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Foreign.
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This episode of Stylish is brought to you by QV's face range for sensitive skin. QV face powerfully sensitive. Skincare for life.
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Hello, guys. Happy Wednesday. Welcome to Stylish, the podcast for all things fashion, lifestyle, brand and beauty. My name is Rhiannon Joyce and and today my co hosts are the lovely Joanna Fleming and the wonderful Naima Fatima. Hey, guys.
C
Hi. Happy Wednesday.
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Happy Wednesday. Quick, quick, pivot away from our run sheet because TikTok is giving us a lot to digest at the moment. I had to bring it to the table. Acquired style. Did we see the Bachelorette?
C
How could we not?
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How could you not? I have never seen so much content surrounding a bachelorette party. We'll say hens.
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Hens is so much easier.
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So much easier. I have to acknowledge the bias. I've come on this microphone from before and I would say I've been pretty forthcoming with my opinions about how much influencers are really commercializing their weddings. I will say little caveat, weddings specifically, I do feel weirdly less offended by sponsored hens parties, bachelorettes, or, you know, the surrounding events. The wedding itself, definitely a bit on the nose, but for some reason, guys, I kind of loved it.
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I guess the Bachelorette's just about you, so get your bag.
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To be honest, it was like fully sponsored and I had never heard of the brand. Oh my God. I'm trying to remember the name of the brand. Swan Beauty. I never heard of them.
C
Okay.
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I'd never heard of them but. And I went on their tick tock and they don't have that many followers. It's an AI backed business. They have like these amazing like mirrors that you get ready in and then they recommend different products or different skin combinations backed by dermatologists. But it's very, very AI, very techy. Yeah, they can do like skin analysis, which was one of the videos that she did with her mates on the plane. Foreshadowing we're going to be talking a lot about AI.
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And also in other TikTok influencer news out of the US Taylor Fritz and Morgan Riddle split up huge.
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This been carrying on for a few weeks, but it's official.
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Official. Nimer and I were just talking about off mic that a creator on TikTok posted a video that Morgan then commented on to I said essentially confirmed the fact that they had split up. Even though she had posted a carousel with moving boxes and very much alluding to a breakup. It wasn't quite confirmed by her. But I'm disappointed by this because I don't Know what that means for AO fashion next year?
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Little tangent there, but I think worth it. Who wants to go first?
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You go on.
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Okay, I'm stopping in a book. Bit random and there's no relation to fashion, beauty, lifestyle or brand.
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Can I interrupt you before you say that?
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Go for it.
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I bought Emma Grade's book because of you got delivered today. I'm so excited to read it.
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Stop. That makes me so happy. You'll love it. And can you please send me little voice notes of what parts you really love? I will.
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Or I could highlight the bits I like and then you can. I'll bring it in and you can have a look.
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Yeah, we can exchange notes. Oh, that makes me so happy.
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I'm also listening to the audiobook.
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Audiobook's really good. She's got a great voice to listen to. Yeah. Okay. My book, completely unrelated, it's called Bodies of Light, and I will say it is on the heavier side of a read. Definitely delves into some more deep topics. But one thing I'm finding at the moment is I'm really trying to turn to reading as a way to switch off online. I did mention this on my Instagram stories the other day when someone asked me, how do you switch off when your job is so intense and so present online? I read guys, and I block out time to read and really, really, really try and avoid my phone. Not to flex, but I have gotten quite good at it. Phone in the other room. Do not disturb. I'm permanently on dnd, so like, sorry if you've ever tried to call me in an emergency, but Body of Light, very dark themes. One of those books though, that really takes you out of the world and gives you perspective, though it's a really, really good book. So if you're looking for something that's a bit deep, bit heavy, set in Melbourne originally, and then it bounces around a few other places. I don't want to spoil it, but it's on a must read list for me.
C
May I ask a question?
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Go for it.
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You've go to bed at like 8:30. What time do you start reading?
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Okay, so Annabel Lee, who is the deputy head of podcast at Shameless Media and co host of Everybody Has a Secret and on air producer of Shameless Squad, how does that run? Shape? Annabel actually asked me this today and I told her. She's like, I get really sleepy when I start reading at night, so I actually read when I get home from work. So I get into my comfies, have like a shower and then I spend half an hour reading before dinner.
C
Right.
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That's usually my weekday.
C
Yeah.
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Roster of reading. And then on Sunday, I always, always block out time on to read for like an extensive amount of time. So it might be either a couple hours or like an hour minimum.
C
Okay.
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Yeah. But I've really got to carve it out.
B
This is so impressive from someone whose screen time is. I'm not even gonna say what it is. I actually redacted.
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I'm going to make you show us your screen time.
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No, you don't. But also it's funny because it's. I've got two phones, so.
C
Okay.
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So she'll trick you.
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Yeah, I'll trick you.
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No, I want to see both now.
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It's all right. Mine's probably the same as yours, mama. Don't worry.
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Okay, who's going next?
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I can go next.
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Go, go, go.
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So I'm going to preface this by saying I know nothing about basketball and all of this might be incorrect, but this is a player that popped up on my feed. His name is Tyrese Halliburton and he's an Indiana Pacers player. Uh huh. Yeah, right. My favorite basketball team. And he's injured, so he's been watching a lot of the games from the sideline. His style, Fantastic.
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Describe his three words.
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Preppy. Ooh, tailored.
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Okay.
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But then also a little bit like 90s casual.
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Okay.
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So how I described it was giving librarian substitute teacher vibes. And I think he's going to be my winter wardrobe inspo. So lots of ties, cardigans, knits, caps, light wash, like rigid denim loafers, and like leather bombers.
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Okay. Brand that's coming top of mind or front of mind, I should say. Whatever. They're both kind of the same thing. Emily on Dior.
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Yes.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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That is the vibe.
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Here's a photo I prepared earlier.
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Thank God we have for those of you who can't see, because this is an audio.
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Sorry, everyone.
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He's wearing straight leg white, like kind
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of like a light Levi's. Rigid denim bomber's. Cool.
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Like, is that brown?
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Yeah, like a brown leather bomber.
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Yeah, love.
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And then a brown tie and a backwards cap with a button off shirt.
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Very cool.
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90s dad.
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And that is my aesthetic.
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I was expecting a little more modern than that, but that is very 90s.
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It's kind of like Fresh Prince of Bel Air vibes. Cool though.
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Yeah. I've asked the social team to put up the social team.
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Me? Yes.
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To put up a third person. Making myself more important.
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We all do it.
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There'll be a carousel of my favorite looks. Great.
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That you're putting together. Good.
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Can't wait. Jo, what's your wreck?
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Okay, so mine is one for the corporate girlies who are going into an office. I know we've spoken on this podcast before about how hilarious some of the office edits are for different retailers.
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Revolve.
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Yeah.
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Get an email from Revolve. And it's like a mini skirt, like a cropped shirt. Anyway, this is for actual like corporate or office wear. Inspo. So this creator, her name is Noti Mafico. She is, I think Sydney based. She is so chic. I absolutely love her style. I honestly could see like all of her clothing items in my wardrobe.
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I think that's why it's all.
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Yeah, well, pretty much.
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Yeah.
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No, it's not all brown, but it's like very much the types of formulas I would dress myself. So I see a lot of my own style in her. I think her outfits are perfectly curated for office wear, but in a more I would say like a casual corporate. It's not like full. Well, she does wear some suits. She had this really cool Scanlan navy look on the other day. I think it was like almost a cashmere top with a collar on it. She was wearing a navy tie with it as well and some high waisted pants, ties. She just looked phenomenal. So I'm swapping her in.
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Swap her in?
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Yeah. I love when you find like an Instagram account and you're like, yes, I would buy everything you're wearing. Perfect. Great. You're doing all the work for me.
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Exactly. And we also have a swap from Annika today too, so we'll play that for you now.
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I am obsessed with all things Phoebe Philo, but I'm not that obsessed with the price tag.
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And.
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And I have been lusting over their bomb sunglasses, which are a really cool aviator style. And what I love most about them is that the lenses are like a dark brown colorway. The frames are also a really cool dark brown, which I think is really beautiful for this kind of transitional weather that we're currently in. Browns are just so on trend at the moment. I don't think we can get enough of them. And they're going to be a key staple color, I think, for the year ahead as well as into 2027. I have found what I think is a really good alternative from Mango. So if you jump online, I'll link it in the show notes as well. But they have released a really cool aviator sunglasses and they're in that brown color which I'm obsessed with. And the price tag is $69.95. So I don't think these are going to stick around for long. Cuz if anyone is obsessed with Phoebe Filer like I am, I'm sure they'll be adding these to Cart. But they are such a great spot. They're super cool and they really embody that whole oversized trend that we've really seen in our accessories.
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I feel like Annika was low key, flirting with me there so many times.
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I'm surprised she didn't shout you out.
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She's coming for your gig.
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These glasses look really cool.
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Yeah, Kate, our producer, just pulled that up for us so that we could
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have a look, have a little visual cue there. And that price tag. Very happy because the Phoebe Filo is just slightly out of my range. Guys, today we have a big episode. We're going to cover two main stories. The first being the rise of AI influences and what it means for fashion and beauty content. We're going to be anchoring that in the recent post that we did see on sheer Lux highlighting, therefore, or rolling out, I should say, therefore, AI influences. Then we're going to be discussing how Riley J became Australia's It Girl. Guys, I've never seen anyone go crazy like I did on the weekend or when was it? It was last week. No, Thursday. On Thursday about Riley's wedding. So I'm really, really excited to deepen that. But we'll get into it right after a word from today's sponsor.
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In this job, we're lucky enough to try all sorts of skincare brands and products. So it goes without saying it takes a lot to impress us. But recently we've been playing with a skincare range that's formulated with ingredients like ceramides, niacinamides, vitamin B3, abomite 15 and safflower oil. And you can see firmer, more radiant skin in just 14 days when you use the Gentle cleanser serum and night cream combo. Hearing this, you'd be forgiven for thinking this was a bougie skincare brand. But really, this is Cuvy's Face Range, a complete cleansing and moisturizing routine for sensitive skin that doesn't compromise on results or break the bank. If you struggle with sensitive skin, Cuvy recommends going back to basics with these two must have products. Firstly, the Cuvy Face Gentle Cleanser, a gentle, creamy and lightly foaming cleanser that won't block your pores or strip the skin. This one actually helps hydrate as it cleans secondly, the Cuvy Face Nurturing Night cream which contains a triple moisturizing formula for firmer looking skin in just seven days. The QV face range is gentle, effective and affordable skincare regime for your sensitive skin and it's found at your local pharmacy or supermarket. A huge thank you to QV for making this episode of Stylish possible. N equals 61. Results based on 14 day consumer satisfaction survey conducted by T Garage sponsored by Ego Pharmaceuticals. July 2023.
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Okay, last week on social media, Sheer Lux, which for those of you who don't know, big UK lifestyle and fashion publication, actually introduced AI influen influencers. Well, they introduced the first AI influencer, Reambot in 2024. I had a bit of a habit of calling her Rembot. I don't know why, but the girls would always be like, it's Rame. And I'm like, anyone who knows me knows I'm absolutely shocking with stuff like this. In their bio, they call it the AI tastemaker and broadcaster Powered by Sheer Lux. So originally when they launched Reignbot, it was met with massive backlash. They've actually defended it before later releasing an apology. And in that apology they said, since the start of Shelux, innovation has been central to what we do. As we enter a new era of tech and AI. We wanted to stay at the forefront. It is clear we didn't explain it properly and we're sorry. Earlier this month they did what I would interpret as like double down on this AI strategy. So they added three more AI influencers. They've introduced Brooke, Gigi and Eden. So they announced it via reel featuring the four influencers. If you didn't know already, there are
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now four of us here at Sheerlux Lab. We're Sheer Lux's AI avatars.
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Each of us bringing our own perspective,
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perspective on fashion, beauty, travel and careers.
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So if you're wondering which one of
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us you should follow, here's a little introduction. I'm Gigi. I'm the beauty obsessive of the group. Think skincare routines, makeup discoveries and the products actually worth adding to your routine. I love testing new launches, sharing glow boosting skincare and finding those everyday beauty staples that make getting ready feel a little more special. So if you're into beauty tips, product recommendations and effortless glow, I'm your ghetto.
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So this Reel got it was over a thousand comments. At least most of them were critical. Saying things like, this is incredibly sad. Nobody wants this. How can you recommend skincare products when you have no skin? Jo will have comments on that later.
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Great point.
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Clothes when you have no body, travel recommendations when you've never been anywhere. So there was a bit of discourse, to say the least. Nine months ago, they also hired an AI creative role. So what that says to me, this is very much an area they're investing in.
C
Yeah.
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They have by all accounts doubled down on this AI strategy. What did you guys feel when you first saw this video?
C
I mean, I saw the reaction to Reebot and I remember going through all of those comments at the time being like, oh, that's. It's not going down very well.
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It's not. It got picked up by so much mainstream media, like the BBC globally. It was like a big deal.
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Yeah. And then it kind of like softened off a little bit. Like there wasn't as much negativity. But then I was really surprised to see them double down. As you said before, I was not expecting that from them. I really thought it would be like a soft move away from and instead gone very hard into the influencer. Yeah.
B
Yeah. I think I had quite a visceral reaction. I think most people do. Like, I just was like, oh. Like, I think it was like a. Quite a surprise, especially I guess, after the feedback. Yeah. It's interesting to have like a two year gap.
A
Yeah. But it wasn't really a gap because Reebok would creep in every now and then. So she would feature on the podcast. They'd have sporadic posts here and there that she would actually be included in. So I would say that they didn't just like introduce her and then be like, bang, two years later she's back. They just sprinkle a few posts here and there. But I would say still, sentiment was not warm.
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Yeah.
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And even when you look at the individual ream bot account, because she has her own Instagram account, I think she doesn't even have 4,000 followers.
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3.1 or something.
C
Yeah.
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So the consumer response has been pretty slow. Let's talk about the visceral response though, because everyone did go, I would get jump scare.
B
Yeah.
A
Like, I'm being fully honest. Every time I open my Instagram page and I see any influencer model or anything, I go like, it just freaks me out. And I think that's because as a consumer, I'm just not there yet. And I'm not seeing, you know, a lot of these people in my page. So I find it a little bit jarring. I do want to call out that she likes as a business is really fucking impressive.
B
Yes.
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Like, they have had long standing success and this you know, a lot of people think she Lucks just like kind of popped up overnight.
B
They didn't.
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They've been around since 2017 and they're founded by Georgie Coleridge Cole and it's completely disrupted the media landscape. So long standing success as a business. This is all really coming to fruition this year when they were actually acquired by Future plc and that included both Sheilux and Blush Talent Management. So that's the P, not the pr. That's like the personal talent agency that they have where they manage some of the staff at Shelux, but also external talent. According to the business of fashion, the initial deal went through at 39.9 million pound, which is 53.9 USD. The value of this business is astronomical. Yeah, I do want to acknowledge that because I think it's really important. They're very innovative. I don't ever want to sit here and have a conversation about this business or about this business's decision, I should say. And not consider the fact that. Yeah, they're absolutely dominating.
C
Yeah. I also don't want to shit on them for trying something. No. Because we know that the world is heading in the direction of AI and I think they're experimenting. And while I don't necessarily think that it's the best thing ever and I'm not really on board with AI.
A
Yeah, we're not there yet. Almost.
C
Yeah. I do appreciate that they're trying something new and they wanted to test the waters and see how it went, how they could use AI to their benefit. Something that I noticed in the like, Explainer post, after the Reambot thing went live in 2024, they posted an Instagram, like, Carousel, basically saying, like, we didn't explain ourselves clearly enough because a lot of the commentary was like, why wouldn't you just hire a woman of color instead of creating one?
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So for those of you who haven't seen Reambot, it was assumed that she was of Middle Eastern descent because Reem is a Arabic name, I believe. So that assumption was then left there for people to make and they kind of were just filling the narrative as well. So they had to come back and direct acknowledge that.
C
Yeah. And they said in that post that her opinions and choices come directly from the diverse team we're so proud of at Sheerlux. And I wonder if that was a way for them to like, amalgamate all of their internal contributors because they do have a lot of staff. They did also tell the BBC in 2024 that no jobs were compromised in any way. As a result of her creation. And we would never publish any content that hasn't had human involvement.
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The disappointing part for me, I guess is that I really like look up to Shelux because it was probably one of the first media companies that I saw that really had people of color front and center. And it was quite inspirational to me. Like they had Sapna in their C suite. Like, that's so cool. I kind of hadn't seen that before. And of course, like no company is perfect. But I actually do think they had quite a breadth of people of color and diversity in there. So I found that their recommendations were diverse and I could go to them for things like makeup and skin care. So that was actually really, that is really exciting for me. And I don't want to take away from the fact that they actually like have really done a lot in this space. They've done a lot in this space in saying that as a person of color in the industry, I don't see a lot of me and I don't see a lot of people of color. And I think instead of hiring someone, getting someone to mimic a person of color, it does feel offensive to me.
C
Yeah, yeah.
B
It's like, you know, we're here and we can just be hired. So just do that.
C
And also they have such a diverse talent pool within their office.
B
Yeah.
C
That represent that diversity. So it's like, why? Why did we need this? Yeah.
A
Do we need this?
B
Yeah. Well, I think that's like at the heart of shell strategy. Right. Like I would say you would ask any social media manager and like Shelux would be on their like vision board of like what they've created.
A
They were one of the OG, EGC, like employee generated content. Like they were the OG. They're the BluePR.
B
Yeah, 100%. So I think it's like it's a business built off these personalities of their, you know, staff members. They've really like champion them or you know, like that's kind of what they've built their entire content strategy off. And it's that humanness that I think people have related to. So I think creating recommendations based off an AI bot, it takes away that humanness. And that's I guess at the core of their entire business.
A
Let's look at the consumer.
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Right.
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I think the consumer right now feels really under threat. You know, people feel really sensitive towards AI because the reality of it is there is this unknown and this fear that the AI robots are going to take our jobs.
C
And I think some industries that they are valid. Exactly.
B
Yeah.
A
You know the use of AI creators. This doesn't seem to be resonating because to your point, Naima, it's looking at it going, well, you have this amazing team, you have this wealth of people who can give recommendations. Why are you forfeiting that? I think people just aren't ready for it yet. And when you look at the broader industry, it is really interesting seeing this trend of big businesses almost trying to challenge this AI slop or this, this visceral response that people go, is this AI? Like everyone's living in doubt now. Like online I'm looking at someone going, is this AI? That's what I'm asking. Right. And I wanted to bring up this Instagram page that I follow. I don't even know if I follow it. I think was actually just fed into me because I'm consuming so much marketing content. But it's at breaking and entertaining media. And there was an IG post on it and the headline was brands are releasing behind the scenes videos on their ads to prove they didn't use AI. And the caption was, is craft the new luxury? And in that post they actually included a recent campaign was on YouTube. Apple released as like a little YouTube short, which is basically a small video, which a real. Yeah, like a real. But on YouTube. And it was a behind the scenes of how they made their MacBook Neo campaign.
B
Yeah.
A
Super interesting, super, super detailed in the sense of how much human interaction was required.
B
Yeah.
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How much tech, visual photography, you know, video edits and all of those things that went into it. And it was so deliberate. And the caption was a peek at some handmade magic. So, you know, even the big brands are looking at the industry going, we need to start challenging this visceral response or assumption that everything is AI.
B
Yeah.
A
And instead we need to double down and back. No, we're still depending on people.
C
Yeah. And I think in terms of the expansion of the AI entities that they've introduced at Sheilux, like one glaringly obvious oversight.
B
Yeah.
C
Is the fact that there is no diversity in body shape or size.
A
Yeah.
C
I just don't understand why that wouldn't have been like. I'm sure it was a consideration like how many people did that go through? That's not just one person's idea. And it's gone live.
A
Yeah. And this is the thing, I think one of the bots or the AI influencers they've tried to position as a size potentially like a 14 to 16. So I think they've made.
C
I did not say that.
A
Yeah. I Think it's a feeble attempt at trying to make that feel like, you know, oh, we're covering the inclusivity pace. But. But yeah, it definitely. Yeah, definitely not great.
B
And I think, like, even if that was included, I think the question still comes up of not why not? Oh, 100%.
A
Yeah.
B
You know, it's like, it doesn't actually.
A
You try to have this conversation, you
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just come back around.
C
Exactly.
A
Jo, as someone who's in the beauty landscape, how does this make you feel in terms of, like, having these robots.
B
Yeah.
A
Recommending products? Like, how does that sit with you?
C
I mean, I'm not worried about losing my job.
B
I can tell you that.
C
Like, as that person's comment said at the top, they don't have skin. So how can. How could an AI like entity tell you, oh, this retinol was too strong for me because I got sensitive skin,
A
because that's not reality.
C
But I also think there's an element of this, that it comes back to deception because a lot of people would scroll past this content and I'll realize they're watching AI. And I think that happens time and time again. And sometimes I open the comments of videos and I'm like, this is AI and people don't realize it. And so that's kind of my concern is that you might be consuming this, this beauty LED or skincare LED AI content and not realize that it's actually not a real person giving you that information. I think there are instances where AI may be helpful in terms of seeing what a swatch looks like on the skin or what, like what a lipstick color looks like or an eyeshadow color, like, I can see where it could be used as, like, a way to improve the shopping experience online. But in terms of, like, describing your experience with a product and how a foundation lasts on your skin throughout a work day, how do you get that from an AI entity? It also just feels like if it
A
is fueled by other people in the office or other people in the team, why don't you just use them? Yeah, it's obviously coming down to, like, a cost.
B
Yeah.
A
I don't want to assume, but I do think there is a layer of cost efficiencies here where it's like, maybe we don't want to also rely on talent internally. There's also a brand risk, which we've spoken about before. When you are dependent on internal staff. Maybe it's also a way for them to mitigate risk.
C
Well, yeah, I was going to say de risk, because a lot of their Staff have massive profiles.
B
Yeah.
C
And they are doing partnerships on their own platforms and if they go off and do their own thing, you're like losing talent that people really liked that
A
worked for sheer Lux.
C
And then suddenly they're working elsewhere and they're taking that person or audience member with them.
B
Yeah. And as I guess a business that does a fair bit of employee generated content or, you know, that we like, we also do a lot of recommendations. I think there was a thought that I had around the amount of content that they put out that is employee based is a lot for sure. Yeah. So and it's like that's a lot for the staff to continue to put out to find and come in every day and feel like they want to be on camera, like just to, I don't know, break the fourth wall a little. I don't always want to be on camera. Right. So I think maybe there could be an element here where they're kind of safeguarding themselves. They're finding this, maybe they're finding a problem where it's like there's too much content that we need to have with our staff members in it. Is this like a possible solution?
A
I think at the end of the day you need to also just explain the why behind it. I think.
B
Yeah.
A
What they've allowed is people to fill the gap and the space without giving them the explanation as to how is this actually innovating your business taking us on the journey.
C
Yeah.
A
I do want to talk about an example where I think they did AI and they did that really well.
B
Yeah.
A
I'm not sure if you guys saw the Shelux Holiday gift Guide last year, but they launched their gift guide and they did leverage AI to design, conceptualize, help with creative assets. Now that project in of itself was huge. There were multiple people in the business world. Vanessa, who I believe is the creative director, was spearheading that. They had multiple talent internally that were used throughout it. It was a huge production. So the shoot itself was set in like a gorgeous hotel. Kind of reminded me of that movie, the Grand Budapest Hotel.
B
Right.
A
Like really cool, really lux. And that was amazing. The social cut downs, the way it visually looked. They used AI to basically take that concept and then build the gift guide out so that there was really strong synergy.
C
Yeah.
A
And connection. So the look and feel was the same. It helped create assets that were like set up in a hotel room in different settings. They had some on the bed, they had some in the bathrooms. And the way that they staged all the products was really, really good.
C
And There was no photo shoot.
A
So there was a photo shoot. There was for the actual campaign imagery. But the gift guide, from my understanding, that was all AI generated. So it's kind of like the best of both worlds in my opinion.
C
Yeah. Because they did post a reel after that and they were within the office and basically saying that these specific team members had been working on this content. So they were like on the journey. Yeah, they took us on the journey. I wonder why they didn't do that with the AI influences. Yeah.
B
With this you're not seeing the human element or the touch.
A
No. Like we're just being told.
B
Yeah, yeah, well you're being told.
A
Yeah. In like one line.
B
Yeah. There's these recommendations are coming from our team, but it's like, who on your team?
A
Yeah.
B
Do you know what I mean? It's like I trust your skincare wrecks because you're, you know, qualified and you've got a breadth of knowledge. But if that is coming from someone else, I might not trust it as much. Do you know what I mean? I actually, there's not like a name attached to it.
A
Yeah.
B
And I think that's maybe where I'm losing a lot of trust here.
A
Yeah. Look, maybe in 12 months time.
B
Yeah.
A
We will see more of this from many other businesses. Yeah. And you know, she likes have been at the forefront of some really great innovations, innovation trends into. Your point, Joe. Like you're not going to shit on someone for trying, but I do think you need to take the feedback on and you know, consider that and how, how does that shift your strategy?
C
Yeah.
A
But you know, in 12 months time we could all be sitting here and seeing multiple businesses do this. That might not be the case, but it also could be.
B
Yeah. I think on this topic, whenever I talk about it, I feel so old. It's like I give like real boomer energy where I'm like, I don't understand it, but I don't think I was alone. We did put up a poll on our socials last week and I have never seen a more clear cut answer in my life.
A
Important context to give, literally. You've never seen it?
B
No, I've never seen. And it's like we polled the audience and we asked, you know, how do you feel about AI influencers? And 95% of people said, not for me. 4% said, it doesn't bother me. And then six votes. So 0% said, I love it.
C
And so that 95% represents almost 2,000 people.
B
Yeah.
A
Yeah, that's a lot. Very decent sample size. Thank you, Joe.
B
Yeah, I love that. Science, maths, women in stem.
A
It's one of those things where I look at the industry trends and I see where it's going, but the community sentiment is just not there right now. People cannot get around it. Maybe in 12 months time, if we were to poll our audience again, will they feel differently? Because we've been exposed to so much more AI and it's so much more part of our life, it's hard to know. But let's check back in.
B
Yeah. Another poll, another poll.
A
All right, guys. Next we're going to be discussing Riley J and how she became Australia's biggest it girl. We're all talking about her, but that will be right after a word from today's sponsor.
C
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B
I was moderating a panel last week. RE was actually also there.
A
The Social Summit in development.
B
The Social Summit. And it was a conversation around viral brands and community. And we were talking about how much Riley and Remy by Riley, have created this community that is so, so engaged. And I said, wish she'd drop the photos. And a girl in the front row went. She just dropped them. And there was, I reckon, 100 people in this room.
A
More. Sorry. There were like at least 200 people in this room.
B
I have no contact.
A
It was way more than that.
B
And I reckon 80% of people pulled out their phones.
A
So, like a sea of phones.
B
Sea of phones.
C
Pandemonium.
B
Yeah. And I lost the room completely. That was me done. Everyone pulled out their phones and looked up Riley Jeff and wanted to see this wedding in Vogue Wedding. So many people in the room and they were all from, like different walks of life, different generations, and everyone knew who she was. So if you don't know who we're talking about, talking about Riley Hempson. Who is Riley J on Social? She used to be Healthy Chick 101.
A
That's like OG.
C
OG followers.
B
Yeah, me too. And she is an influencer. And she also is the founder of Remy by Riley, which is. Is a clothing brand that she runs.
A
Yeah.
B
But, yeah, it was just such a crazy reaction in the room that I. It was, like, electric. I was like, what's happening? Pandemonium.
A
Look, I can conceptualize her reach in the context of, like, numbers, right. She's got 1.4 million followers across Instagram and TikTok.
B
Yeah.
A
But when you say stuff like that, like sitting in a room, it is. And physically people being, like, gasping and, like, getting out their phones. Yeah.
C
I'm not gonna lie. I saw the photos within three minutes,
A
and I went, yeah. So I was eight minutes. I remember the time set, but mine too. So real quick, because my friend sent
C
it to me a minute later, I was like, already on it?
A
On it?
B
Yeah.
A
I'd already written. Wow. When the girls were dropping it in
B
the slide, I saw that. I was, like, straight in.
A
I feel like it's not just Riley everyone's obsessed with, though people do love them as a couple. So she married her partner, Vita Tomoana. Sugs.
C
Shugs.
B
That's what they call.
A
Yeah, I know. That's so cutie. But the first time I really saw their content blow up was when she was training for. I think. Honestly, I think I caught her at the end of the Nike. She was working with Nike last year on the marathon. I think she was doing the 10k. But she documented her OG running journey
B
she started, and it was called Realistic Running Diaries. And it was like a journey to 5K. And it was like, yeah, Vita was very involved in that. Like, he was on every run. He was so sweet, you know, talking, like, going, go, Riley. Like, so sweet. So I think you kind of, like, you were so invested in their relationship from day dot. Like, not at the wedding. Like, you were there from the start.
C
And he also works within the business, so you see a lot of that employee generated content again, because these employees that work with Remy by Riley also all have their own profiles too. So you're really invested in this whole business and her whole ecosystem essentially around her. So I'm not surprised in the amount of influence this wedding had. And she was quite, like, transparent with their wedding planning journey and all of
B
that kind of stuff.
C
It was a long time in the making. So I. I'm not surprised, no how people reacted at all. But the excitement around the drop of the photos was because it had been days after the wedding, and everyone was like, well, she has to be a Vogue bride there because she hasn't dropped the photo straight away, and she was like, live posting pretty much her pre dinner. What do you call it? Rehearsal.
A
Rehearsal dinner. Yeah, yeah.
C
She live posting from that. And when I saw that photo, I thought that was the wedding and I was like, oh, gorgeous.
A
And then I realized that was just one. We had two more dresses to go. So I don't know if people are actually familiar with the Vogue bride process, though, because you said, Jo, you're like, oh, I knew it was like, she's a Vogue bride. Tell me why.
C
So did all the comments. Everyone in the comments was like, well, she has to be a Vogue bride. But I think a lot of people know now in this current day that if a bride's not posting her photos within a couple of days, like, you know, you get your. Your pre photos back from the photographer fairly quickly. You get a little preview album. And I wanted to see, like, more before I posted. I just. I want more options.
A
I wish I did that because some of the photos I got back were great. Like, all our photos were amazing. But then.
C
But then you see better ones.
A
I saw a better one.
B
Yes, I know.
C
F ck people should have rated. That's very much my personality, though. I kind of wait and see what else is going to come out of this. So I waited around to post mine. But the assumption from a lot of people is, okay, well, if you're holding off posting, then you must be a Vogue bride because it has to go live on Vogue first.
A
So what were the stats? Talk us through because there were some big numbers thrown around.
B
Yeah, this is some quick math from me. And I didn't even go over to
A
Instagram, Joe and I don't do math.
B
Yeah. So these are the videos that she had only from, like, the point of when she started posting. So nothing pre. She's posted 32 videos on TikTok so far, and a total is over 75 million views. Wow. There is not a single video that is under 800,000 views.
A
That is huge.
B
Yeah. My dream.
C
I was not expecting that. That is crazy.
B
Yeah, I really. That was like, me like.
A
Yeah, thank God.
B
And that's. That's not accounting for Instagram. That is not accounting for all the people around her who are posting.
A
Yeah, well, Vogue's post alone, that had over 120,000 likes, and I've never seen one of their posts get that many likes. And they've coveted some major bridal mom and some really, you know, obviously big influences. But that was, like, huge.
C
Yeah.
A
And the comments were so funny. People like our royal Wedding.
C
Yeah.
A
We are freaking out about this. Even AFL clubs are posting about it.
B
I was like, that's when it's like, this is very my circle. Like, this is what my circle is talking about. When I saw the Sydney Swans post, everything we've done while we've been waiting for Riley and Vida's wedding, I was like, oh, this is.
A
Yeah, if you're everywhere, if you're an international listener as well. I know we do have a couple of them, but the Sydney Swans are an AFL club, so. Australian Football League. Is that what that is again? Yeah, Yeah. I don't care about footy, but yeah, that's how much it was hitting, like, mainstream as well. And I didn't think the boys would really get around this. I thought it was like very girl coded, but apparently not.
C
The day that Riley's Vogue post went up, Google searches in Australia for Vogue brides went up by 500%.
A
So everyone was like, I need to see this.
C
Everyone.
A
Why do you think there was like, so much, like, chaos around this? And I say chaos in, like, a good way. Like, people were so happy for them.
C
Yeah. Riley's a very authentic creator. She shares a lot about her life. As you mentioned before, like, the realistic running diaries I very much relate to because I am not a runner. And so seeing someone that was actually kind of like struggling, like I would. It's like not immediately running a 5K me, like, oh, that was a piece of cake because I could barely run 100 meters. I was like, oh, I'm actually enjoying this content.
B
Then she did the Nike thing. Like, she like, you got this like, peak satisfaction because, like, she did it.
A
Yeah.
B
You know, it wasn't something like she
A
had thousands and thousands of people turn up to her, like, run. So you do like a warm up run before you race at the Melbourne marathon, whether you're doing the 10k, the half or the full.
B
Yeah.
A
They had so many people there running with Riley, it was like crazy.
B
Yeah. She just has like. I don't want to say Genesis. Yeah, she does. She's just like, charming.
A
She's got an aura for sure.
C
And presence.
B
Yeah. And I think the way that she's like, like, approached her business and her personal brand, it's like so individual. Like, stuff that she says has started entering people's, like, daily speech, like their vocabulary. Yeah. Like what she say, bro? Or like unreal.
C
Like, you know, a lot of the Shani Grimmond and.
A
Yeah. I don't know. He does the cooking video. Yes.
B
Yes.
C
When they had all of their Little mannerism stuff. Yeah. All their little things, they would say. And it really did start to infiltrate into other people's vocabulary. Yes, it's very much like that.
B
And I do also like how much she has, like, prioritized the people that she's always had in her life as well. Like the. Her makeup artist she's worked with for years and years and years. And she also styled her, like, has styled her in the past as well. So she's, like, brought along these creatives and her friends that she's always had along in the journey. So I think in that way, she just feels, I don't know how to say, like a nice person.
A
Yeah. I mean, even the whole production of it. Right. Because that's an important piece to it. This wedding was next level. It looked incredible. It was spectacular. So they actually worked with House of lb, which is a really big. Well, they're actually not that big. They're more bespoke. But I would say they do a lot of big projects. So they work on weddings, but then they also do event planning. I was doing some research as well, and Lacy Bolland, who is one of the co founders with her husband Doug, is the other. She was actually the former national visual merchandiser at General Pants Co. And I always find that so interesting, seeing where someone starts in their career versus where they end up. But when you look at the events that they do, check out their Instagram, because they're unbelievable. It is a serious, serious production. Like, they just look incredible. The Runway to this wedding as well.
B
Yeah.
A
Felt like it was ages.
C
Yeah, it was, though.
A
How long were they engaged?
C
Pretty sure they were engaged for over two years.
B
Oh, yeah.
A
Okay.
B
They got engaged in Italy.
C
Yes.
B
Yeah, like that.
A
But I don't mean that in, like, a mean way. Like, hurry up, let's get there. It was more so I felt like I was on that journey. So when I was. Time. The whole time.
B
Yeah.
A
They also did a photo shoot with House of lb, I think, to promote some sort of, like, promote them as a company in Paris.
B
Yeah.
A
And the photos alone from that shoot were incredible. So I feel like they gave us these little breadcrumbs throughout to keep us entertained, to keep us engaged. But it also didn't feel like it was her whole brand.
B
No, no.
A
There were many more other things she was doing. Yeah.
B
She's so many elements.
A
Yeah.
B
Business and, like, she's like a fashion girl. And, like, it is, like, so cool to see someone who's not straight sized. I think it's so good, especially in an industry where I think, you know, there's a lot of pressure and I would say, like a vast majority and a lot of representation that we see is quite slim and skinny and straight sized. Well, we have a Vogue bride. We do in the office.
A
Yeah. Cindy Lou. She looked unbelievable.
C
If you want to hear more about that, you can listen to our wedding series.
A
Yeah. Really good episode to listen to as well because Cindy goes into detail about how do you end up in Vogue? Because there is a little bit of mystery and mystery there. Like people like, how do I get chosen?
C
I actually got some insight.
A
Okay, we got some tea.
C
I decided this morning. Well, I was preparing for this. I'm like, you know what? I don't know.
A
Straight to the source. Go to the source.
C
And so I went to my very good friend Olivia, who is a wedding planner. She's currently on mat leave at the moment. But I was like, you got to give me your insights. Like, what do you. What have you observed from the insider angle? And she had a few things for me. She said weddings that have a really strong fashion focus. So very like modern or elevated, very intentional styling, not just traditional bridal, but like, you know, really unique that might include like upcoming designers for the dresses or the suits, clear aesthetics or really like cohesive look and feel to the whole day. Like there was a very, you know, you would be able to identify the elements that went with that particular wedding.
B
Yeah.
C
Photography was another big one. She said if you go and look at all of the Vogue weddings and you look at the vendors, particularly photography, you'll notice a very common thread.
A
Got some favorites in there.
B
Yes.
C
So I. She said essentially, like, there are some weddings that, you know, if. If a certain photographer shoots it, she's like, oh, they got a pretty good chance of, you know, being pitched and, and taken up by Vogue. Another thing was cultural and social relevance. So a really interesting couple, or they might have a really interesting story of how they met or how they relationship evolved or a reflection of like broader trends as well. And then unique and aspirational settings. So like a really visually striking, like,
A
let's be real, guys, some of these weddings are absolutely off. Yeah. Insane budgets.
C
300 to $500,000 minimum.
A
Yeah, minimum.
C
Like so, like really amazing locations that you just cannot possibly replicate that people are obviously seeing as very aspirational. Yeah. And then the last thing as well was like fresh non cookie cutter type details. So something that's really unexpected or distinctive or that people just don't really see all the time. Even if it was like A micro wedding. And they've done these particular details that are super personal. Little touches like that. So the. All of those elements kind of come together. And if a wedding ticks a lot of those boxes, then you can be fairly confident.
A
Yeah. And often a lot of the suppliers are the ones who are advocating to Vogue to be featured. So generally it is the supplier or it is the planner, like. Yeah, the planner who reach out on your behalf. It's pretty rare, from what I know that, like, someone would personally advocate.
B
Yeah.
A
But I mean, shoot your shot, girl. If your wedding is unreal, go for it.
C
Yeah, 100%. I think the vogue, like, you can't guarantee that someone's gonna get in there. So it's like, they may as well. The photographer's like, I may as well send my photos in. We'll see what happens. Yeah.
A
And the general consensus as well is that they're not paid for. So these are all purely editorial features. There's no, like, oh, pay your way.
B
Well, based off that list that you've just given us, I reckon Riley's wedding ticks all of those boxes.
A
Every single one. She could have had that lined up for sure.
C
Oh, she absolutely would have known before
B
the wedding that she was going to
C
be in Vogue, which a lot of brides don't know until after the wedding, which, hence the delay, because they're waiting for approvals. They've got to submit all their stuff that comes. You know, the questionnaire that comes along with that that Cindy spoke about in her episode. But I think in particular, Riley's, like, cultural relevance was really huge, a big component here. Like, even if she hadn't ticked the boxes of all of the other things and had the photographer and all of that, she still would have probably had enough influence in Australian culture in particular to be considered.
A
I think she's the ultimate cool girl, and I think we can just leave it there.
C
And that's all for this week's episode of Stylish. Thank you so much for joining us. And of course, thank you very much to you, Rhiannon Joyce, thank you. And to you, Nana Fatima, thank you for being here. And remember, you can drop us an email anytime@style-ishamelessmedia.com or you can slide into our DMs over at Stylish Podcast. And we can't forget to thank the shameless media team, head of podcast Lucy Hunt and senior podcast producer Kate Emma Burke. We will be right back here with you next Wednesday.
A
See you guys.
B
Bye.
A
This podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri land.
C
Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.
A
Exciting news, guys. Australian Fashion Week is back this May, and for the first time ever, Stylish is on board as an official media partner for 2026. From the 11th to the 15th of May, Sydney's MCA will come to life as the central hub and it's shaping up to be a very, very special event. Led by the Australian Fashion Council, this new chapter is all about bringing industry and audiences together while spotlighting the incredible creativity coming out of Australia right now. Now, from emerging talent to the designers we already love, we have a lot to be proud of. It's more than just shows. It's access, energy and a front row seat to where fashion is heading next. Trust me, guys, you are going to want to be in the room. Hit the link in our show notes to find out more and you can grab a ticket for a show or register for our very own Stylish panel event. We can't wait to see you there.
Host: Rhiannon Joyce
Co-hosts: Joanna Fleming, Naima Fatima
Date: April 28, 2026
This episode of Style-ish dives into two headline-grabbing stories in the world of fashion, beauty, and digital lifestyle: the rapid evolution (and controversy) of AI influencers in fashion media, and the truly viral wedding of influencer Riley J (Riley Hempson)—the 'It Girl' whose wedding momentarily united the internet. The hosts discuss the trends, their own reactions, and how audiences are responding as fashion, tech, and personal branding continue to collide.
[Timestamps: 00:31–01:34]
[Timestamps: 02:00–08:10]
[Timestamps: 11:33–29:03]
Notable Quote:
[Timestamps: 29:43–43:46]
The podcast blends humour, admiration, skepticism, and genuine curiosity. The hosts demystify viral trends, champion transparency and inclusivity, and foreground the deep desire for “humanness” in digital spaces—whether that means authenticity from influencers like Riley J or questioning the limits of technology’s incursion into fashion and beauty content.
Final words, Rhiannon [43:43]:
"She’s the ultimate cool girl, and I think we can just leave it there."
(Advertisements and introductions omitted per instructions.)