How Alex Consani Manifested Her US Vogue Cover

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Run-Through with Vogue

Episode: How Alex Consani Manifested Her U.S. Vogue Cover

Date: December 11, 2025
Hosts: Chloe Malle (Vogue U.S.), Chioma Nnadi (British Vogue)
Guest: Alex Consani (model, cover star)

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Overview

In this lively and wide-ranging episode, Vogue editors Chloe Malle and Chioma Nnadi sit down with model and social media star Alex Consani, newly minted as one of Vogue’s Best Dressed cover stars for 2025 and her first-ever U.S. Vogue cover. The conversation mixes fashion memories, personal manifesting, family stories, and practical style advice—all with Alex's signature humor, candor, and infectious energy.

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Episode Highlights & Key Discussion Points

1. Vogue’s Best Dressed Issue and Paper Doll Feature

[00:39–03:00]

• Chloe and Chioma discuss the making of Vogue’s “Best Dressed” issue, including animated paper dolls of cover stars: Jeremy Strong, Greta Lee, Pamela Anderson, and Doechii.
• A behind-the-scenes video of Alex’s closet accompanies the issue.

2. Met Gala 2025 Co-Chairs Unveiled

[03:00–04:09]

• Big news: Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams announced as Met Gala co-chairs.
• “Beyoncé is one of the girls.” — Chioma Nnadi [03:14]

3. Editorial and Office Festivities

[04:18–07:44]

• Chloe and Chioma trade stories about office holiday parties, the Best Dressed party, and the challenge of selecting cover stars.
• American Vogue’s Best Dressed digital covers: Bad Bunny and Alex Consani.

4. The “Alex Consani Era”: New Home, New Cover

[10:45–16:44]

• Alex shares her move from Bushwick to a brownstone in Fort Greene, Brooklyn:
  • “It's really exciting…It's like an adult move, but I feel like the way I moved was really not adult. Paloma came over to help me pack…” — Alex [11:21]
  • She’s packing 100+ boxes, prioritizing her shoes for unpacking: “I’m a shoe girl.” [12:12]
• First Vogue shoot felt authentically her: “The concept…was that it was me if I had a black card that I didn’t have to pay back.” [14:07]
• On being best dressed: “A little bit of pressure, but it was really nice. The team was amazing.” [13:52]

5. Style, Sentiment, and Inspiration

Fashion Memories:

• “My very first fashion memory...was when I went into a Target and, like, looked at princess dresses...It was these fluffy shoes and they had little lights in them.” — Alex [16:00]
• Her grandmother’s influence and love of Gaultier; a full-circle moment walking the Gaultier show. [17:45]

Notable Story:

• Grandma Betsy kept a beaded brooch for Alex since childhood, gifting it at 18: “She pulled it out and was like, I got this for you the day you said you wanted it.” [18:19]

6. The Birkin Bag and “What’s In My Bag?”

[19:25–22:26]

• Alex’s Birkin, bought in Paris (“had to connect”): contains cookie wrapper from Paloma, crystal collection for good energy, foldable Gentle Monster sunglasses, a Vogue movie event card, and personal memorabilia.

7. Manifesting, Money, and Moving Up

[22:26–25:43]

• “I was manifesting this cover for so long…It's been a long time that I've wanted to do that.” — Alex [22:33]
• Alex shares her legendary frugality: “I only spent $2,000 in a whole year outside of rent and groceries.” [23:31]
• On being resourceful: “Close mouths, don’t get fed.” [25:36]
• Still frugal in some ways but splurges on select fashion pieces.

8. Personal Style, Heels, and Fashion Hacks

[25:43–31:09]

• On styling herself: There’s politics in being styled, but personal expression wins out: “Sometimes a bitch just wants to put on clothes and go out and feel fabulous.” [27:46]
• Style formula: shirt → shoes → pant.
• Heel advice: “If you’re not wearing heels currently because of comfort, find a heel that's comfortable…just do it, girl.” [29:40]
• “Kitten heels are harder to walk in than 6 inch heels.” — Alex [30:09]

9. The Meaning of Chic and Style Evolution

[31:09–36:19]

• Alex’s journey from loving bold, hyper-feminine clothing to embracing “chic” inspired by icons like Norma Jeane; appreciating off-duty, laid-back femininity.
• "The beauty of fashion...is expression. And...the essence of existing." — Alex [34:38]

10. Vintage, Shopping, and Style Recommendations

[36:19–38:24]

• Alex’s holy grails: the perfect “low rise, to-the-hip, vintage, fucked up” jeans, vintage Prada from the 90s/early 2000s.
• On L.A.'s vintage scene: “There’s this essence of quiet luxury...everyone's getting rid of their fab, extravagant stuff.” [36:48]

11. Social Media, Fame, and AI

[38:24–41:05]

• Relationship to social media: Once carefree, now more selective knowing who’s watching. “Donatella saw my Versace video...People watch my stuff.” [38:34]
• Guilty pleasure: wild AI TikTok back-cracking videos. [40:01]
• Discussion of viral AI bunny videos and skepticism about what's real online.

12. Family Support

[41:09–43:13]

• Parents have attended fashion week shows and Vogue World; Alex styled them for events, including a Prada dress once admired by Anna Wintour.
• Alex’s family is vocal and visible in their support of her as a trans woman, e.g., custom Converse sneakers for her mother. [42:56]

13. Creative Ambitions: Writing & Directing

[43:44–46:06]

• Alex is writing a memoir and scripts (some anonymously); recent encouragement from James Corden to further develop film ideas.
• “There’s a really amazing opportunity...where I might be able to take a step back and focus full time on film…” [46:06]

14. Pop Culture Picks

[46:11–51:40]

• Favorite recent films: The Materialist (Dakota Johnson).
• 70s/80s music on heavy rotation, especially Rick James and Céline Dion.
• First and favorite musical: “Jellicoe Ball—the drag Cats!”

15. Home Style Aspirations

[51:46–53:28]

• Home decor inspo: Paloma Elsesser’s Architectural Digest tour, “eccentric and fun and kooky, but...cozy.”
• Humorous tale of moving a broken Facebook Marketplace couch across Brooklyn.

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Notable Quotes

• “The concept of the shoot…was that it was me if I had a black card that I didn’t have to pay back.” — Alex [14:07]
• "Close mouths, don’t get fed." — Alex [25:36]
• “Kitten heels are harder to walk in than 6 inch heels.” — Alex [30:09]
• “Sometimes a bitch just wants to put on clothes and go out and feel fabulous.” — Alex [27:46]
• “The essence of existing—that was the word.” — Alex [34:38]

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:39–03:00: Best Dressed Issue & Paper Dolls
• 03:00–04:09: Met Gala Co-Chair Announcement
• 10:45–16:44: Alex on Moving, Cover, and First Fashion Memories
• 19:25–22:26: Birkin Bag Segment & “What’s In My Bag?”
• 22:26–25:43: Manifesting and Frugal Living
• 27:43–31:09: Style Philosophy, Heels, and Outfits
• 31:09–36:19: “Chic,” Inspiration, and Style Evolution
• 38:24–41:05: Social Media, Content Creation, AI Fakes
• 41:09–43:13: Family Support and Styling
• 43:44–46:06: Writing, Directing Ambitions
• 46:11–51:40: Film, Music, and Musicals
• 51:46–53:28: Home Decor and Furniture Stories

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Memorable Moments

• Alex unpacking her life (and shoes) with aid from Paloma Elsesser, reflecting both practical and emotional support.
• The chance to contribute creatively to her Vogue cover—the “black card” shoot—rare for a Vogue cover star.
• A heartwarming tale of Alex’s grandmother saving a brooch for years for her 18th birthday.
• “Kitten heels are harder to walk in than 6 inch heels”—hot take that surprises the editors.
• Descriptions of family support, from fashion show attendance to custom Converse and group chats.

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Tone and Style

The episode thrives on friendly banter, honest confessions, and industry-insider moments. Alex’s humor (“I'm not practical. So there you go.”), self-deprecation, and authenticity are front and center, while Vogue’s editors bring context, excitement, and warmth as they celebrate the year’s fashion and culture.

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For listeners and readers:
This episode is an intimate, fun, and insightful look at both fashion’s front lines and the personal journey of Alex Consani—from her frugal, manifesting roots to high-profile covers and creative dreams beyond modeling.

Transcript

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

This episode of the Run through is brought to you by ebay. I'm Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue's beauty editor at large. Gifting is my love language. I'm scrolling ebay all year long and building up a watch list. This year I'm looking at a lot of vintage belts and designer scarves. And now, rather than just putting things on the watch list, it's my time to actually check out. It's about just like making my holiday gift shopping a little bit easier. It's always an ebay holiday.

[Alex Khonsani]

Foreign.

[Chloe Mao]

This is the run through. I'm Chloe Mao.

[Chairman Arti]

And I'm chairman Arti. Chloe, congrats on your big best stressed issue.

[Chloe Mao]

I know we're so excited. It's been a real labor of love for our team here, but we are really excited about it. I have to say one thing that I'm most excited about that has been a real passion project of mine has been these paper dolls that we made for four of our dressless members. We had this great illustrator, Nada Hayek, draw them for us. And then Andy and Kya on the visuals team did a whole set up a whole animation studio and they're really fun.

[Chairman Arti]

Oh, my God, the paper dolls are amazing.

[Chloe Mao]

They're so fun and we love the animation. We did Jeremy Strong, Greta Lee, Pamela Anderson, and Dochi. We felt that covered a wide swath of our different types of style.

[Chairman Arti]

Oh, that's so good.

[Chloe Mao]

As someone who loves a paper doll and whose children love paper dol, that felt very close to my heart.

[Chairman Arti]

So adorable. I love them.

[Chloe Mao]

Um, and yes, not only do we have Alex on the podcast today, but we have a video going inside Alex's closet, which I'm very excited about because she loves clothes. And having Alex on the pod was such a treat. She came into the studio a few weeks ago, the day after the Vogue shoot with Ethan and Melina, which was in a beautiful brownstone in Fort Greene, where Alex is actually moving into a nearby by brownstone herself. But she hadn't gotten the keys yet, and it was a really special day. Alex was so excited. This is her first US Vogue cover and she loved working with that team who she's worked with a lot before. So it was really fun to talk to her about that. The next day, Hannah Jackson wrote the COVID story for us and joined me in our interview, and we had just the best time chatting with Alex. She is such a character and just sort of your dream podcast because she really goes for it. She was embracing the Olsen tuck and had her little hair tucked into her sweater and was looking layered and chic and cozy and was talking about her first fashion memory, her love of high heels. We also talked about her big grownup move into her brownstone and what she had just started. She was moving the next day and she had just started packing the night before. And Paloma came over to help her pack, which I thought was really cute.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah.

[Chloe Mao]

But first, big co chair announcement today, Choma. It is Wednesday afternoon and this morning at 8:00am we announced that Beyonce, Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams will be co chairs of the Met Gala.

[Chairman Arti]

I literally gasped. Everyone in the office was like, what? Life is worth leaving again. Beyonce is one of the girls.

[Chloe Mao]

It is a big one. And then we have a fantastic host committee, which was an amusing discussion yesterday because the host committee is still being finalized. And Anna said that we should put on the social caption that it's a list in formation. And Sam had to explain to her that information is too confusing as a Beyonce reference. She was like, what are you talking about? You're like, we have to say in progress.

[Ethan]

Oh my God.

[Chairman Arti]

Oh, hilarious.

[Alex Khonsani]

Ch.

[Chloe Mao]

How are we going to get through the next two weeks? I am like, I don't know.

[Chairman Arti]

It's a crawl to the finish.

[Chloe Mao]

Hanging by a knife's edge. My sanity.

[Chairman Arti]

Literally. Literally. Before this podcast, I went to do acupuncture cuz I had such a headache.

[Alex Khonsani]

Feeling revived.

[Chloe Mao]

I need something.

[Chairman Arti]

You guys don't have to put that in. But that is. That is the truth.

[Chloe Mao]

No, we want. We want Choma's wellness practices.

I need a wellness practice. My wellness practice is taking my children to Burgdorf Santa, which ended in complete meltdowns on the bag floor of Bergdorf as we were leaving. It's like emotions are extremely high in every generation of my household.

[Chairman Arti]

That is not relaxing as far as I can tell.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

No.

[Chloe Mao]

But I did. But Bergdorf Santa, very chic. He has like silk princess sleeves and sort of.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Whoa.

[Alex Khonsani]

Okay.

[Chloe Mao]

Sort of velvet with Passmont tree. It's. It's a whole situation. When are you guys having your holiday party?

[Chairman Arti]

We had a holiday party last night and it was a pub quiz. And I know many of our American listeners will not know what that means because I had to also explain that to my partner what a pub quiz was.

[Chloe Mao]

Oh my God.

[Chairman Arti]

It is what it sounds like. It is a quiz night in a pub.

[Chloe Mao]

It's like trivia night.

[Chairman Arti]

It's very popular. Yeah, it's like a trivia night. But we did it based around British Vogue trivia from the past year. So we had teams.

[Alex Khonsani]

Oh, cute.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Oh, my Lord.

[Chairman Arti]

It was really cute. It was really fun. When is your Christmas holiday?

[Chloe Mao]

We had ours last night. It was actually.

[Chairman Arti]

Why are we coordinated?

[Chloe Mao]

I know. It was very charming. It was very fun. I think it's always a nice end of year moment. It was also fun to have our new teen vogue colleagues present. It was at monsieur the bar in the east village. And Rose and Sasha, fantastic food situation. They were just like enormous plates of french fries, a tower of grilled cheese. It was. It was exactly what everyone wanted. But, Choma, I want to talk about our best dressed lists.

[Chairman Arti]

Yeah, well, tomorrow night I have to. We're hosting. Am I hosting another party? It's a best dressed party.

[Chloe Mao]

Oh, my God. I didn't realize you were doing an event. Wait, who is your best dressed cover?

[Chairman Arti]

So our best dress cover is adjo Eboa, who's had the most fantastic year and has and did her first big editorial fashion editorial. Us post having her adorable baby. And she's also having her own fashion baby because she now has an amazing handbag line and everybody's wearing her handbags at the fashion awards.

[Chloe Mao]

I also love hearing this because I thought her pregnancy moment at the met was one of my favorites.

[Chairman Arti]

She's heaven. And she's having the best year ever. So it was. It's been really fun to celebrate her. So I'm excited for that cover to launch. And she's obviously our guest of honor tomorrow night, so that's going to be fun time. I don't know what I'm going to weigh it. Don't ask me. I'm still figuring it out. But this is not about me. It's about our 50 best dressed. So. Yes, But I am slightly anxious. So tell me about yours.

[Chloe Mao]

Well, we're launching tomorrow at 8:00am Eastern time. Uh, Vogue's American Vogue's 54 Best Dressed because we. The debates were too heated to keep it down to 50. Um, it's been a real labor of love in the office and a labor of blood. Blood, sweat and tears have been poured on this. We have two fantastic digital cover stars who are both members of our best dressed list. Bad bunny himself and Alex Khonsani. Bad bunny was shot in Las Vegas by Coco Ton with Harry Lambert styling it. And it's just such a.

Sexy, sassy, ebullience fashion editorial. I think it's so fun. I'm really excited.

[Chairman Arti]

I saw it. I love it.

[Chloe Mao]

Choma, what do you make of Kylie and Timmy? There were some very funny memes.

[Chairman Arti]

It's out There, isn't it? There was some funny memes. So basically there's a moment in the film where he creates, I mean, spoiler alert. But this film is amazing. I want to watch it again. So even if this is a spoiler, this is no reason not to watch the film. Cause this is a minor detail, but there's a moment in it when he, he, he wants to market these orange, bright orange ping pong balls instead of white because you can't see the ball against the white T shirts, which is a genius idea, I guess.

[Chloe Mao]

Oh, wow.

[Chairman Arti]

It's a, it's a real Easter egg. Because I would not have associated. I was like, I was really racking my brain. I was like, why orange? But it did bring to mind those infamous couple moments that we've seen over the years. I think Victoria Beckham and David Beckham in the leather matching Gucci. It reminded me of Britney Spears and Justin. And the denim, it just was like on that level of like late 90s, early aughts kind of insanity. And so, I mean, I'm sort of here for a commitment to a look. I'm always here for a commitment to a look. In fact, we have a section in our best dressed list which is those who are dedicated to look.

[Chloe Mao]

Commit to the bit.

[Chairman Arti]

Commit to the bit. So on that level. And I mean, they're smoking hot, both of them. They both look absolutely hot. I just think it's, it's such a bold move to be that coordinated because they're not a couple that have historically been that coordinated on the carpet. So this was like. And I think people were like, okay, so they're really, they've made it like really couple style official by doing this.

[Chloe Mao]

Yeah, I mean these two are committed, so I respected that.

[Chairman Arti]

Yeah, me too.

[Chloe Mao]

The run through will be back with Alex Khonsani.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

It's my favorite time of the year because I love gifting, but I also love getting gifts. And I mean, who doesn't at this point? Everyone knows that I actually do want something found on ebay. And my husband really cracked that code last year. He did a scavenger hunt around our house. And at the end of each hint was an ebay gift card. And I'm still using them. I got some vintage guest jeans, I got a white Margiela jumpsuit, a YSL blazer, this really cool Vogue magazine Paris tee with shoulder pads and then some Mew Meo crystal jeweled heels. I really needed those. So Treasure Hunt Part 2, 2025. My eBay watch list at the ready and it's time to check out.

[Alex Khonsani]

Thank you, girls, for bringing me in. I'm like. This feels like an interrogation. I was saying earlier. You know what?

[Chloe Mao]

That's exactly what it is.

[Alex Khonsani]

But me, I'm valid, I think.

[Chloe Mao]

Alex, what do you have for breakfast?

[Alex Khonsani]

What did I have for breakfast? Well, it's kind of early, so I had a coffee, and I'm packing, so I didn't have any of my coffee.

[Chloe Mao]

Oh, yes. Today is moving day.

[Alex Khonsani]

Today's almost moving day. It's almost moving day. So I'm going to Milan today.

[Ethan]

Whoa.

[Alex Khonsani]

And basically, I had two days to pac for. To move my whole home. So, yeah.

[Chloe Mao]

Okay, break that down a little bit more. You're moving from where? What neighborhood?

[Alex Khonsani]

So I'm moving from Bushwick to Fort Greene.

[Chloe Mao]

Okay.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yes.

[Chloe Mao]

Very exciting.

[Alex Khonsani]

It's really exciting. And, yeah, it's like an adult move, but I feel like the way I moved was really not adult. Paloma came over yesterday to help me pack, and it was a very challenging situation. She came in with.

[Chloe Mao]

What was she good at?

[Alex Khonsani]

Calming me down.

[Chloe Mao]

Okay.

[Alex Khonsani]

Because someone told me yesterday, actually, that behind divorce.

Moving is the most stressful thing in a person's life. And I didn't really think about that until someone said that. And I'm like, kind of makes sense. Like, I am a bit stressed.

[Ethan]

When's the last time you moved?

[Alex Khonsani]

I move every, like, two years, I feel like, so two years ago, but I had a lot less stuff.

[Chloe Mao]

I feel like I was gonna say more stuff now.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah.

[Chloe Mao]

Okay. How many boxes?

[Alex Khonsani]

Hundred and something.

[Chloe Mao]

Okay.

[Alex Khonsani]

A stank amount, unfortunately. Yeah.

[Chloe Mao]

What's gonna be the first thing you unpack?

[Alex Khonsani]

My shoes.

[Chloe Mao]

Interesting.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah. My shoes. Because that's.

[Chloe Mao]

Do you have, like, a shoe closet already in mind or an area you're gonna have your shoes.

[Alex Khonsani]

It's gonna have to be the whole house, girl, the way. The amount of shoes. I'm sorry, I'm a shoe girl.

[Chloe Mao]

It's giving Carrie Bradshaw, though.

[Alex Khonsani]

It is giving Carrie Bradshaw. And honestly, like, I have. I have to say, like, I could be wearing anything, and if I have a nice shoe, it makes it feel good. And I lost a pair of shoes that I just bought, and I'm kind of like, oh, my God, what were they? They're these fab shoes from the Row, and I, like, had them in my house, and I don't know what happened. I got them, like, a month ago.

[Chloe Mao]

Are you sure they're not in one of your 150 boxes?

[Ethan]

You'll find them one day when you're unpacking and you're gonna be so excited.

[Alex Khonsani]

Exactly.

[Ethan]

So what do they look like?

[Alex Khonsani]

They're just these black, like, loafers. Honestly, they're not that special, but like, the one I have right now.

[Chloe Mao]

Yeah. Ooh.

[Alex Khonsani]

They're a bit beaten. They're a bit beaten and bruised, so I'm excited to those the row, too. They are the row.

[Chloe Mao]

Okay. Alex just showed us on the table that she's wearing a pair of black leather slippery loafers.

[Alex Khonsani]

Exactly.

[Chloe Mao]

What is this beautiful scarf coat?

[Alex Khonsani]

This beautiful scarf coat is Calvin Klein. Calvin Klein collection by Veronica. It's fabulous. Then I'm wearing these jeans that are literally disgusting. It almost would be high, low. Yeah, it is kind of intentional. And then I'm wearing this shirt that Paloma gave me the other night.

[Ethan]

I love.

[Chloe Mao]

Where are these jeans from?

[Alex Khonsani]

These jeans are. I don't know, actually. What does it say? Should we check?

[Ethan]

What does it say? Denim Los Angeles.

[Alex Khonsani]

You are what you eat, honey.

[Chloe Mao]

Alex, we are so excited that you are one of our two best dressed covers for our inaugural Vogue best dressed list. Best dressed people of 2025. Yesterday was the shoot in Fort Greene out of Brownstone, similar to the one you're moving into in a couple of days. Tell us about what went down. What was the run of show? What was the vibe?

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, I mean, I'm so excited to be. I mean, in this issue, it's obviously an honor to be best dressed. A little bit of pressure, but it was really nice. Honestly, like, the team was really amazing. It was like Melina and Ethan.

[Chloe Mao]

Ethan James Green and Melina Gilchrist.

[Alex Khonsani]

Exact.

[Chloe Mao]

Those who aren't first names amazing.

[Alex Khonsani]

They're really, really amazing, really talented. And we had a lot of creative calls before kind of talking about what we all wanted to do and how we all wanted it to be, which is a really rare thing, especially for an American Vogue cover, to be able to communicate your wants and needs. So when I got there, I felt really comfortable, and it was just really nice also, because I think stylistically it was very similar to what I would do. Like, the concept of the shoot that me and Melina were talking about was that it was me if I had a black card that I didn't have to pay back. So it was very.

[Chloe Mao]

I was very excited when Melin. Cause to me, I really wanted this to be a shoot that felt like your personal style but amplified.

[Alex Khonsani]

Exactly. It was me. If I had the access to pull anything I wanted to from every collection.

[Ethan]

So what did you pull?

[Alex Khonsani]

I mean, I didn't pull anything.

[Ethan]

What did Melina pull.

[Chloe Mao]

What did the black card get us?

[Alex Khonsani]

The black card got us a lot of really fab Dario Versace. It got us a lot of really fab Heider Ackerman, Tom Ford. A lot of Phoebe Filo. Just amazing. A little bit of the row. Yes. But a lot of just really nice chic things. But the way that Melina kind of elevated it was really beautiful. And, oh, of course, McQueen. I love me McQueen. But, yeah, it was just a really nice mix of kind of what I would be wearing, but on a day where I'm maybe doing something a little bit extra. So it was nice. The clothes were great. And honestly, the run of show was also really great. It was chill. Cause sometimes you go to shoots and it gets a bit hectic. But I think everyone had the mission of it being comfortable. And it was also in a fab.

[Chloe Mao]

Brownstone, so I loved that brownstone. It was like giving sort of spooky, haunted vibes because there was no furniture, but the owner just uses it as his office and rents it out. And wasn't there, like, a hobby room in the bottom, like a pottery studio?

[Alex Khonsani]

There was four. There was literally like a hacky sack room. There was like a pottery room. Yes.

[Chloe Mao]

Alex, I want to know, since you have been dubbed one of Vogue's best dressed people of the year, what was your very first fashion memory?

[Alex Khonsani]

My very first fashion memory, I feel like it was when I went into a Target and, like, looked at princess dresses. And me and Hannah talked about this when we did our interview for the issue. But it was really probably that that was my first moment where I was really coming into my own sense of fashion.

[Chloe Mao]

A specific princess, or any princess.

[Alex Khonsani]

Who's the pink ones?

[Ethan]

Sleeping Beauty.

[Alex Khonsani]

Sleeping Beauty, of course. I mean, there were these fluffy shoes. There's this picture. I'll send it to you guys. We can put it up right here. But it's fab. It was these fluffy shoes, and they had little lights in them. Every time I would walk, it'd be like, oh, my God.

[Ethan]

The little, like, baby heels.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, it was like a mix of, like, the. What is it? What were they? Not Skechers, but the sparkles. What were those called?

[Ethan]

Oh, my God.

[Alex Khonsani]

You know what I'm talking about.

[Ethan]

Like, the light up.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah.

[Ethan]

Skechers had those for sure.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, it was like Skechers, but it was whatever. It's like a. It was a facet of that. And then my, like, first, I think, high fashion memory was my grandma. She, like, loved Gaultier because it was so almost anti fashion. So when it came to high fashion, that was my first real memory.

[Chloe Mao]

Did she. How did she introduce you to Gaultier?

[Alex Khonsani]

There was an exhibition at the De Young Museum in San Francisco.

[Chloe Mao]

Oh.

[Alex Khonsani]

And yeah, she was like. Her and my mom were like, we should go. Cause I obviously. I mean, not obviously, but I've been a fashion girl for a long time. I think that that's like.

[Chloe Mao]

How old were you when they took you to that?

[Alex Khonsani]

I want to say I was like, eight. Okay. Yeah. So it was like a quite fresh memory in my mind at the time. I hadn't really experienced, like, fashion at that level. And, like, I got to see how things. Not how things were made, but how things were, like, created with all of the, like, beading and the, like, the different facets that goes into making a piece of clothing and a collection. It was really eye opening to me. I think that that really, like, induced my. My love for fashion.

[Chloe Mao]

And then you walked in the Gaultier show.

[Alex Khonsani]

I know, I know. It was crazy. I remember the first time I walked was with Simone Rocha, and that was, like, also my first ever couture show.

[Ethan]

Oh, wow.

[Chloe Mao]

I loved that show, and it was insane.

[Alex Khonsani]

It was so beautiful, gorgeous. But it was a real full circle moment for me, and we talked about it the whole time backstage. So it was something that I've always really wanted to do because I know my grandma would be looking down and being like, yes, girl, butter pump. You better pump.

[Ethan]

Your mom also talked about how close you were with your grandma and how supportive she was of you your whole life. I don't know. Do you have a favorite memory when you think of her? What was her name?

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, her name was Betsy.

[Ethan]

Betsy.

[Alex Khonsani]

Iconic. Honestly, I think my favorite memories with her were just her. Was just her willingness to kind of, like, go out and do whatever I wanted. Actually, no. The first memory that I really have of her or my favorite memory that I have of her was when I was a kid. I remember I wanted to, like, dress really hyper feminine and whatever. And there was this brooch, this, like, hairpin brooch that was, like, beaded, and it had, like, these, like, the long circular beads, and it was like in a square. And I remember going to a flea market and telling her I wanted it. And, like, years passed by. And then I think on my 18th birthday, she pulled it out and was like, I got this for you the day that you said you wanted it. And I was saving this until you turned 18. It was like, just such a really sentimental moment.

[Ethan]

That's so sweet.

[Alex Khonsani]

It was really Cute. I do still have it. Yeah. That's a forever piece for sure.

[Ethan]

That's a forever piece. How special.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah. Shout out to Betsy.

[Ethan]

Shout out Betsy. Well, speaking of major fashion moments, you came into possession of a Birkin bag, which you have with you right now if you'd like to.

[Alex Khonsani]

She's a beauty.

[Ethan]

Asmr.

[Alex Khonsani]

Here she is.

[Ethan]

What's in the Birkin today? And can you give us a rundown of what kind of Birkin this is?

[Alex Khonsani]

Okay, so I think this is a Birkin 30. I got it at the Hermes Saint Honore store in Paris. I had to connect. Thank you. So one of my friends got me the appointment because, like, that's the most difficult part. But, yeah, it's like, I think silver hardware. It's just cute. You could see she's getting a bit worn.

[Ethan]

Scorched. That's how they're meant to be.

[Alex Khonsani]

Okay, let's run through the most important things in my bag. Cookie wrapper from last night.

[Ethan]

Ooh.

[Alex Khonsani]

Paloma surprised me with a little cake to celebrate and some cookies, because I love cookies.

[Chloe Mao]

Oh, is that the compost cookie?

[Alex Khonsani]

I don't know.

[Chloe Mao]

I love the compost cookie.

[Alex Khonsani]

It's quite delicious. I will say.

[Ethan]

I was like, let me check that out.

[Alex Khonsani]

I have my whole crystal collection.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Okay.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, we're gonna have to, because, you know, today was the day that I wanted all the good energy. So I have all my crystals.

[Ethan]

Can we see what's in. This is Mary Poppins vibes.

[Alex Khonsani]

Crystals.

[Chloe Mao]

Do they make different things?

[Alex Khonsani]

They do.

[Ethan]

Okay, so can I touch? Sorry.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yes, you're so.

[Ethan]

I've already touched.

[Alex Khonsani]

Touch, girl. Get the energy.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

These are.

[Ethan]

God knows we need it.

[Alex Khonsani]

Get some good energy. So these were given to me by, like, a ton of different people. By my parents, by my friends, by my loved ones, and by some people, Tory Burch, actually. Or like, some designers at Tory Burch gave me some of these Christmas really special.

[Chloe Mao]

Wow.

[Alex Khonsani]

So I carry them with me to fashion moments.

[Ethan]

Okay, so we got some rose quartz in here.

[Alex Khonsani]

Sorry, I know you didn't ask for what was about.

[Chairman Arti]

No, no, no.

[Alex Khonsani]

We love my Vogue. This is the ticket into Vogue.

[Ethan]

What's the picture?

[Chloe Mao]

Take it to ride.

[Alex Khonsani]

I was smiling. I was feeling happy to talk today. And then these fab glasses you can fold.

[Ethan]

Okay.

[Chloe Mao]

Need.

[Alex Khonsani]

I'm telling you, especially for, like, a little clutch bag in a night out, you just.

[Chloe Mao]

Who makes those?

[Ethan]

Oh, my God.

[Alex Khonsani]

Go gentle monster.

[Ethan]

Okay.

[Alex Khonsani]

Wow.

[Ethan]

Go gentle, monster.

[Chloe Mao]

For our listeners, they fold up into a smaller size than the palm of your hand.

[Alex Khonsani]

It's Quite fabulous.

[Ethan]

That's great for, like, a clutch.

[Alex Khonsani]

It's good also. Cause I, like, love a clutch, and I love to break my glasses, so. Yep. Okay. And then the last thing in here that I'm gonna bring out is this. Actually, I think it was Vogue. They did this, like, pick a card, any card, at the Gucci movie debut. And this is the card that I picked. Aw. Oh, wow.

[Chloe Mao]

Who's that?

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah. Um, I don't know, but it's the look that Kendall wore for the. For the movie Obsessed.

[Ethan]

The silver mini.

[Alex Khonsani]

The silver mini strapless dress, iconic vanilla dress. I have that with me and a couple other things, but we don't need to talk about that.

[Chloe Mao]

If there could be a khonsani bag, what do you think it would look like?

[Alex Khonsani]

Kinsani bag.

[Chloe Mao]

Like, I'm thinking about Jane Birkin. Like, if she's, you know, imagining making her bag.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah.

[Chloe Mao]

50 years ago.

[Alex Khonsani]

I feel like it would be something that is big. I wouldn't want it to be too slouchy. I would like it to be able to get worn in. So I like a boxy kind of thing.

I mean, it would probably be leather, because I like the long wear of a leather bag. But I think that, like, if not, it would probably be. I don't know. I love silk, but silk, you can't really do a bag with. No, but who cares about practicality? If it's me, I'm not practical. So there you go.

[Ethan]

So I know you're a big manifestor, and obviously you have the crystal collection to match. What are you manifesting right now?

[Alex Khonsani]

Right now? I mean, I'm manifesting to feel good. I mean, it's about to be the new year, so I'm manifesting that my move goes well. I mean, I was manifesting this cover for so long. I mean, honestly, it's been, like, a really, really. It's been a long time that I've wanted to do that. So I manifested that a lot.

[Chloe Mao]

What's the last affirmation or manifest that you wrote down?

[Alex Khonsani]

That I wrote down? I think it was something about, like, relationship. I just felt. Wanted to be, like, in a healthy relationship with someone that, like, really respects me and cares about me. And I.

[Chloe Mao]

And are you.

[Alex Khonsani]

We're getting there, I think.

[Ethan]

Okay.

[Alex Khonsani]

Dare I say. But it's not at that point. So I'm not gonna say yes or no, but I plead the fifth. But, like, leaning towards yes.

[Chloe Mao]

Okay.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

We love.

[Chloe Mao]

Yeah, we manifest.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, exactly.

[Ethan]

We manifest. So when we first met, you were telling me a little bit about your days of living in New York and how you used to be very frugal and that you only spent, I believe, what was it, $2,000 outside of.

[Alex Khonsani]

In a whole year.

[Ethan]

In a whole year. Is that outside of rent and groceries.

[Alex Khonsani]

Or is that outside of rent on groceries as well?

[Ethan]

Groceries included.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Okay.

[Ethan]

How did you live like that?

[Alex Khonsani]

Honestly, it was a real problem for me because I was making enough money where I could have lived past $2,000 a year. But it was just a bit of a challenge for me because I was like, why not put all the effort I can into making my life cheap? I mean, like, I've always been very frugal. I grew up in a bit of a frugal family. So I think I managed to do that by like going out with my friends and like, I would be like, I'm not hungry. And then obviously they would have a little more food on their plate. And I was like, you gotta finish that.

Yeah. But I got in trouble with my friends. They were like, babe, we know you're gonna go pick up, pick on our plate. So I learned, I learned I moved past. And it's also like, yeah, it was a challenge, but it was nice to know that it is possible to do that. You just have to walk a lot more, train a lot more.

[Chloe Mao]

Yeah.

[Ethan]

Less Ubers.

[Chloe Mao]

Did you save a lot?

[Alex Khonsani]

I did save a lot, yeah. And like, I mean, that's kind of how I was able to get to the point where I'm in a, in a brownstone in Brooklyn. I think that.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Wow.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, it's a very, it was a manifesting move in a way.

[Ethan]

That's how you pay for movers in New York. Kick off your friends plates.

[Alex Khonsani]

Exactly, girl. Listen, anything is possible if you can, if you can save a coin or two, I think.

[Chloe Mao]

Are there things you'll always be frugal about or do you feel like you've shift your perspective across the board as you've. Your financial circumstances have changed?

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, I mean, I think that there's definitely things I'm always so frugal about. Like, I don't think it's hard about like going to restaurants and getting groceries and stuff, but like clothing. I'm definitely, unfortunately now I'm. I mean, it's difficult because I've always been very frugal. Cause I work in fashion and I think that I'm a very open mouthed person. Like, I'm very like, hey, I love this. Can I have this? Which works to my benefit. Cause I don't need to buy as many Clothes as maybe someone else. But that's one thing that I'm definitely frugal about. Like, I. It hurts me sometimes to go to the row and look at the price.

[Ethan]

Yeah.

[Alex Khonsani]

I'll still get it. It's painful, but I have to be a bit careful with that.

[Ethan]

Does it work when you ask people if you can have things?

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

I bet it does.

[Ethan]

Oh, my God.

[Alex Khonsani]

It does work a bit, honestly, because that's what I always say. Close mouths, don't get fed. And there you go.

[Chloe Mao]

There you go. Words to live by.

[Alex Khonsani]

Exactly.

[Chloe Mao]

Speaking of the Row, you're doing the Olsen Tuck.

[Alex Khonsani]

I'm doing the Olsen Tuck, yeah.

[Ethan]

The hair tuck.

[Alex Khonsani]

I am doing the Olsen Tuck. I've been inspired, honestly. I saw them for the first time at the CFDA's this year.

[Chloe Mao]

Really?

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah. I mean, I've never. I've never. I didn't meet them, but I saw them for the first time from a distance. Yeah.

[Ethan]

What was it like?

[Alex Khonsani]

Chic. It was very chic. I was like. I watched them walk on the stage and I was like, oh, I'm, like, tucking in my hair. Like, oh, no, they're major. They're really major.

[Chloe Mao]

What did you wear to the CFDA's?

[Alex Khonsani]

I wore Michael Kors. Yeah. I wore the silk dress and a bag, and last minute, I checked the bag in the car and grabbed a coat and dragged the coat down the carpet. It was kind of a sad moment for the coat, but good moment for me.

[Ethan]

We've talked about how you choose not to use a stylist. Could you maybe expand on why?

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah. I mean, let me be clear. I definitely do use a stylist. That CFDA moment was styled by my friend Dogi, a really amazing stylist who I've worked with a bit. But for me, I feel like styling in moments outside of, like, red carpet can get stressful because there's so much politics in styling. Right. I think when you're styling, getting styled by somebody else, there's so much more strategy that I don't think about, like, as a model. Right. There's brands that people want to work with. It's like, oh, do I want to wear this brand that I haven't worked with? To then induce a relationship with whatever, and that's great and it's smart, but, like, sometimes a bitch just wants to put on clothes and go out and feel fabulous, you know what I mean? And I think that the opportunity to do that myself has given me a lot more confidence in clothing that I wear, and it's given me A lot more personal sense of style and also allows me to be a bit more like downtown in a way, because I notice sometimes when I do get styled, it feels so put together, and there's so many elements to the outfit, and there's so many people on the team, and it's so much opinions on the look. And it's like. I think the beauty of fashion, like we've talked about, is expression. And I think that to have an outfit that you've planned for weeks or months, and then you put it on, you're like, oh, I actually would rather not wear this today. It's difficult because, like, you have these promises to so many people that you're gonna wear a specific look. So I don't know. I think that, like, for as long as I can imagine myself.

Wearing clothes, I'll definitely be. I'll definitely be trying to do as much as I can by myself.

[Chloe Mao]

You're a big heels person.

[Alex Khonsani]

Love heels.

[Chloe Mao]

Tell me they're the first thing you're gonna unpack when you move in. Do you plan an outfit? Heels up? How does the shoe factor into your outfit planning?

[Alex Khonsani]

Okay, well, usually what I do is I start with shirt, and then I go shoe, and then I go pant to match the shoe in the shirt.

[Chloe Mao]

It's very risky business.

[Alex Khonsani]

It is kind of risky business. But you know what? I love a pant. I love a long pant with a shoe with a heel, pointed heel. So I feel like that's a tendency I like to do.

[Chloe Mao]

What's the heel? The pointy toe heel. And the rotation right now.

[Alex Khonsani]

The new Connor Ives to me, too. Have you seen it?

[Chloe Mao]

Yeah, they're really good.

[Alex Khonsani]

Fab. It's really fab. And it's nice because my friends who are shoe thieves that are my same size love to take it. And I'm like, who are some shoe thieves?

[Ethan]

I hear you and Paloma are the same size shoe.

[Alex Khonsani]

We are the same size shoe. And that's been a bit of difficulty, but it's ok. I mean, honestly, she knows. She knows where to hide her things away from me, so it's good.

[Chloe Mao]

What are the most comfortable heels? Like, if you're going dancing.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, going dancing. I feel like Manolo Blahniks are always pretty comfortable.

[Chloe Mao]

Yeah, I do, too. That's my Met shoe. So I can be standing on, like, marble for seven hours.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah. And they're a bit. The heels are a bit square now. Am I crazy for that? Like, they're like. Even if I get stilettos, the base is square, which I think gives me a bit more stability than a circle because also I tend to wear the circle down quite a lot, and then I end up stepping on the nail and it sounds insane when I'm like.

[Chloe Mao]

I hate that my. My heel fell off my row boot yesterday. And it was just like every step.

[Alex Khonsani]

Especially when you're walking through marble, I'm like, damn, girl. It's like an announcement. Everyone's hearing me. Yeah.

[Ethan]

A lot of click clacking, literally. One of our colleagues, Florence o', Connor, said that her fashion resolution is to wear more heels next year. If you have any advice for the newly initiated heel wearers, what would it be?

[Alex Khonsani]

Okay. Well, if you're not wearing heels currently because of comfort, I think you should definitely find a heel that's comfortable because there's a lot of them. I think Jude, the brand Jude makes a lot of really comfortable. They make a lot of really comfortable heels. The row obviously has great heels, but I think it's something that isn't too. The leather isn't too hard because that's obviously difficult. You want to wear something that's comfortable and just do it, girl.

[Chloe Mao]

I love a kitten heel. It's a good entry level.

[Alex Khonsani]

But I have a hot take on a kitten heel. I think kitten heels are harder to walk in than six inch heels.

[Ethan]

Oh, my God.

[Alex Khonsani]

Because your foot is less pointed, so it feels like you're kind of almost balancing on the weird level of your tiptoe, you know, when you're like, you're.

[Ethan]

Kind of in between.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah. And so, like, you're not over the.

[Ethan]

Ball of your foot.

[Alex Khonsani]

It tends to wobble a bit.

[Chloe Mao]

That's interesting.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, that's true.

[Ethan]

There is a lot of stability, I guess, in, like, being up on your.

[Alex Khonsani]

Toe because the walk is on the toe versus, like, it being half on the heel, half on the toe, and then you end up like.

[Chloe Mao]

So maybe it's not as much of a gateway drug as I thought.

[Alex Khonsani]

No.

[Ethan]

Well, I guess we'll all be wearing 6 inch stilettos.

[Alex Khonsani]

I'm telling you, that's the most comfortable.

[Ethan]

Way to do it. When we all come back in our.

[Chloe Mao]

January screams heels.

[Alex Khonsani]

Oh, God. Oh, yes. New York. You're gonna be especially dredging through the snow with those heels.

[Ethan]

Awful. So one thing that we also discussed a little bit is your style evolution and how, you know, when I was talking to Dara Allen, the stylist about you, she said that you come up to her sometimes and you say, I'm doing chic now.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah.

[Ethan]

And I know you haven't always been.

[Alex Khonsani]

As.

[Ethan]

You know, chic. No, no, no. Not that you're not chic, but I know you've had qualms weigh the word or the meaning of chic. So can you tell me a little bit?

[Chloe Mao]

Chic can feel lady ladylike, and it doesn't have to.

[Ethan]

So what were your qualms with Sheik, and how did you kind of get to this point where you are embracing chic?

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, well, my qualms with Sheik at the beginning was, again, like you were saying, it felt a bit too. Not conservative, but I guess conservative. I had an aversion to that because me being obviously like a hyper feminine person, I thought that you couldn't have the same level of femininity while wearing something like that. And as I grew into my job in fashion also. I'll talk about this in a second. But as I grew up into my job in fashion, I realized that, like, there's so many different facets of femininity in fashion, and to constrain yourself to just wearing clothing that makes you feel exposed isn't always the best way to do it. And I think for me, what I realized chic is, is she gives the ability to pair something extra with something that isn't as flashy, if that makes sense. And I was talking about this with someone else also because, like, Melina, actually yesterday we were talking about how I have a tendency to wear really big, baggy clothing that covers me up. And I think it's because as I've worked more in fashion, I've realized that the clothes and the body and everything is always so prevalent that being able to wear something, a Mary Kay Ashley tuck and a Jean is. It feels like I'm having a fab day off. And so I enjoy doing those moments. And I think that kind of living in that world has kind of made me more chic also since I learned about Norma Jean. You know Norma Jean?

[Chloe Mao]

Say more. I don't know.

[Alex Khonsani]

Norma Jean is Marilyn Monroe before she became Marilyn Monroe.

[Chloe Mao]

Sure, that. Norma Jean.

[Alex Khonsani]

Norma Jean. Norma Jean. So I, like, a couple years ago, I had this soft obsession turn into Norma Jean.

[Chloe Mao]

And I feel like I used to love Elton John's Goodbye, Norma Jean.

[Ethan]

Yeah, there we go.

[Alex Khonsani]

Well, we're saying hello to Norma Jean now. We're saying hello to Norma Jean now.

[Chloe Mao]

Wow.

[Chairman Arti]

Okay.

[Chloe Mao]

But what about Norma Jean?

[Alex Khonsani]

There's this picture of her with, like, high water jeans or high water. That picture truly changed my life. I think that, like, her essence of femininity while not being.

[Chloe Mao]

Can you describe the picture to those who don't know.

[Alex Khonsani]

Okay, so to the listeners, the picture is Marilyn Monroe wearing a capri or sorry, Norma Jean wearing a capri pantry. She has her like, I wanna say one leg or both legs up on the chair so you can see that they're high water capris. And I think she's wearing some sort of wrap coat, like cropped, cropped, cropped wrap coat. And it's just such an effortlessly beautiful picture. She looks like she isn't trying at all. But it captures such an essence of femininity that I saw and I was like, I don't wanna be in my Y2K, get up like boobs and butt out for the rest of my life. And I mean, obviously I'm not gonna stop doing that ever. But I think that it was a really beautiful realization for me that like there's so many different facets of myself and different facets of expression that I can have within fashion. And like that specific picture really inspired me to kind of take it there, you know.

[Ethan]

When did you first see that picture?

[Alex Khonsani]

I actually was going through my camera roll from 2015 and I had the screenshot from 2015 you're manifesting. That was literally when I was, was like 12 and I. No, but I rediscovered it in my 20s and I was like, wow, it's really time for me to take it there. Take it there, take it to 9 o'. Clock.

[Ethan]

What do you, what do you think, like spoke to 12 year old Alex about this photo?

[Alex Khonsani]

I think just seeing, I love my favorite type of picture of any celebrity is them in a off setting them on an off day. I think that that takes so much. Cause I think that it's difficult to really understand somebody when they're on a pedestal in the way that like Marilyn or like, I don't know, Michael Jackson or all these other people are on. So to see them in a moment of like stillness within themselves is really important and special to me. Like I have this picture of Jackie O in my saves as well where she's like walking out of like some diner or something. It's just a really, like, it's a really beautiful picture because it captures the essence of the person which is kind of also what I wanted to bring into this issue, which is what was so special was that like you, me and Ethan were talking and it was like it wasn't about the pose, it wasn't about the like being on, it was about almost the being off. And like it was about you, it was about me. Yeah, but it Was also just like the essence of existing. That was the word that he said. The essence of existing.

[Chloe Mao]

It makes things so moody.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, yeah. He's fab. He's really fab.

[Chloe Mao]

What are some holy grail items on your wish list right now?

[Alex Khonsani]

Holy grail items on my wish list?

God, that's a hard question. I feel like I'm looking, I'm still looking for a really nice short crotch. Low rise. Not low rise, but like to the hip jean, vintage, fucked up. Really nice worn in jean. And then what else? I'm always on the hunt for a fab dress.

[Chloe Mao]

What's your vintage go to? I feel like you have some great vintage pieces that you've worn to big events.

[Alex Khonsani]

Thanks. I love a vintage Prada. I feel like vintage. But like what is vintage now? It's 20 years old.

[Ethan]

It's 20 years and older.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah. So I love like a 90s Prada. I love our early 2000s.

[Chloe Mao]

Where do you find those?

[Alex Khonsani]

A lot of different places. I love Nuovo in Paris. They have a lot of really nice places or nice things. There's one shop in LA that unfortunately, I hate to be a gatekeeper, but it is. So it's like the most holy grail and if people came in there and took all the things that I wanted, I'd be so upset.

[Chloe Mao]

But don't say it then.

[Alex Khonsani]

I won't. But it's this really, really fab. There's a lot of good shopping in la, which surprised me because I feel like. I don't know if you guys have noticed this or when you were in Vogue world la.

[Ethan]

Obviously we're worldly Angelenos.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, exactly. So if you notice. But there's this essence of quiet luxury that's come into LA for some reason. It's kind of different. And with that everyone's getting rid of their fab, extravagant stuff. So. Oh, hot take. Yeah. So I'm seeing a lot of really fabulous statement pieces. Low key for the low. Like it's not. Yeah, it's not as expensive as I would think to get. Cause like you shop in New York and you go to a curated place and it's like you're spending like $1,000 on a dress when you could be in LA looking at some 30 year old girl's ex looks that are fab.

[Chloe Mao]

You know, take advantage of the quiet luxury takeover. Exactly.

[Ethan]

Scoop up their 90s Prada.

[Alex Khonsani]

Exactly, girl, exactly.

[Chloe Mao]

The run through will be back in a moment.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

A trend that I'm noticing this season, which is also perfect for this weather is Layering. And so you can truly wear five shirts at once if you want. Like, that's fashion. Right now. People are wearing skirts over pants and button downs on top of button downs on top of button downs with a sweater on top of that and a scarf on top of that. And if you know that someone already has a favorite item, then ask yourself, like, do they need it in another color? At this point? They do. And so just get them two of something that they already like and already wear and go back to that ebay search bar and get as specific as possible. And I know that you'll find it because you can find everything on ebay.

[Chloe Mao]

Alex, I want to know how your relationship to social media has evolved. Do you still have fun making videos, posting content? Does it ever feel like a job or a chore anymore nowadays?

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, I mean, I definitely love social media, so I'm on it all the time. I think that, like, my social media presence has changed since I've realized that people see it, which is something I hate to say. But, like, I remember I posted a video. I don't remember what video it was. It was something like maybe Versace or something. I don't remember. And Donatella was like, saw the video and I was like, oh, whoa. I was like, oh, people watch my stuff. And that was where I was like, okay, I need to take a step back and think about what I'm posting, which kind of put a little bit of a block, which I don't love.

[Chloe Mao]

I know it's hard. Cause it's like, I used to just post stupid pictures of my kids, and now I'm like, more people follow me.

[Ethan]

And so I feel like it has to be endearing.

[Alex Khonsani]

It's a journey that I think I'm so coming into. And I really like social media because it gives me a voice. But I think the most powerful way to use my voice now isn't to just post funny stuff. I think that there's so many other ways to use social media. And so I'm trying to do my best to really save. Save my effort and energy into, like, when I post into something that is making a statement in a way that I want, if that makes sense. But it is kind of sad because I really do enjoy posting. I just think that, like, the hecticness of the last year of my life has really. It's changed a lot of my time that I have to be myself and, like, do the things that I like. And I think it's better to not post in those moments because I think Things are truly funny when you think that they're funny in the moment you post it, you know? So.

[Chloe Mao]

Yeah. What content are you consuming on social.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Like, what.

[Chloe Mao]

Where are you spending your time?

[Alex Khonsani]

I love TikTok. I love Instagram reels because I see the craziest shit.

[Chloe Mao]

What's your algorithm?

[Alex Khonsani]

My algorithm is insane. I'm trying to think.

It's just insane. Like, it's a lot of the AI back cracking videos. Have you seen these?

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

No.

[Alex Khonsani]

Oh, it's like masseuses. And they'll be like. They'll be like, now breathe in. And then they push and like, the table breaks and they fall 10 stories down. Like, it's like that kind of stuff. A lot of AI, which is really scary. Cause for the longest time, I didn't realize it was AI.

[Chloe Mao]

We were talking about that last night.

[Ethan]

Oh, yeah.

[Alex Khonsani]

It's getting quite good. It's a bit concerning.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

I know.

[Ethan]

Everyone fell for that bunny video.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah. What bunny video?

[Chloe Mao]

Bunnies on a trampoline in like.

[Ethan]

It was like night vision.

[Chloe Mao]

Yeah. My mom was really moved.

[Ethan]

I was like, oh, what a bummer to be like.

[Chloe Mao]

I did.

[Ethan]

To break it down.

[Chloe Mao]

I was like, yeah, they're crazy to have that one.

[Alex Khonsani]

That was AI.

[Ethan]

Yeah.

[Alex Khonsani]

Wow. Yeah, they're getting us good.

[Ethan]

It's good to be skeptical now.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah.

[Ethan]

Nothing of people falling 10 stories through their.

[Alex Khonsani]

That one. I'm like, girl, you can't crack someone's back and push them 10 stories down. It's like Hulk smashing someone to the floor. It's insane.

[Ethan]

Well, speaking of Vogue World, as we were a moment ago.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah.

[Ethan]

Your parents were there. You flew them down for the occasion, which is so lovely. Can you tell me about the last time they saw you work?

[Alex Khonsani]

The last time they saw me work was during Paris Fashion Week. They came to a Nina Ricci show, the one that I opened and closed, which was a really special moment. Yeah. And Harris gave them, like, a really nice seat and the whole experience.

And. Yeah. I mean, it's really special when they see me work, because I feel like I feel their presence when I'm walking, when I'm doing something, which is really special because having. Having that parental love is always.

A good feeling, and it makes me want to work harder.

[Ethan]

Yeah.

[Chloe Mao]

You styled them for Vogue World, which I love.

[Ethan]

They looked so fab.

[Chloe Mao]

Yeah, they really did.

[Ethan]

How did that work?

[Chloe Mao]

Did you go shopping with your mom? Did you get your dad his shirt?

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah. Okay, well, so I'll start with my mom. I know where we're going to Vogue. I wanted my parents to meet Anna. And I know she loves a floral. So I gave my mom a floral Prada dress. Know she also loves Prada. And this dress actually I wore to the Kendall and Gigi Vogue event.

[Chloe Mao]

Yeah.

[Alex Khonsani]

And Anna told me I liked it, and so I was like, mom, you can wear it. So she's a loved Prada dress in the collection.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Got it.

[Alex Khonsani]

And then I gave her a little. Like, a little Prada collection. I tried to get her to wear Prada heels, but she found out it was gonna be a bit cobblestone. Y. She was like, just get me some flats. So I gave her these really cute Marnie flats. And then my dad, I actually brought a coat for him from J.W. anderson for him to wear. And he put it on and was like. And my mom was like.

And so he's like, what if I wear this? And he pulls out the protect the doll's shirt out of his closet, which he bought himself, which is really sweet. I mean, my parents always are swagged out in the trans merch, which is really special.

[Ethan]

Your mom's Instagram photo is a trans mafia.

[Alex Khonsani]

Oh, my gosh. Yeah, she's in it. She's in it for sure. I remember she would drop me off to school and these custom converse that she made that said it was like, proud trans parent. And they were like, all trans and the soul was trans flag. It's like, very. Oh, my God. Very supportive people.

[Ethan]

That's so sweet.

[Chloe Mao]

Wow.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah.

[Chloe Mao]

So what are your most active friend group chats?

[Alex Khonsani]

My most active friend group chats, it's my two best friends, Faith and Sasha. We just talk all the time in that. And then there's another one that's always pretty active from this Mexico vacation I went on earlier in the year.

And that sometimes we always just randomly get messages and it's like, hey, so feel like that.

[Chloe Mao]

Any good names of your chats?

[Alex Khonsani]

I mean, my friends. My best friends are. They're both in Bushwick, and they're both lesbian, so it's the Bushwick lesbian group chat. So that's a good one. Kind of think the other ones might not be good for a podcast, but they're fun. They're spicy. We have some fun. We have some fun in the group chats.

[Chloe Mao]

I was so excited when I learned from Hannah's piece that you are interested in writing and directing.

Where how do foster this? Are you practicing this? Are you doing any classes? How do you make sure that's happening?

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, well, I mean, it's been a big. A big want, especially recently. Because I've found a lot of value in creating a narrative for myself because, again, fashion is very selling another person's image. So, I mean, I've definitely done some writing. My mom's a writer, so, like, she definitely inspired me a bit. And I've been writing a memoir and a bit of, like. I don't want to say too much because it's supposed to be an anonymous piece, but I have a couple things that I've been writing and that really created this idea in my head about creating a show. And recently I've been given the opportunity to meet with a lot of people in la, a lot of studios and production people, whatever. And it's been a really nice conversation around that. And actually at the CFDA Awards, I was sitting next to Anna and Anna Michael and James Corden, and me and James got into it. He was like, so, how are you? How's your life? What are you doing? And I was like, oh, I've actually been wanting to write and direct and produce and whatever, get into the behind the scenes of making film. And he was like, so what's it about? And I told him, and he's like, so what's it about? I'm like, I'm telling you. He's like, so what's it about? And it was good. It was a really nice, constructive conversation because honestly, I needed a bit more structure in that. And since then, we've been texting and talking and. And kind of working out.

[Chloe Mao]

We love that.

[Ethan]

The group chat with Anna and James.

[Alex Khonsani]

Corden, it was fab. I mean, Anna's not in the group chat. Anna's not in the group chat. But it's me and James Corden. That would be fab. Y' all should be fab.

[Ethan]

What would you call it?

[Alex Khonsani]

Manifest? I don't know. Project manifest, girl. Project manifest. Cause it was really interesting and it kept, like, looking over when I was talking about it and I was like.

[Ethan]

She wants a guest spotlight.

[Alex Khonsani]

Exactly, exactly. I mean, listen, the concept is fashion centered, so I don't doubt she wouldn't want to help. You know, she's a very, very open person when it comes to helping out with projects like that. So. Yeah, but it's interesting and it's hard because also there's so much going on in my life already right now, like with the fashion industry. But there's a really amazing opportunity that's coming up where I might be able to take a step back and focus full time on film, which is nice.

[Ethan]

Wow, that's exciting. Can you tell us about some of your favorite films. Are you on letterboxd?

[Alex Khonsani]

I'm not on letterboxd. I need to.

[Chloe Mao]

What's the last movie you saw that you loved?

[Alex Khonsani]

What's the one with Dakota Johnson?

[Ethan]

The materialist.

[Alex Khonsani]

Materialist. I loved that movie. That was really good.

What else did I watch? I really want to watch Wicked. All my friends are dying, dying about it.

[Ethan]

Oh, my God.

[Chloe Mao]

Really nested. No.

[Ethan]

Yeah.

[Chloe Mao]

We had a lot of conversation about the sweater yesterday.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, everyone's been talking about the sweater.

[Chloe Mao]

Do you have a sexy knit?

[Alex Khonsani]

I do have a sexy knit.

[Ethan]

Actually, he doesn't.

[Alex Khonsani]

What induced the conversation is I have this. I have this Margiela knit coat that I dropped in a puddle of. Not puddle, but in a pile of leaves. And I picked it up and didn't take the leaves off and they're like crushed up in the thing. My friend was like, oh, my God, girl, you have the Wicked jacket. I was like, no.

[Ethan]

Oh, my God.

[Alex Khonsani]

But it's fab. Like, the wear on that coat is quite stank. It's quite stank.

[Chloe Mao]

Sometimes people ask about a dream dinner party guest, but I want to know what your dream film project lineup is. Like, who's the director? Who are the co stars?

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah.

[Ethan]

Would you act in it?

[Chloe Mao]

Honestly, directing, writing, acting in it.

[Alex Khonsani]

I mean, it's hard because I'm still kind of getting introduced to a lot of the film world. But as of now, I feel like.

I mean, I love the way that Tim Burton makes visuals seem a bit quirky. So I would love to do that. Maybe me and Tim together doing a little something.

And I think the people who would star in it, I would love it to be a cast of people that I know and love. Cause I understand my friends and I understand their ability to act. My friend. True Whitaker. She's in.

[Ethan]

She's great. I love la.

[Alex Khonsani]

She's fabulous. She's in. I love la. I would love for her to be in that.

[Ethan]

She's such a star in that.

[Alex Khonsani]

She's such a star. And she's also such a character outside of the work she does, which is really amazing. I love Molly Gordon. I think she's really amazing.

[Ethan]

I love Molly Gordon.

[Alex Khonsani]

I would love for her to be a part of that. And maybe selfishly, I would love to get the Olsen twins back out. I'm like, bring them out, girl. And let's do Full the Row, Fuller House. Everything I'm saying, fullest house, fullest of the row in the house, girl. That's what I'm trying to do. So incredible.

[Ethan]

You have done some appearances in some music videos. So we have JT's okay. Of course. You were in 360 with Charli XCX and her It Girl posse. And recently you were in Doja Cat's gorgeous video. Can you tell us about being on a music video set? Do you have any standout memories?

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, I feel like it's always fun to do, especially when it's a bigger group of people. Ok. Was an amazing video because obviously I love Jade tc and it's been. We've been friends and she's always been a big supporter of me and people like me, which is really beautiful. But also my friend was doing the makeup. My other friend was directing it, so it felt very close to home. The only thing about that shoot was the call time was 2:00am What?

[Ethan]

Oh, my God.

[Alex Khonsani]

Which was quite an interesting call time for her.

[Ethan]

Did you even go to bed?

[Alex Khonsani]

I slept early. I went to bed at like 8, woke up at 12 and was like, okay, let's be like video vixens now.

And Charli XCX was so much fun because I was in LA and I was invited to do the music video. And I'm so happy I did because that was such an amazing memory. And also working with Aidan Zemeri, he's really, really talented. He's really. He has an amazing head on his shoulders and an amazing creative, creative ability that I think I really got to see firsthand with that music video. And it was also just a really amazing moment to kind of celebrate women and celebrate girls that maybe don't have all the flowers that they deserve. And I think Charli really put that together in a beautiful way. And then Joja Cat, gorgeous, obviously was such a. It was such a fab moment. Like, I mean, Ignacio from Vogue did the casting, which is really beautiful.

And my friend Jawar did the hair, and Sam Viser did the makeup. And it felt really gorgeous. Everyone was feeling confident and beautiful. And what's different about fashion and film to music videos is that the premise of being in a music video is to feel good, to feel sexy, to feel gorgeous. And it's always nice to get glammed with your girls and just sing along to songs you love.

[Ethan]

So I heard you had a really great playlist yesterday on your cover shoot. Can you tell us a little bit about what's on there? What's in the heavy rotation lately?

[Alex Khonsani]

Yes, yes. I have been listening to a lot of. I'm a very 70s, 80s music type of girl. I think there's a lot of Extraness to that. That I love. I love the, like, drawn out, you know, drawn out facets of that kind of music. But I think for me, what was really on that playlist the most was Rick James. Love me some Rick James. And also, what else was on that? Celine Dion. I was singing Celine Dion on the way here, and my driver was, like, looking over, he was like, are you good? Like, I was literally like.

But yeah, I don't know. I love a vocal. I love a vocal moment.

[Chloe Mao]

It sounds like that might also be.

[Alex Khonsani]

Part of your dream, maybe one day. Dream experience. Yeah.

[Chloe Mao]

Make it a musical theater.

[Alex Khonsani]

I would love. I mean, my aunt is a musical theater teacher, so. Oh, my God.

[Ethan]

Do you have a favorite musical?

[Alex Khonsani]

I actually watch the Cats, but the drag one. Jellic. What's it called?

[Chloe Mao]

Oh, Jellicoe Ball.

[Alex Khonsani]

Jellicoe.

[Ethan]

Oh, my God.

[Alex Khonsani]

Fab.

[Chloe Mao]

We were just talking about that. It's going to Broadway.

[Alex Khonsani]

Yeah, Fab. I watched it when it was on camera. I'm saying, yeah, we're manifesting. Well, ballroom is such a beautiful thing, especially in my community. And it was really special to see. That was my first ever musical I ever went to.

[Chloe Mao]

Wow.

[Alex Khonsani]

And it was major. Everyone was so excited. There were fans snapping, popcorn flying like it was major.

[Chloe Mao]

Alex, we're gonna let you go in a minute, but I wanna hear what's your inspo for decorating your new house? What's on the mood board?

[Alex Khonsani]

Well, I don't know if you guys have seen Paloma Alcesor's video.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

I'm familiar.

[Alex Khonsani]

She had this video house tour with Architectural Digest, and it was really an insane inspiration to me. I think she has amazing taste, but also talking with her, understanding what I personally like. I think that leaning into a more Melanie's style, where it's eccentric and it's fun and it's kooky, but it has a base layer of coziness. You know, it has the grandness and the extraness, but you pair it with something that's a bit. A bit more relaxed, and that's kind of something that I want. I think what I'm trying to do is just have nice pieces that I can, like, hold onto for a second that are comfortable. I haven't ever had a comfortable couch in my life.

[Chloe Mao]

Wow.

[Ethan]

It's important.

[Alex Khonsani]

It's very important. My current couch, fully broke. So you sit in it and you touch the ground. Love that for me.

[Ethan]

Where is it from?

[Chloe Mao]

Well, don't call people out.

[Ethan]

Okay, sorry. I'm sorry.

[Alex Khonsani]

Where it's from? It's from Facebook marketplace. And I got it for $100. I was still in my frugal era. And I literally picked it up in a. Like, in an Uber, Uber X. And I was like, can I please fit this in there? And they were like, babe, no. And then it was the day. I don't know if you remember this. There was this day where the bridge. I mean, I guess you guys both live in the city.

[Ethan]

No.

[Alex Khonsani]

Okay. So you would know the day that the bridge got shut down, there was something that happened on the bridge. And I was sitting in this Uber X on a couch like this on the. For three hours. Girl. Three, yes. And then I took it out, sat on it, and it broke. I was like, oh, classic. So I'm excited to move on. I would love, like, a little 70s cheetah print couch.

[Chloe Mao]

Let's get some white glove delivery.

[Alex Khonsani]

White glove delivery. I'm telling you, girl, I'm leveling up. I'm trying to. Trying to.

[Chloe Mao]

Well, Alex, thank you so much.

[Alex Khonsani]

Thank you so much.

[Chloe Mao]

Thank you for leveling up at Vogue.

[Alex Khonsani]

Okay. I mean, thanks for leveling me up. It was an honor to talk with you guys, and I'm so excited for everyone to see the issue that is about to come out. It's gonna be really mature.

[Chloe Mao]

That's it for the show today. See you next week.

The run through is produced by chelsea daniel, alex depalma and stephanie cariuki. It's engineered by pran bandy and james yost. It is mixed by mike kutchman. Chris bannon is conde nast's head of global audio.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

I love coming up with personalized gifts for people, and I'm often taking note of what other people are wearing, and I'll keep that in the back of my mind. And then when I'm scrolling on ebay, I'll type in things that make me think of them instead of a secret Santa, like a little secret personal stylist, maybe it's a fabric or a color or a designer and just see what comes up. And that's a good evening for me. I've got some examples for my husband. I typed in wool, cashmere, vintage, Italian tuxedo, and the next thing you know, we're off to a holiday party looking like the ambassadors to New York City. It has come in handy so many times, and now I wear it too, and people love it. Another friend who I studied fashion design with, and actually she designed denim for years, gets something really specific and cool, like white, wide leg, dead stuck skater jeans, which was a real hit. There's so many distinctive and like really unique options on ebay. These are high quality items that can often be just one of one. I think of it like finding pieces that'll like, really stand out in a room and then you're giving them the people that are really standing out in your life.

[Alex Khonsani]

From PRX.