beginning of this journey.
- [09:08]
C
Yeah, I feel like both our careers were kind of like tanned out.
- [09:12]
A
Yes, exactly. And I thought it would be interesting to talk about your time. I don't want to talk much about pre Oscar, you all being the creative because I think that story and the draw, the. The relative drama now it feels like so tame that you experienced was. You know, it's. Looking back, it was nothing. I really want to hear more about these, this decade of running Oscar de la Renta. And then also you. You at the same time were developing your brand Monse, which how many people still call it months? I'm like, guys, it's Monse, I promise you. And why you decided to leave and focus on Monse from now on. But let's start with a little bit of background on how you became the creative directors of Oscar de la Renta and what that experience over the last 10 years has been like. Because Mr. De la Renta died, I don't know, probably like two or three years before you were appointed. But you all worked there with him and hat were very close with him. And so your, your appointment was like, very connected to his death and succession and all that stuff.
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B
Yeah, well, he passed maybe 12 years ago.
- [10:38]
C
Yeah, 2014, October or 15. I'm blanking right now on the exact year, but it was October. I remember Laura and I had to go to Italy and I was very sad. I felt it in my gut that it was going to happen. And it did when we were abroad. But he was very sweet. We had a final lunch with him at his place right before it happened. So, yeah, it was very intense.
- [11:07]
A
Did you all want to be the creative directors? Like, did you think. Because at the time it was a different time when. Now when a creative director leaves, even in Europe, there's a little more. The choice of who gets it is. Is a Little more nuanced than it used to be. Used to be? Like, you leave, there's a designer dies or a house, and it's just gonna be like a very big name is gonna get this job or a young super. And you all were unknowns at the time. You hadn't started Monsey yet when he died, or had you just started it?
- [11:47]
B
No, we haven't started it. And we told Oscar before he passed that we're going to leave the company because they announced they hired Peter Copping. So I said, okay, like now you have someone coming in in October. I would like to let you know that we want to start our own business. So we didn't even have name for the company and we weren't like, we both interviewed around the world, but we weren't like, really sure where we want to go also. We were like pitching to people. We're together. Like, you're getting two. Like, it's not separate. So it was like, kind of hard to land on a job we were excited about. So we started Monse. It's something I've always wanted to do. Fernando was kind of like, oh, I just want to be a creative director at a big company. I'm like, no, no, no, we're starting our own brand.
- [12:37]
C
This is factual. I think I was just too scared. I was 27 at the time when we started. I meant just like, imagine a 27 year old. Like, no offense to anybody who was successful, but I was rightfully scared to start my own brand. And yeah, Laura's right. Like, we went. I. We got. I got to meet Sarah Burton, Tom Ford, a couple of people, and it was a package deal. And it was interesting to see the hesitation for that reason, but it worked out for the best.
- [13:07]
A
Yeah, it's an. That's interesting because you'd expect there are so many creative directors on. On the visual side that are duos that you'd think that, like, people would be open to that. If you need like these people already work really well together, we might as well make room for them. But I guess, you know, everybody has their.
- [13:29]
C
Yeah, everybody's different.
- [13:30]
A
Yes. So you start Monse. Stuff happens at you. You consult the. I'm. I'm sure I don't know if you're allowed to speak to this, but you consulted for Carolina Herrera in. In Dramatic for a couple seasons. Never forget the denim dress that you all put down the Runway. And then blah, blah, all this stuff happens. You end up getting appointed co creative directors of Oscar de la Renta and you're still working on Monse. And I remember going to that first show and it being a really big deal. Like, there are very few in my career. There have been very few shows in New York Fashion Week that have been like, you have to go. I would say Prabhul Gurung, Wes Gordon, you all, and Sandra Lack from Siezmar Jean are the ones that come to mind of, like, also like Kirby Jean, Raymond, but later, like, later collections. It wasn't his first one. It wasn't. People were whispering. But with you all, it was like, you have to go to this show. When you were appointed at Oscar, what did you feel like your mission was there? And talk a little bit about how you managed developing both brands, because by the time you did that, the kind of consensus in the industry was that, like, doing a brand and doing a fashion house, like, doing an indie brand and doing a fashion house was like, near impossible. And we see that today very few people even attempt that anymore because it's just so difficult. Like, what was your mission for Oscar and what was your mission for Monse and how did they grow, you know, simultaneously?
- [15:08]
B
Well, for Oscar, it was important we carry on his DNA and also not abandon the clients, the existing clients, because they had a very healthy business. But we did want to slowly get younger clients, get different clients, and not noticeably, like, aggressively, but slowly, so it doesn't scared the business side. So I think we did that pretty well. Yeah, we have a bigger audience at Oscar that's very different from a decade ago.
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C
I think we can admit that. It took us like two or three years to like, really understand how to navigate that DNA with our perspective. I think the first couple of years, I was most definitely, like, scared to, like, try something that I know he would not have liked as much or. But it. It took like, a couple years for us, like, you know, with the people that we were around, surrounding ourselves with, what do they wear? Like, it's. It's a different crowd, different generation. So it took us a second.
- [16:17]
B
So like, now we. When we go to stores for trunk shows, they actually, the stores tell me, like, Oscar's one of the brand where there's like, a daughter, a mother and grandmother can shop. And there's not that many brands that have that wide range. And also, like, I think a lot of brands last 10 years went down in quality, but we actually, like, I feel like our quality of now is better than ever also because, like, I wasn't able to do that at Monster, but at Oscar, it's not my money, so it's Easier to fight for more expensive things. But our CEO Alex also believed in being the best in what we're doing. So last 10 years, we consistently build up to source better fabric, use better labor. So that I'm really proud of.
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A
Yeah, we're doing. And this will air after our super bowl party, but we're doing the super bowl party Puck with Oscar de la Renta. And I'm borrowing a jacket for it and some earrings that I was sending you all photos. And it is really nice. A. I like that. I love the collection. Suddenly I'm like an Oscar girl after you all are leaving. But you can feel it like it's construction, the fit, all of that stuff. And I got a bunch of different sizes and I was like, oh, actually, like, I could probably wear three of these sizes just because, like, the structure of the garment is so good that, like, it I. It's. You could really tell. And it also, it's interesting you mentioned this sort of wanting the younger customer because I, I think that the big giant European houses are now super focused on the customer in a way that they weren't when you all started. And they are so worried about alienating like a certain kind of customer. And I'm curious what you think about this. Like, yes, there is like the very traditional customer, but do you think it's also just a matter of taste more than age in some, in some cases, like, do you have like older customers who want your crop top and then a younger customer wants something more conservative? Or do you think it is like just a matter of taking care of those loyal clients while drawing new clients in there?
- [19:02]
B
It's definitely a taste. Like we have older clients like in their 70s and they have a body like 17 year old and they dress much younger than their other 70 year olds. But in general, like, I think that's a very small percentage of women in general, I do think there's like a bracket of things certain age group can wear.
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C
There is that bracket of customers that come in and just buy their wardrobe for the entire season. And we hear about it directly from our boss. And it's just like a different echelon. And they do know that they can come to Oscar for that kind of level of quality.
- [19:51]
A
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- [20:41]
D
Life can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to go through it alone. On my podcast, from the Heart with Rachel Braethan, I share openly and vulnerably about everything life brings us and what we can learn by living with our hearts a little bit more open. Every Friday, a new episode brings you a new story with topics on self care, motherhood, healing and more. You are enough just the way you are. This podcast is a reminder of that. Follow and listen to from the Heart with Rachel Brathan wherever you get your podcasts.
- [21:14]
A
Okay, so you developed this brand and I think you all did a really good job with it. Like it, it was the. It's, it's hard and I, I'll stop talking after this, but it's hard from, to be in a, a US Based company that is not owned by a conglomerate. And so you're not getting the same benefits that even some of the other US Based competitors have in terms of just access and, and financing and all that stuff. Stuff. And you were able to keep selling clothes in a time when like selling clothes wasn't really the thing that a lot of these other brands were focused on. And I thought you did a good job of, of keeping the brand pure while still bringing in new people and, and making it not feel like dated or what have you. So simultaneously you're developing this brand Manse, which is very much based on a men's shirt and like the idea of taking menswear tropes and flipping them. And what has your experience been with that? I'm sure there have been tons of ups and downs. You've been through all these different sort of like retail apocalypses. You've, you know, you do. It's a lot of wholesale. How have you developed monse and how did you get to the point where you just felt like, you know what, I gotta focus on this full time.
- [22:46]
B
So going back to like beginning of your question on selling clothes, just clothes, not red on leather goods for a brand, it's hard. And Oscar managed to be very profitable. The business being like almost all just ready to wear that I think we were able to Maintain that, especially because, like, during COVID we had like a. I mean, everyone had a budget cut. We all think about, like, where can we cut down, where can we spend less? And it really helped me and Fernando to focus on who's our client and this is what we need to do. And then we did an order, like, let's say, like, if I order like 30 different kinds of fabrics, we only ordered 15, and we still were able to sell same amount of clothes. And then after a couple more seasons, we actually sold more and more. So it is so important to, like, really understand where you stand as a brand and who your client is and just focus on it. Because if you, like, want to dress everyone and if you keep, like, expanding what you want to do, your ideas get diluted. You spend time on products that doesn't ever want to sell. Like, we stop doing, like, minimal things because that's just like, people are not going to come to Oscar for that. So that really helped me and Fernando kind of like a regrouping of what is really necessary.
- [24:20]
C
When Covid happened and even before COVID when Laura and I left Oscar to start Monse, and we didn't have that protective umbrella of a big brand, you have to, like, fight for yourself. And. Yeah, and that's like, we didn't have the brand name, so we had to figure out what is going to work for this brand that we're creating. So shirting and, like, knitwear became like, the starting point.
- [24:43]
B
But it's still our driving. But we didn't sales drive.
- [24:47]
C
We don't know. And I don't think that we would have been as efficient in our roles as creative directors at Oscar had we not experienced the Monse of it all.
- [24:56]
A
Do you have a lot of crossover customers? I assume so, yeah.
- [25:00]
B
It's interesting. We do. Yeah.
- [25:04]
A
I'm sure they come to you for certain life things at Monse and certain life things at Oscar.
- [25:11]
C
Yeah, that was. That was my biggest, proudest moment. Like, people ask me, like, what. What was your favorite red carpet? I still remember to this day, and Laura and I in our second collection with Monse going to a dinner, her and I and somebody else, I forget who. And just looking at somebody across the room who does not know us, wearing a Monse blouse from.
- [25:33]
B
And she was like 70 plus.
- [25:37]
C
Yeah.
- [25:38]
B
Very elegant and older lady.
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C
That was a huge benchmark.
- [25:44]
A
One of the things with Monse that's been interesting is just like your celebrity placements. Like, obviously, Oscar de la Renta has a great celebrity red carpet, and there's been. I've written a lot about this and there's been a lot written about Alex's strategy of having you all like really focus on red carpet for the marketing rather than Runway shows, that sort of thing and how successful that's been. But like when you look back at my Monse in particular and like Sarah Jessica Parker wearing it really early on, but then Michelle Obama wearing it to the DNC is I was it two years ago now. I try, I'm trying. It's like how helpful has the celebrity stuff been for Mon in particular given that you. I'm sure you see the like ROI on that stuff more clearly than a brand like Oscar where like, yeah, you make an Oscars dress great but like you're. You might get a few orders for that. But it's, it's a little more ephemeral. The effects of red carpet for a brand like that, I would assume.
- [26:46]
C
I mean ma started when social media started, so I don't know what our trajectory would have been without having direct access to our customers via social media. So outside of celebrity, I think social media changed.
- [27:02]
A
Interesting.
- [27:02]
C
Our trajectory, like celebrity, obviously it was our placement. We didn't have the budget to afford advertising in magazines. So it was just our only way to let the world what we're doing. Let the world know what we're doing. So celebrity but also social media. Like where would we, you know, talk about it if it wasn't for Instagram.
- [27:23]
B
You know, it's not for like. Cause I've spoken to other brands that are price level. It doesn't always turn into sales whenever there was like a big PR moment or celebrity moments. But for Monze, whenever someone wears something it actually you're not selling exactly that piece because most of the time that piece is not in stock. But there's definitely more attraction to our website and we do sell more product.
- [27:52]
A
Laura, what about for you, who you are a. I'd say like naturally pretty shy person. Maybe not. Maybe not. I don't know. I, I feel like you're not shy with me. But even like I remember interviewing you all. I, I think I used to do. Did I used to do Monse. Did I ever do monstyle.com reviews?
- [28:15]
B
Maybe I think you did DoF reviews.
- [28:18]
A
DoF reviews. But I remember coming to like for pre interviews with you all and at the beginning especially Fernando maybe talking more. But then that changed and you be Laura, you became more comfortable with that stuff, I think. But generally I'd say you're naturally not. You don't. It feels like you're kind of a shy person, but then you became a bit of an influencer and also a. You were sort of the spokesperson for both of those brands in some ways in terms of like the ideal customer for Oscar and Monse, the new customer for Oscar and like the, the. You're like the muse and the designer and everything from, from Monsey. But like how did you feel as a person about that sort of development? Because you're you, you own, you co own the business, you co design, you do all these things. And also you've suddenly become like an avatar for the brands as well.
- [29:25]
B
You know, when we first started Monse or first got our job at Oscar, I think I was too young and I didn't relate to the customer. And like five years in, I think like it was like late 30s, that's when I felt really like, okay, like I'm actually the customer here and I can relate to what they need. Certain events I have to go every year, this is what they need. If I go to this vacation, this is what I need. If I go to work, this is what I need to wear. Like it all kind of like start to make sense to me in my late 30s, what women need at this price point. So I think I just, I was too young in the beginning, to be honest with you. I just didn't understand because I worked like we worked like 18 hours a day. Only place we went to was office. Like we didn't even go out for dinner. So I just didn't understand that whole lifestyle.
- [30:21]
C
Yeah. And I think that Laura's renaissance made it very clear to the world and to the customer that the things that we design, the life that we lead are applied directly into the collections. It's like tangible. And I do think that there is something unique about that in Monse and obviously for Oscar as well. You believe it, you're not sold it, you believe it. Quite transparent with how we lead our lives thanks to social media again. And I feel like I do think that sets us apart.
- [31:02]
B
Yeah, no, it really helped me to understand when we had a little bit of a life because we were literally at the office for a whole day and.
- [31:16]
C
Yeah, no, I think after the, the. The passing of Oscar was really where we, after where we became fully grown adults, I think. And then after Covid, another renaissance. But we were just not leading the lives of the things designing. So I think now it's still a little different.
- [31:39]
A
Why did you guys not want to do both? I mean, obviously it's a lot of work, but why. Why did it feel like now was the right time to focus on Monse?
- [31:50]
B
I think I feel we feel very differently how. Where we are in life 10 years ago compared to now and to kind of like, reset your work or ideas, like what you want to do. Like, I. We needed some room to breathe to kind of, like, sort it out again, because we're just not the same person we were a decade ago. So it's not about not wanting to do both jobs. It's more about, like, what is it exactly what we want to do? What's our vision for the next.
- [32:25]
C
Well, I think 20 years also. Monse grew. You know, Monse grew, and we are just being real with Alex and the company about where our priorities are, and we have to focus on this thing that we created. And now it's at a stage where it needs our full attention.
- [32:46]
A
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- [33:57]
E
Hey, Sal. Hank. What's going on? We haven't worked a case in years. I just bought my car at Carvana and it was so easy. Too easy. Think something's up? You tell me. They got thousands of options, found a great car at a great price, and it got delivered the next day. It sounds like Carvana just makes it easy to buy your car, Hank. Yeah, you're right. Case closed.
- [34:21]
A
Buy your car today on Carvana. Delivery Fees may apply. Given how sort of, I would say, realistic you all are about how the world works and how the industry works and how hard it is to have one of these brands. Why are you doing this? You know, I love you guys and we've known each other forever and I have to be, you know, I just need to be straightforward. I'm not trying to like, pin you, but why are you doing this? Because we all know that this is hard as fuck.
- [34:58]
B
No, everyone told us that. Yeah.
- [35:01]
A
And you have.
- [35:01]
B
I know it.
- [35:02]
A
And you have. You had Oscar and you were able to kind of keep both going and you can keep monster going for the rest of your lives. You will figure it out. You'll always find an investor to do it. Knowing the way the world works and how hard it is for American brands and how hard it is for all these things.
- [35:21]
B
Why?
- [35:21]
A
Why do you want to do this to yourselves? Because the next time someone else goes, the next time someone else goes bankrupt, another company goes bankrupt, you guys are going to lose money. Like, it's like every time something's going to happen and you're going to, you know, how. Why do you guys want to deal with that shit?
- [35:44]
C
A, we're not in our 20s anymore, right. So our energy capacity is different. But yeah, number two, we grew really confident. The business at Oscar is a ready to wear business. The customer comes for the clothes, not for the handbag, the lipstick or the perfume. Like, I know that we want aspire to get that customer as well, but we, you know, made the business grow to a level that we feel confident that we can give our customers what they need. So we are going to just focus on that, on Monsei.
- [36:15]
B
Also, like you said, like, you know, if we were to just do one, I think a lot of people would have chosen Oscar over Monsey. It's an easier choice. It's very secure choice and it's a job that we both love. But honestly, I've been there for 23 years and I'm not someone who get bored of stuff, but like, I think I've been there long enough. I need to try something new. Like, I know choosing Monze over Oscar was not the safest choice, probably not the smartest choice, but we're excited to grow something on our. On our own.
- [36:57]
C
Are so competitive as people and whenever we get a little bit of a fire under our asses, we deliver tenfold. So I'm noticing it in myself. Or like, it's just, it's like, it's. It's exciting.
- [37:11]
B
Also, we want to Build it to be more than just a fashion brand. I think that's another drive we had behind choosing Monsey was like, we want to build Monza as to like a lifestyle brand instead of just fashion brand. And that's something I can do at Oscars. So.
- [37:30]
A
I want to talk really quickly. I won't keep you all for much longer. It makes sense. I understand. The one thing I will say is I think, Laura, you and I are, I think, exactly the same age. Yeah, we don't have to reveal it on here. Although I talk about mine all the time.
- [37:44]
B
Like oldest millennial or something.
- [37:46]
A
Yeah, I called you guys once. I called you old millennial workhorses or something. It was like you and Jason and you all were like group texting and Brandon and all. All your. Your people. But Laura, I think you and I are like exactly, exactly the same age. Fernando, you're a little younger, but I also think it the 40s for, like our generation. It's the time, like, if you're gonna do something, you gotta do it. I know that your 50s are great too, and you can still make money in your 50s, but, like, if you're gonna do it.
- [38:21]
B
Yeah.
- [38:22]
A
And I think it used to be the prime time was like 30s or whatever. Like, it's different now. It's. It's. And so I totally understand. I wanted to just speak really briefly about you two and your working relationship. And, like, you have been working together forever. Fernando, you were her intern, all that stuff.
- [38:43]
C
I still am. I still am.
- [38:45]
A
Yeah. Everybody knows about your relationship and, like, how it's developed and changed and all that. We don't have to go into that. But I think the thing I'm curious about is, like, how do you two still work together and make it work? Because having a part creative partnership is really hard and. And a lot of people, quote, unquote, break up, and you two have really stuck together. And I'm curious, like, why do you think it works between the two of you?
- [39:15]
C
We were very blessed to have parents that raised us and with harsh truth as a love language. And so. And Oscar very much believed in that too. And I did feel a connection with him and Laura and me as a threesome, where we could just spit it out and say what we think about the dress or the day without offending anybody. We would not ever take offense to anything. And once I found that in Laura and Oscar, it made me grow a little bit faster as an adult thanks to the truth of it all. And I think that it's also not something for everybody. I have met so many people in my life lately before, where it's too much to. To handle to. To hear the. The real truth about whatever the hell is going on in your day. So I grabbed a. Hold on to that and never let go.
- [40:15]
B
But also, like, I do like Fernando as a person. I want to see him every day.
- [40:19]
A
Yeah.
- [40:20]
C
Nikki. Nikki, our best friend, she. She does stuff that tell, like, text me. He's like, you guys, like, are you not, like, sick of each other? Like, And I'm like, no. It's like, outside of what I just said, it's also, like Laura said, fun.
- [40:34]
B
I'm excited to see Fernando every day. Like, I literally wake up, do my whole breakfast, like, three hour ritual, and I'm like, oh, let's go see Fernando now.
- [40:43]
C
Whereas she texts me, where are you? Sometimes I think that she means it with, like, a positive, but I always see that text and I am like.
- [40:52]
B
No, it's more like, you're late. Where are you?
- [40:56]
A
I. Yeah. I feel like the. One of the reasons that I feel close to you guys is the. I can be honest with you and say things like, why are you doing this?
- [41:08]
C
Yeah. Well, you just spit it out. And we. We know you very well, too. We know when you're thinking something and you say it, and we feel it's a sign of love when you.
- [41:17]
A
Yeah, I do really feel. I. I don't want to get emotional, but I do feel like a real love and. And respect for you all. And also just really quickly to shout out Alex Bolan. I think the reason you all worked so well with him because. Is because he is like that, too.
- [41:37]
C
Yeah.
- [41:37]
A
Also have incredible admiration and respect for.
- [41:42]
C
Did you hear he broke his arm?
- [41:44]
A
I didn't. So he's gonna be at this. This.
- [41:47]
B
Yes.
- [41:48]
A
This super bowl party with a sling.
- [41:50]
C
Beer pong involved, and he can't play.
- [41:53]
A
Damn it.
- [41:54]
B
No. Football throwing.
- [41:55]
A
Oh, no. Oh, no. Yeah, I've seen some. This party's gonna be wild. I'm very excited.
- [42:00]
C
This reminds me of when he took me with his boys to play paintball, like, even before Oscar died. Was it?
- [42:06]
B
Yeah.
- [42:07]
C
And on the first round, he slips into the grass and cracks his back or something. There's an ambulance that comes to pick him up when he was trying to be all, like, not a boomer. Oh, my God, it's gonna kill me after this.
- [42:19]
A
Now he's gonna love it. That's the thing. That's why you all are so great and why it's worked and you've been able to build a business like you said, on selling clothes, which, like most people can't do today. And I. And it's just. It's been. It's been great to see, and I'm glad it worked out. I'm glad. I'm happy for you all that you're doing this, and I'm excited for you to keep me updated on how it goes and what you learn about the world. Just working on this stuff full time.
- [42:48]
B
The hard world.
- [42:49]
A
The hard world. I can't wait to see you both this week at some point. And congratulations on everything. You should be really proud of yourselves. And the whole thing about this industry, in my opinion, is that you gotta do what's right for you and for the company that you work for, whether you own it or you don't. And I think you both really know yourselves really well. And that's why what you've done at Oscar has worked. What you've done at Monse has worked and why people still care. And so congrats. It's been a privilege to be able to write and report about you and get to know you both.
- [43:27]
C
You too. Thank you, Lauren.
- [43:29]
B
Thank you, Lauren.
- [43:32]
A
Fashion People is a presentation of Odyssey in partnership with Puck. This show was produced and edited by Molly Nugent. Special thanks to our executive producers, Puck co founder John Kelly, executive editor Ben Landy, and director of editorial operations, Gabby Grossman. An additional thanks to the team at Odyssey, JD Crowley, Jenna Weiss Berman and Bob Tabador.
- [43:59]
E
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