Style-ish Podcast: "How much would you sacrifice to work in fashion?"

Host: Joanna Fleming
Co-hosts: Anika Kajoshi Smith and Rhiannon Joyce (with Mads away)
Date: September 2, 2025
Podcast Theme: Style-ish covers all things fashion, branding, business, and beauty—with an honest, playful, and inside-out view of industry trends and culture.

Overview

In this episode, the Style-ish "quad squad" (as they jokingly dub themselves) dive into the sacrifices of working in fashion, the fallout and rebirth of Dion Lee’s iconic brand, the battle over influencer authenticity, beauty industry side effects, and a fiery debate about fair pay and toxic culture around fashion’s entry-level jobs. Woven through are real-world anecdotes, sharp observations, a taste for ethical debate, and practical fashion/beauty tips.

Key Discussion Points

[00:55] Jet-setting Updates: New York & London Fashion Weeks

• Joanna and Anika share their upcoming trips to the New York and London Fashion Weeks, including planning travel outfits for both style and practicality.
• Travel hack: Anika preps Polaroids of all her wardrobe options to beat jet lag and maximize relaxing mornings.
  "If you're jet lagged, it's the best trick—have your outfit planned, then have more time with coffee and eggs." — Anika [01:25]

[03:02] Weekly Swaps & Fashion Recommendations

[03:18] Anika's Swap:

• Recommends @2becreated.uk, a U.K.-based Instagram for minimal, elevated outfit inspiration and styling sessions:
  "Visual mood boards are just such a vibe...I love looking at really neutral outfits." — Anika

[04:18] Joe's Swap:

• Melbourne’s “Racquet Club” clothing racks: a circular fashion initiative enabling people to sell (or buy) pre-loved clothes easily.
  "It's so simple...drop your clothes, and it sells. You don't have to be there. Not like going to a market." — Joe [05:34-06:37]
• Advice: Sell old, good-quality pieces, use earnings to refresh your wardrobe, benefits both sellers and buyers, supports sustainable fashion, and is cost-effective amidst the cost of living crisis.

[07:56] Joanna’s Swap:

• Recommends the "Fashion People" podcast by Lauren Sherman, especially the episode with Hunza G founder Georgiana Huddart.
  • Insights on rebranding, coping with dupe culture, historical context in fashion, and the journey from '80s prominence to modern success. "She shared a lot of really interesting insights as someone whose brand is copied a lot and how she manages that." — Joanna [08:45-09:52]
  • Also, Lauren Sherman’s “Lynching” newsletter. "Anyone in the fashion industry uses it as a reference check...she's so knowledgeable." — Anika [10:02]

[11:01] Headline 1: Dion Lee Speaks Out After Brand Collapse

[11:01-16:47] The Story:

• Dion Lee's renowned label went into voluntary administration (May 2024), then liquidation, shocking the Australian and global industry.

• Owner Q Clothing Co’s investment rose from 51% to 70%; relationship soured over time.

• Dion Lee opens up in the Australian Financial Review—about business partnership mistakes, his lack of control, and the emotional toll: "If you're going to have your own business and make so many sacrifices, it has to fill you up. Has to be a reflection of you...I can't say I was always putting myself first over 15 years, and that takes its toll." — Dion Lee [Article quoted at 11:26]

• $36 million owed to creditors, prolonged uncertainty about Lee's control over his own name/IP, and “soul destroying” process.

• New opportunity: US retailer Revolve acquires the label, rehiring Lee and setting him up for a 2026 comeback, including both mass and bespoke “made to order” lines.

[13:34-16:51] Panel Insights:

• Dion Lee’s creativity, international reputation, and relationship challenges highlighted.
• Questions of fit: Was Q Clothing Co ever the right investor for a globally ambitious, aesthetic-driven designer?
• Further complications: Internal Q family lawsuits, boardroom drama—context of business instability.

Memorable Quotes:

• "The process...my name, my archive, my IP, all of these things were being monetized and sold off without me. It was soul destroying." — Dion Lee (quoted) [12:33]
• "To have to dismantle a team you built for 10 years...his heart was breaking." — Joanna [17:27]
• "He showed humility and respect, never shifted blame—even in crisis." — Anika [18:43]

[18:51-21:37] Looking Ahead: Revolve Partnership & Made to Order

• Panel expresses excitement and optimism for Dion Lee’s new collaboration with Revolve, which fits the brand's global ambitions.
• Speculation: Will a scaled-back, bespoke approach restore creativity? Can Lee’s signature DNA evolve for a new American and global clientele?
• Prediction: The “Phoenix” effect—rebirth and likely Coachella/influencer tie-ins. “I feel like the Revolve customer base is so in the zeitgeist. They’re the coolest girls...he’s got to start dressing people!” — Anika [21:52]

[25:55] Headline 2: The "Cutting Room Floor" $55K Job Controversy

[25:55-33:20] The Facts:

• Rachel Omondi (host of “Cutting Room Floor”) posts a full-time New York-based job combining three roles (bookings, studio coordinator, PA) at $55K/year, no benefits, in-person only.
• Backlash—especially on TikTok—over poor pay, excessive workload; labelled “borderline exploitation.”
• Omondi doubles down on TikTok Live, then posts a mea culpa voice note on Patreon, halts hiring, consults HR to rewrite the job description. Over 800 applied.

[26:06-33:47] Panel Discussion:

• Panel debates the realities and ethics of fashion's entry-level jobs and global pay disparities:
  • NYC’s living wage threshold is ~$68K, $55K = “very low” income (The Cut).
  • In Australia, 55K USD is ~$84K AUD, which would be a "decent" entry-level salary, highlighting massive cost-of-living differences.
• Personal histories—everyone recalls underpaid, overworked fashion stints: "I work with NYC buyers who have full-time jobs and second/third hustles...cost of living is astronomical. The hustle is so real." — Anika [30:11]
  • The cycle of burnout and toxic “earn your stripes” culture considered.
• Sentiment varies by platform: TikTok users bash Omondi, Instagram users defend her, pointing out hypocrisy and systemic issues across fashion. "She shouldn’t be the face of a broader systemic issue...it’s not fair, especially for a Black female founder in fashion." — Joanna [29:02]

Notable Omondi Quote (originally in The Cut):

“It’s not lost on me that’s not a glamorous wage...I’m looking for someone who wants to come to NY and hustle in the early years...” [Paraphrased at 25:23]

[37:22] Headline 3: The Beauty Side Effect Boom

[37:22-45:14] What is It?

• Inspired by Dazed article (Ellen Atlanta): the “appointment after the appointment.”
  • Cosmetic procedures breed new side effects (filler migration, harsh skin treatments, Botox “rebalancing”), requiring further (often costly) correction.
  • Example: Up to a third of some London clinics’ bookings are now corrections, not first-time treatments.
• “We’re now treating the treatment rather than enhancing the person—it’s the medical overprescribing of aesthetics.” — Dr. Stephen Harris (quoted) [37:22]

[38:43-45:38] Panel Experiences:

• First-hand: Joe got early lip fillers at 18 (in a clinical setting), had to get filler dissolved years later—side-effects not initially warned about.
• Anika reflects on friends’ “full cycles,” now dissolving fillers.
• Overarching sentiment: Procedures produce unpredictable, sometimes long-term effects. The beauty industry both creates and profits from these “side effect” treatments. Cultural “trend cycles” create huge swings (BBL in, BBL out, etc.). "I've seen BBLs, tiny hourglass bodies, frozen foreheads, now all those things are out. The list keeps going—the industry thrives on insecurity and the next thing." — Anika [44:35]
• The need for ethical practitioners who say “no” to over-treatment highlighted.

[46:05] Headline 4: Brands Want Influencers to Have Full-Time Jobs (Not Just Be Full-Time Influencers)

[46:05-56:46] The Trend:

• Report from Outlander: Brands increasingly want to work with influencers who have “real” (full-time) jobs outside social media, not just career content creators.

  • Examples: "Cat from finance", "Bus Auntie" for Burberry—people defined by relatable, non-glamorous work.
  • The shift: Office workers posting real day-in-life vlogs gain a following, then, after quitting for full-time influencing (lounges, “pilates at midday”), their relatability and engagement drops, sometimes sparking backlash. "People want to see themselves in influencers. If they can’t, they disengage." — Joe [48:11]

• Michaela Naguara’s journey—Ulta employee to full-time influencer—becomes less relatable.
  “She was the blueprint!...Now a lot of people criticize her for not being relatable.” — Joanna [50:16]

• Joanna’s take: The supposed new “authenticity” is only a new packaging of the old Dove “real beauty” campaign playbook—using relatability as a marketable illusion: "At the end of the day, it was marketing to appear relatable...the illusion is what's appealing to advertisers." [52:56]

[54:03] When Influencers Return to Work

• Some creators actually go back to traditional jobs for balance, inspiration, and a sense of purpose: "I know someone who went from full time to full time creator, then back to part time work for more purpose and balance." — Joe [55:05]

[56:46] Closing Thoughts

• There’s no one blueprint: Brands, audiences, and influencers are all reconsidering what “influence” and “authenticity” actually mean.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “If you’re going to have your own business and make so many sacrifices, it has to fill you up ... I can’t say I was always putting myself first over 15 years, and that takes its toll.” — Dion Lee (quoted) [11:26]
• "I can't even remember what she looked like before dissolving the fillers...I'm like, who the fuck is that?” — Anika [40:03]
• "She shouldn’t be the face of a systemic issue—especially a Black female founder." — Joanna [29:02]
• "The industry thrives on our insecurities, on us always wanting the next thing." — Anika [44:35]
• "At the end of the day, it’s the illusion of being relatable—that’s what advertisers want." — Joanna [52:56]
• "I kind of forgot how to create content. I was working 8 hours per day; now I felt uninspired..." — Paraphrased by Joe about Jordie Zvi [55:05-55:56]

Key Segment Timestamps

• 00:55 – Host/co-host intros, travel plans for Fashion Weeks
• 03:02 – “Swapping In” segment (fashion and recs)
• 11:01 – Dion Lee’s business collapse, brand rebirth
• 25:55 – The $55K 'Cutting Room Floor' job saga
• 37:22 – Beauty side effect boom and corrections market
• 46:05 – Authenticity and the “full-time job influencer” trend
• 56:46 – Wrap-up and closing comments

Tone & Style

• Conversational, insider, and witty: Hosts share personal anecdotes and real experience (“I’ve had these jobs…”, “my friends…”, “in my group chat…”)
• Critical but empathetic: They challenge fashion’s toxic systems while recognizing personal trade-offs and privilege.
• Resourceful and practical: Swaps/offers, how-to’s, and career advice are embedded throughout.
• Authenticity-focused: Much of the debate returns to what is “real” and what is performative—whether in careers, beauty, or influencer culture.

For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

This episode of Style-ish is essential listening for anyone curious about:

• The painful (and often hidden) costs behind fashion industry glamour
• What happens after a designer loses their own brand (and what rebirth looks like)
• How “authenticity” continues to be commodified—whether in who brands hire, or what influencers show us
• Why cosmetic “perfection” nearly always leads to new treatments
• Whether starting in fashion always means low pay (and whether that’s starting to change)
• The everyday hacks, resources, and recommendations you need in your fashion and beauty life

Whether you're in fashion, a content creator, obsessed with beauty, or just a fan of juicy industry tea—this is an episode to catch.