Style-ish Podcast – Episode Summary

Podcast: Style-ish (Shameless Media)
Episode: The engagement party dividing the internet
Date: October 28, 2025
Hosts: Madison Sullivan Thorpe, Joanna Fleming, Rhiannon Joyce

Overview

This lively episode centers around hot-button fashion news: the internet-dividing engagement party of influencer Danielle Bernstein, the groundbreaking appointment of designer Grace Wales Bonner as Hermès Menswear Creative Director, and the mysterious “Group 7” TikTok trend. The hosts—Madison, Jo, and Rae—bring passionate, knowledgeable, and often humorous perspectives to each topic, providing listeners with a blend of cultural critique, personal anecdotes, and industry insights.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Vogue World: Hollywood – Fashion’s Modern-Spectacle (01:20–03:43)

• Madison introduces Vogue World’s Hollywood event, noting confusion about its purpose and discovering it’s a charity fundraiser.
• Hosts discuss its evolution and Anna Wintour’s role in cultivating it as a legacy event akin to the Met Gala (02:54).
• Nicole Kidman’s presence as both opener and closer was a highlight:
  “Talk about a revenge dress. We got it on the catwalk today.” – Madison (03:12)

2. Swaps of the Week: Cool Content, Meaningful Connections, and Binge-Worthy TV (04:01–08:32)

Rae:

• Recommends creator and substack writer Alexis Barber, praising her sharp marketing insights and honest creator economy commentary (04:13–04:59).

Madison:

• Advocates for “mundane activities with friends” (like errands, markets, and movie nights), arguing these shared moments are deeply satisfying (05:08–05:56).

Jo:

• Recommends season two of “Nobody Wants This” on Netflix, noting sharp product placement targeting “marketing girlies” and cameo appearances by Leighton Meester (06:06–07:43).

3. Danielle Bernstein’s Engagement Party Dress & Shoppable Links Controversy (08:43–21:58)

Summary (08:43–11:34)

• Danielle Bernstein’s vintage Kim Cassis couture dress split opinions online.
• Greater controversy: Her viral TikTok detailing a curated shoppable dress registry for engagement party guests, allegedly to streamline styling and avoid duplicates.
• Raised questions: Assumptions about guests' budgets, body types, and possible personal profit via affiliate links.

Hosts' Reactions & Analysis (11:34–21:58)

• Rae is openly unimpressed, calling it “a way to try and control the aesthetic under the guise of being helpful” (13:35).
• Madison critiques performative wedding culture, seeing Bernstein’s approach as curation and control, dressed up as helpfulness (13:43).
• Jo plays devil’s advocate, suggesting outside pressures and good intentions could be at play, but maintains skepticism about the profit angle (13:44–14:45).
• Affiliate Link Ethics: All agree that transparency and accessibility are crucial, and assume shoppable links likely generate kickbacks – not all guests may know this (14:52–18:42).
• Personal Experiences:
  • Rae and Madison have received Pinterest boards for guidance, finding them occasionally useful (16:53–17:41).
  • Jo is clear: “Dress code is enough. Give a dress code. That’s all the guest has to adhere to.” (16:19)
• Quote:
  “Anything wedding related will always, always have debates surrounding it. Especially now when they're just becoming like full-blown productions. This made me feel icky. I can't lie.” – Madison (19:21)

4. Grace Wales Bonner’s Appointment as Hermès Menswear Creative Director (20:11–30:32)

Significance & Impact (20:11–23:45)

• Bonner is the first Black woman to lead design at a major fashion house (20:53).
• Lauded for transforming menswear, winning major awards, and collaborating with Adidas and Stüssy.

Culture & Industry Analysis (21:58–29:50)

• Shocking gender disparity in fashion leadership:
  • “In the industry, nearly 90% of top designers are men.” – Madison (22:46)
• Rae highlights Bonner’s exceptional artistry and cross-disciplinary creativity (22:54–23:29).
• Jo celebrates her youth (35) and simultaneous continuation of her label (23:32–23:45).
• Madison admires that it’s Hermès making the move, emphasizing the brand’s tradition of “trust[ing] craft and craftsmen” (24:29).
• Personal dream realized: Bonner previously named Hermès as her “dream house” in 2019 (25:39–26:25).
• The hosts debate why women remain rare atop major houses, naming systemic sexism, boardroom composition, and industry inflexibility for family life (27:07–28:44).
• Discussion of (Male) Gaze:
  “There is this real, ‘Oh, they understand women.'…We don’t see that same languaging around women for womenswear.” – Madison (28:44–29:38)
  • Excitement for how Bonner will bring a fresh, possibly more feminine, vision to menswear (30:10–30:32).

5. TikTok Trend Deep Dive: What Is "Group 7"? (31:26–39:48)

What Happened? (31:26–32:32)

• Viral trend created by musician Sophia James as a marketing ploy for her single “So Unfair”: seven TikToks, each “assigning” viewers a group based on which video the algorithm served them.
• “Group 7” became a badge of (supposed) popularity and exclusivity:
  “Group 7 became…the digital social club of sorts. It’s now become the most watched video of the seven, with over 30 million views.” – Rae (33:03)

Dissection & Reactions (33:58–38:08)

• Hosts discuss how the “club” phenomenon took off, with brands quickly jumping on the trend (36:25).
• Despite massive TikTok reach, the tactic generated only modest Spotify streams (36:44–36:56).
• The marketing genius:
  “She wasn’t like, ‘Hey guys, go stream my new song.’ And she didn't have to make a dance for it. She created seven pieces of content with the same song…It's a genius way to get a song out there at a time when people want to be included in a club.” – Madison (35:19–36:12)
• Social psychology unpacked:
  • Madison argues it’s about community; Jo insists it’s more about exclusivity and micro-cliques (38:09–39:14), e.g.:
    “This is all around the exclusivity. People love to be part of a club that not everyone can be in.” – Jo (38:55)
• Final take: uncertain if Group 7 will translate to ongoing relevance for Sophia James, but all agree the campaign was exceptionally clever (39:40–39:48).

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On Vogue World’s purpose:
  “I can't help but feel like [Anna Wintour] wants something kind of like what she's done with the Met Gala, but something she gets to create to cement her legacy.” – Madison (02:54)

• On the “shoppable links” drama:
  “At the end of the day, I still think it's odd. The assumption is that a lot of these links were affiliate links as well. So are you also profiting your friends' purchases?” – Rae (14:36)

• On gender in fashion:
  “How did we get from the bottom of the pyramid being so strong and held by female to the top being held by men?” – Madison (21:58)

• On Bonner’s significance:
  “This is a monumental moment in fashion and she is so deserving of this position…She's also not just an incredible fashion designer...an incredible artist…So I'm so excited.” – Rae (22:54)

• On “Group 7” as a trend:
  “It really is. I just love this tactic from her. I feel sad that I'm not in group seven...” – Jo (36:12)

Notable Moments & Recurring Themes

• Rae’s “Annika energy” outfit, light banter about fashion influences (00:34–01:18).
• Meta-awareness: The hosts critique influencer culture while acknowledging their own professional proximity and personal participation (12:24–13:02).
• Ongoing debate about community versus exclusivity, both online and offline.
• Blunt takes on marketing tactics in streaming/media ("Cash that check" – Madison, 07:53).
• Recognition that trends (especially on TikTok) move fast, and brands tend to kill the vibe (36:25–36:33).

Timestamps – Important Segments

• Vogue World Segment: 01:20–03:43
• Swaps of the Week: 04:01–08:32
• Danielle Bernstein Engagement Party Discussion: 08:43–21:58
• Grace Wales Bonner/Hermès Segment: 20:11–30:32
• Group 7 TikTok Discussion: 31:26–39:48

Tone and Style

Conversational, witty, and at times self-deprecating. The hosts balance industry expertise with approachable banter, often poking fun at themselves while digging into serious fashion, cultural, and social commentary.

In Summary

This episode unpacks viral fashion controversies, celebrates diversity-shifting industry news, and decodes digital phenomena, bringing informed and entertaining perspectives to each topic. Listeners leave with a greater understanding of the nuances in influencer culture, fashion industry gender politics, and innovative digital marketing, all while feeling like part of a fun, chatty group (even if they aren’t in “Group 7”).