Let's Get Dressed with Liv Perez

Episode: How Showrooms Became Fashion’s New Gatekeepers
Date: February 2, 2026
Featured Guest: Shayna Honeyman, founder of The Honeyman Agency

Episode Overview

This episode examines the transformative role of showrooms in the modern fashion industry, with a spotlight on how they’ve become the new gatekeepers between brands and celebrity visibility. Host Liv Perez sits down with Shayna Honeyman, renowned founder of The Honeyman Agency (now part of The A List), to trace the evolution from traditional fashion PR to the vital, behind-the-scenes influence showrooms now wield. Together, they unpack the industry's shifts—from retail’s golden era to Instagram-driven strategies—and share actionable insights for newcomers and aspiring PR pros.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shayna Honeyman’s Early Career and Industry Foundations

• 90s Retail as Fashion School: Shayna credits formative stints at iconic institutions like Fred Segal and Barneys in New York for shaping her understanding of fashion retail and forging invaluable relationships with clients (02:21–06:00).
  • "I worked at Fred Siegel before the days of celebrities having stylists... It was the age of, like, your salesgirl was your friend. Like, we were trusted. We were friends. We were confidants." (B, 02:21)
• Shift from Retail to PR: The transition to PR came organically from her immersion in the fashion world and networking with emerging designers in LA.
  • "None of us had any idea what we were doing, but we all realized we were really good at it... we were getting clients on the cover of Lucky magazine and InStyle. And in those days, that's what mattered." (B, 04:50)

2. The Downfall of Old-School Retail & PR

• Industry Disruption: The decline of cult retailers like Barneys and Fred Segal is ascribed to the rise of e-commerce and the loss of the in-person, relationship-driven shopping experience (08:05–09:53).
  • "I think the world has just changed so much... The Internet really changed everything. And from the perspective of traditional PR, it was Instagram." (B, 08:33)
• Loss of the Personal Touch: Both agree the deep relationships of the past, exemplified by legendary personal shoppers, are now rare.

3. Modern Showrooms: What They Do & Why They Matter

• Showroom as Strategic Hub: Shayna details how showrooms act as intermediaries between brands and stylists, facilitating placements that can define a label’s trajectory (18:01–21:20).
  • "We are the liaison between the brand and the stylist or the celebrity... We're really there at a moment's notice." (B, 18:21)
  • "For brands, having product...with somebody that they trust is so, so imperative...it's everything." (B, 20:37)

4. The Rise of Celebrity Dressing

• Instagram Changed Everything: Liv and Shayna chronicle the pivot from magazine placements to celebrity Instagram moments as PR’s most valuable currency (14:24–16:36).
  • "That is right at the moment that Instagram launched, and I was still offering traditional PR and nobody wanted it. Everybody was asking about celebrity photos." (B, 14:24)
  • "I'd say within a year after celebrities were wearing the designer's pieces...they were seeing so much traction on that. Nobody wanted traditional PR anymore." (B, 15:02)
• Showroom = Modern Desk Side: They compare old PR meetings with editors (‘desk sides’) to today’s ‘showroom visits’—or browsing Instagram (16:51–17:44).

5. The Strategic Power of Placement

• Brand Strategy & Curation: Success is less about blanket visibility, more about considered, authentic placement (21:41–23:06).
  • "I've never believed that 100 placements a month for a brand will bring the value and the equity. It is dressing people who really make sense for the brand..." (B, 21:41)
• Authenticity is Everything: The biggest moments come when the celebrity truly resonates with the brand.
  • "You look at those iconic moments of somebody like Hailey Bieber...that is such a seamless relationship. Hailey organically loves that brand." (B, 23:26)

6. The Eye for What’s Next

• How Shayna Picks Brands: Intuition, quality assets, and internal clarity are key to choosing clients—plus a sense for who’s primed to break out (26:58–29:14).
  • "If somebody has a great eye, you know that if their assets look amazing...that to me is everything." (B, 27:23)
  • "I can only push a brand when they know who they are." (B, 28:20)
• Showroom as Seal of Approval: Being represented alongside top brands is now a marker of credibility and desirability (29:14–29:32).

7. What Moves the Needle Today

• No Single Formula: The hosts agree brand success is about timing, fit, and authenticity—no longer just about who wears what, but when, how, and why (30:43–32:41).
  • "I've loved hearing you say that it's a moment that has to make sense...At the end of the day, it has to be right for them. And you can't predict that." (A, 30:43–31:39)

8. Candid Industry Advice

• Shayna’s Top Tip for PR Hopefuls (32:41–34:28):
  • "No ego. I think that is the most important thing...The relationships are everything, not thinking you're better than anybody...If somebody wants to pick up the phone because they like you, that's everything." (B, 32:48)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “It was the age of, like, your salesgirl was your friend...There will never be anything like it.” (Shayna, 02:21)
• “Instagram—the personal shopper category doesn’t really exist anymore…that relationship…doesn’t exist as much as it did.” (Liv, 09:29)
• “I think the internet really changed everything...perspective of traditional PR, it was Instagram.” (Shayna, 08:33)
• “We are the liaison between the brand and the stylist or the celebrity...We’re really there at a moment’s notice.” (Shayna, 18:21)
• “If you don’t feel like you’re running around like a chicken with its head cut off…you feel like you’re not really making a dent, and it just doesn’t have to be that way.” (Shayna, 13:28)
• “Authenticity is everything. You can see when a celebrity is wearing a brand and it’s not a fit. You can see when it feels like they love it.” (Shayna, 21:40–23:06)
• “No ego...the relationships are everything...If somebody wants to pick up the phone because they like you, that’s everything.” (Shayna, 32:48)

Notable Timestamps

• 02:21 — Shayna's retail beginnings at Fred Segal & Barneys
• 08:33 — The internet and Instagram transforming fashion PR
• 14:24 — Launching with celebrity strategy as Instagram took over
• 18:21 — What a showroom actually does
• 21:41 — Why thoughtful curation trumps endless placements
• 27:23 — How Shayna identifies the next “it” brand
• 32:48 — Shayna’s advice: “No ego… relationships are everything.”

Episode Tone & Takeaways

Warm, candid, and insider-focused—Liv and Shayna balance nostalgia for the personal touch of old-school retail/PR with a sharp, current perspective. The atmosphere is conversational, full of mentorship energy, and insight into the realities of fashion PR today.

For Listeners

If you want a meaningful look into how fashion brands break through today, this episode is essential listening. You’ll leave understanding the real work behind celebrity moments, the art of authentic curation, and how showrooms are pulling the strings in 2026. Perfect for industry hopefuls or anyone curious about fashion’s hidden machinery.