The Brett Cooper Show

Episode: My First Fashion Show Turned Into an Online Scandal

Date: February 14, 2026

Host: Brett Cooper

Episode Overview

In this episode, Brett Cooper shares her experiences attending her very first New York Fashion Week event, specifically Elena Velez’s highly discussed runway show. What started as excitement over her entry into the fashion world quickly took a turn as Brett found herself at the center of a heated online debate due to her interactions at the show. Brett delves into what made this event so unique, the cultural controversies swirling around Elena Velez and her circle, and the broader issues of cancel culture, free expression, and authenticity within creative industries.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Brett’s Fashion Week Introduction and Elena Velez’s Show

• Brett’s Schedule & Initial Excitement: Shares the jam-packed schedule during her week in NYC, juggling events, media gigs, and the excitement over attending the Elena Velez show (02:00–04:00).
• Who is Elena Velez?: Paints Velez as a bold, controversial designer often maligned by mainstream press for her refusal to conform to industry or political norms (24:15+).
• Show’s Unique Guest List: Notes the deliberate inclusion of internet personalities (such as streamer Clavicular and influencer Liv Schmidt), along with musicians and a detransitioner—further cementing Velez’s reputation for pushing boundaries (06:26–08:30).

“Honestly, in my opinion, I think it was really smart of Elena because she brought Clavicular in... she let him stream everything from the fitting to hair and makeup to actually walking [in] the show.”
— Brett Cooper (04:50)

2. The Online Scandal & Brett’s Viral Moment

• Clavicular’s Runway Walk: Clavicular, a viral internet streamer, closes the show, broadcasting the experience to his massive online following—a move which both energized and alienated parts of the fashion and online communities (05:12–06:30).
• Meeting Clavicular Sparks Backlash: Brett faces intense reaction, particularly from angry men online, after being seen smiling and chatting with him at the event (08:30+).

“Cue the screeching online from Angry Men... I smiled at him. Oh, my God. Cue the meltdowns, guys.”
— Brett Cooper (08:48)

• Brett’s Take on the Outrage Culture: Calls out the overblown nature of the scandal and ridicules the fixation over her benign interaction with Clavicular.

“Go touch grass. Like, seriously, kick rocks, touch grass. Log off.”
— Brett Cooper (10:10)

• Clarifies Her Position: Emphasizes her intention to be respectful in person, regardless of internet persona or past commentary (11:30).

3. Inside Fashion Week: Observations & Encounters

• Understanding Fashion Week Dynamics: Describes the split between buyers (serious, weary, not there for social content) and influencers (glammed up, content-focused), highlighting the culture clash (13:05–14:45).

“You could so clearly see who was a buyer and who was an influencer... she was not grunge, not dressed in black... just in a normal outfit. She looked exhausted... and then all next to her were the influencers. They were like dressed to the nines…”
— Brett Cooper (14:05)

• Unexpected Famous Encounters: Runs into controversial former congressman George Santos, who is mobbed by fans and cracking jokes (“Let’s mog, baby!”), reminding Brett of the oddity of constantly meeting people she’s critiqued publicly (16:30+).

4. Elena Velez: Creativity, Controversy, and Cancel Culture

• Notoriety & “Dangerously Cheesy” Criticism: Recounts how Elena’s 2024 Gone with the Wind literary ball was lambasted as “pointedly hostile” by major publications for its irreverence regarding social issues (24:15+).

  • Notable Excerpt from The Washington Post:
    “Velez is clearly capable of that [artistry]... but also seems obsessed with promoting this dated worldview to the point of self destruction. It was, to quote Chester Cheetah... ‘dangerously cheesy.’”

• Dime Square & Artistic Rebellion: Explains Elena’s association with the “Dime Square” scene, a group of NYC creatives resisting both pandemic restrictions and woke culture (32:00–34:00).

  • Quote from Elena’s friend/model:

  “People accuse me of being fascist or a cultural conservative... I actually feel more like a degenerate artistically. I’m a free speech absolutist.”
  — Dime Square Artist (35:10)

• Online Attacks & Industry Pushback: Shares examples of brutal online commentary received by Elena and her associates (38:00+).

  • “Elena Velez is a disgusting freak for constantly offering her throat to the Nazi right wing... We need to shame people who attend her shows…”
    — Random X user (38:38)
  • “Yeah, it's Elena Velez. She is a retard. She does make good clothes though.”
    — Random X user (39:20)
  • “Send the Elena Velez casting director and the PR team to the guillotine.”
    — Random X user (39:30)

• Calls Out Double Standards & Hypocrisy:

  “Ironically, in an industry full of people that prides themselves on inclusivity, I think Elena is one of the only people who actually practices it.”
  — Brett Cooper (40:15)

• Elena’s A-List Credentials: Despite the vitriol, Velez dresses cultural icons like Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, Grimes, and Taylor Swift (41:15).

“She literally designed that iconic black skirt that Taylor wore in the Fortnite music video with Post Malone... that is an Elena Velez skirt.”
— Brett Cooper (41:45)

5. Broader Reflections: Creativity vs. Control

• On Creative Freedom & Societal Boundaries:

  “When you shrink the boundaries around acceptable speech or discourse or art, you do not create a better society... you just create a more boring, soulless, commercial society. And last night’s show certainly was not boring, and it certainly was not soulless.”
  — Brett Cooper (43:05)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “Cue the screeching online from Angry Men... I smiled at him. Oh, my God. Cue the meltdowns, guys.” (08:48)
• “Go touch grass. Like, seriously, kick rocks, touch grass. Log off.” (10:10)
• “Ironically, in an industry full of people that prides themselves on inclusivity, I think Elena is one of the only people who actually practices it.” (40:15)
• “She literally designed that iconic black skirt that Taylor wore in the Fortnite music video with Post Malone...” (41:45)
• “When you shrink the boundaries around acceptable speech or discourse or art, you do not create a better society... you just create a more boring, soulless, commercial society. And last night’s show certainly was not boring, and it certainly was not soulless.” (43:05)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Podcast Core Content Begins – 01:10
• Elena Velez Show Recap & Scandal – 04:20
• Clavicular’s Runway Involvement & Online Backlash – 05:12–10:40
• Liv Schmidt Full Circle Story – 07:30
• Brett Meeting Clavicular & Addressing Rumors – 09:00–11:30
• Fashion Week ‘Sociology’—Buyers vs Influencers – 13:05–14:45
• Running Into George Santos – 16:30
• Why Elena Velez is Controversial – 24:15–27:30
• Dime Square/NYC Creative Scene – 32:00–35:10
• Online Hate & Industry Pushback – 38:00–40:15
• Broader Takeaways on Art and Authenticity – 43:05

Episode Tone and Takeaways

Brett’s tone is candid, sardonic, and often humorous—she relishes her out-of-place position in the fashion world, pokes fun at the internet’s overreaction, and uses her firsthand experiences as a springboard for deeper reflection on creativity, cancel culture, and social boundaries. The episode ultimately champions authenticity, artistic freedom, and the importance of resisting stifling cultural norms—both in fashion and beyond.

Useful for listeners seeking:

• An insider-yet-outsider’s account of Fashion Week’s culture
• Commentary on online outrage and social media mob dynamics
• A look at how subversive, nonconformist artists challenge and enrich modern culture
• A discussion of cancel culture, inclusivity hypocrisy, and the importance of creative freedom