The Breakfast Club – Loren talks Fashion Week, Designers, Inspiration + Cardi B says her man can have a female best friend
Host: Lauren LaRosa (with mentions of DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God)
Date: September 15, 2025
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts
Episode Overview
This episode of The Breakfast Club, hosted by Lauren LaRosa, takes listeners on a vibrant, personal journey through New York Fashion Week. Lauren dives deep into her roots in fashion, her experiences at numerous FW events, discusses inspiration from her mother, and spotlights Black designers. Later, she shifts gears to analyze Cardi B’s viral comments on relationships and platonic friendships, before wrapping up with a lively recap of the recent Emmy Awards, touching on industry tributes, charity moments, and pop culture hot takes.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Inside Fashion Week: Experiences & Personal Ties
Timestamps: 02:45–17:37
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Lauren’s fashion lineage and inspiration:
Lauren shares her family connection to fashion—her mother’s dreams, struggles in New York's fashion scene, and generational creativity.- Quote:
"My mother was a fashion designer... She actually decided not to go and follow her fashion design dreams and to move to Delaware, get into flipping housing and have me... She just needed stability." (05:25)
- Quote:
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Championing Black Designers:
Lauren details her commitment to spotlighting up-and-coming and particularly Black designers, stemming from her own experiences and the opportunities she's received.- Quote:
"I am a huge, huge, huge advocate for black designers. Number one, me being a person... that is into fashion myself, I understand how much it takes..." (05:57)
- Quote:
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Events & Encounters:
- Harlem’s Fashion Row opening event & shout out to Brandice, Footlocker.
- Sergio Hudson’s show at Spring Studios, meeting fashion industry leaders and celebrities (June Ambrose, Mary J. Blige, Sherri Shepherd, Busta Rhymes, Rotimi, etc.).
- Actively Black’s tribute to Black legacy: appearances by Dr. Bernice King and Malcolm X’s daughter.
- Quote:
“God has such a funny way of reminding you that whatever is for you... will always find its way to the forefront.” (10:45)
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Perspective on creative hustle:
Lauren emphasizes the challenges and unseen work behind the scenes in both fashion and media, and the gratitude she finds in her career transitions.- Quote (on missing out on some shows):
"There was a lot of shows that we wanted to RSVP for or RSVP for and didn’t hear back... But the things that I did get to do, it was like God had me everywhere I was supposed to be and looking good while doing it." (16:30)
- Quote (on missing out on some shows):
2. Relationship Dynamics: Cardi B’s Viral Comment
Timestamps: 20:16–31:31
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Cardi B’s Answer & Public Reaction:
Cardi B, asked if she’d let her boyfriend have a girl best friend, responds maturely:- Quote (Cardi B, via clip):
“Yes. Because it’s like sometimes you need advice from a female. So when you up, a female is gonna tell you the truth or where you up when me and him have issues.” (20:45)
- Quote (Cardi B, via clip):
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Lauren’s Analysis:
- Draws from her own close male friendships, emphasizing honesty and emotional perspectives that women provide men.
- Highlights how cross-gender friendships can aid understanding and offer much-needed “safe spaces” in relationships.
- Quote:
“There are a lot of times where even if my opinion is not at... Because I’m good for inserting something where it’s not asked... But a lot of times I’m in their business, and even if I’m not purposely in their business... I give them my female perspective very honestly.” (22:22)
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Cautions Against Boundaries:
Lauren is clear about transparency with platonic relationships, noting that boundaries and openness (meeting friends, knowing the history) are vital.- Quote:
“If you have female friends, I need to meet them. I need to be around them. Because one thing a woman knows is her man... There’s so much you can tell by how people interact.” (29:47)
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Broader Relationship Commentary:
Lauren reflects on how both men and women can fail to understand each other, the importance of safe spaces, and the personal growth gained from platonic friendships of the opposite sex.
3. Pop Culture Recap: The Emmys & More
Timestamps: 34:20–40:03
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Emmys Highlights & Critique:
- Phylicia Rashad’s moving tribute to Malcolm Jamal Warner.
- The Boys and Girls Club donation initiative—host Nate Bargatze proposes shorter speeches in exchange for donations; the mechanism is awkward but ultimately raises $350K, with contributions from CBS and Bargatze himself.
- Quote:
“...people were being very conscious of it because they didn’t want the money to be taken away. But by the end of the night, there was money missing. It was in the negative. But the good thing about this, though, was that CBS... donated $100,000... and then [Nate] personally put in $250,000...” (36:53)
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Lauren’s Personal Take & Cultural Critique:
Lauren, a Boys and Girls Club alum, shares genuine appreciation for organizations supporting kids, and delivers a candid hot take on SNL 50 winning over Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar.- Quote:
“I don’t think SNL50 was that good to win over the other two things that were in the running... Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé. Hot take here.” (38:58)
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Notable Moment:
Tina Fey’s joke about the “Beehive” (Beyoncé’s fans) was memorable enough to snap Lauren out of sleepiness during a long ceremony.
Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)
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On Fashion Lineage:
“Every time I hear [my mother’s] story... I always wonder what her life would have been like if she had been able to eat off of being a fashion designer... I always think, you know, what that generational pass down would have looked like...”
—Lauren LaRosa (07:03) -
On the Importance of Representation:
“I try to do that... for other people. But Black designers, specifically, because people always ask me, where does my passion for fashion come from?”
—Lauren LaRosa (06:12) -
Cardi B’s Relationship Wisdom:
“Yes. Because it’s like sometimes you need advice from a female... when you up, a female is gonna tell you the truth...”
—Cardi B (20:45) -
On Platonic Friendships:
“A lot of times, I think women, we deal with men as the men we've... been programmed for them to be. We’ve never learned how to really take care of a man that is, you know, your man, right?... I had to learn that. I’m still learning that a bit.”
—Lauren LaRosa (26:40) -
On Gratitude and Ambition:
“But the things that I did get to do, it was like God had me everywhere I was supposed to be and looking good while doing it. Okay, couldn't ask for nothing better than to be preordained and covered and favored by God and look good while doing it.”
—Lauren LaRosa (16:38)
Segment Timestamps
- Intro to Fashion Week / Running Schedule: 02:45–05:25
- Fashion lineage and creative journey: 05:26–09:21
- Recaps of Fashion Week events & encounters: 09:22–17:37
- Cardi B's viral comments and relationships discussion: 20:16–31:31
- Emmys Recap & Media Commentary: 34:20–40:03
Overall Tone & Style
Lauren is candid, warm, and deeply personal throughout. Her storytelling style brings listeners behind the scenes, weaving family anecdotes, street-level observations from NYFW, and honest commentary on Black creativity and support in fashion. The tone is relatable and conversational, balancing industry insider details with reflections on ambition, legacy, and cultural connection. She maintains the lively, unfiltered energy typical of The Breakfast Club, offering street-savvy, heartfelt takes on both the glitzy and everyday aspects of pop culture life.
For New Listeners
If you’ve never tuned in before, this episode is an engaging blend of fashion world access, pop culture discussions with a personal twist, and Lauren’s own journey through media and creative industries. Her take on platonic friendships, industry events, and cultural milestones stands out for its sincerity and relatability. Whether you’re into fashion, hip hop culture, or real talk about relationships and ambition, this is an essential listen.