Advertise on podcast: Back Row with Amy Odell

In honor of The Devil Wears Prada 2's trailer release, Amy dipped into the Back Row newsletter archive to share an early hit: ⁠interviews from Anna's ex-assistants⁠, pulling from reporting conducted for her book, ⁠Anna: The Biography⁠. (Which you can ⁠listen to in Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/anna-unabridged/id1590791196.) Does Anna really not remember her assistants?! This story helps shed some light on that question.

Part 2 of this episode is available to paid subscribers at backrow.net (which includes full newsletter access) or through Apple Podcasts or Spotify. After years of quiet luxury, opulence is back in fashion. In this episode of the Back Row podcast, Amy traces the origins of fashion’s current obsession with excess — all the way back to… Bravo? Joined by Ben Mandelker and Ronnie Karam of the wildly popular Watch What Crappens podcast, they discuss how Real Housewives culture shaped today’s luxury landscape, even as the fashion world distanced itself from reality stars. Lauren Sánchez may be one of the most talked-about attendees at couture week — but Bravo stars have been doing her look for 20 years! They also talk about how much Bravo helped get Gigi and Bella Hadid's careers going, Rachel Zoe's debut on RHOBH, and more. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introducing Ben & Ronnie of ‘Watch What Crappens’ 01:20 – Lauren Sanchez’s style is just the Bravo look 05:00 – Breaking down the Bravo aesthetic 10:40 – Are Sky tops coming back? 16:50 – Will fashion ever accept the Real Housewives? 24:30 – Would the Hadids have happened without Bravo? 27:30 – What’s up with Mauricio’s Chanel blanket? 30:40 – Is Rachel Zoe too confident for the Real Housewives? 37:10 – Bravo misidentified a Kelly bag 40:20 – The Birkin that costs $1,000,000 (before you can buy it!) 44:30 – Is plastic surgery the new Birkin? Links & Resources: Back Row newsletter Back Row Podcast: Apple Spotify YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is Part 2 of Amy's conversation with Ben Mandelker and Ronnie Karam of Watch What Crappens in which they all offer letter grades on fashion people's Bravo performances. CHAPTERS 00:00 — Grading the Real Housewives’ performances 02:30 — Jenna Lyons was a weird experiment (but we liked it) 05:00 — Rebecca Minkoff drove the Housewives crazy 06:40 — Yolanda Hadid built Gigi and Bella’s careers 09:20 — What is Lisa Rinna doing on Traitors? 11:16 — Lisa Rinna’s villain arc was iconic 14:50 — Kelly Cutrone should get another show 17:10 — Reacting to Rachel Zoe  18:40 — Brad Goreski: It’s a Brad Brad World 20:10 — Is Mauricio’s stock dropping? Links & Resources: Back Row Newsletter: https://www.backrow.net/ Amy Odell - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instamyodell/ Watch What Crappens Podcast: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watchwhatcrappens Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watch-what-crappens/id498130432 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3iSZPuQ8T8Msh0N33ZD7No Instagram: @watchwhatcrappens https://www.instagram.com/watchwhatcrappens/ Ben Mandelker (Instagram): @benmandelker https://www.instagram.com/benmandelker/ Ronnie Karam (Instagram): @ronniekaram https://www.instagram.com/ronniekaram/

In Part 2, Ana Andjelic and Amy Odell break down Meghan Markle’s new brand As Ever, how The Row quietly built one of the most powerful luxury brands in fashion, and what's next for Chiara Ferragni after her acquittal. Part 2 is available to paid subscribers at backrow.net (which includes full newsletter access) or through Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Celebrity brands are everywhere—but what separates the ones that thrive from those that fail? Can fame alone turn a celebrity idea into a lucrative enterprise? In this episode of the Back Row Podcast, Amy Odell sits down with branding expert Ana Andjelic (former Chief Brand Officer of Esprit & Banana Republic, author, and the voice behind the newsletter The Sociology of Business) to break down the secret formula behind the most successful celebrity businesses. From Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop to Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty and Hailey Bieber’s billion-dollar sale of Rhode, they explore why fame alone isn’t enough, how authenticity clashes with marketing hype, and what it really takes to turn star-power into a lasting cultural phenomenon. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction: Why some celebrity brands succeed while others fail 03:20 – What is Gwyneth Paltrow even selling at Goop? And with the relaunched Gwyn clothing line? 09:10 – The death of quiet luxury: where does Gwyn fit? 10:50 – Apple Martin and Gwyneth’s viral Calvin Klein moment 11:30 – What’s kept audiences captivated by Gwyneth for 30 years 18:00 – Predicting the future of Gwyneth’s brands 21:10 – Alex Cooper and Unwell Hydration is more than just trendy water 29:00 – The key to Hailey Bieber’s $1 billion brand deal 32:45 – Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty is playing the long game 35:00 – Shay Mitchell and Toddler Face Masks: rage bait or reputation ruin 36:00 – Meghan Markle’s brand As Ever: “Last time I talked about her, I got raked over the coals” Links & Resources Back Row Newsletter Amy Odell - Instagram Ana Andjelic: Instagram The Sociology of Business (Newsletter) The Business of Aspiration (Book) Hitmakers (Book) This episode was produced by Amy Odell and edited by Amy Odell and Jonathan Voytko. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the second half of Amy Odell’s conversation with brand strategist Ana Andjelic, they look at why some celebrity-backed brands struggle to find focus while others quietly build lasting power — from Meghan Markle’s As Ever (00:08) to The Row’s disciplined luxury strategy (6:00). Also: Chiara Ferragni’s post-scandal brand trajectory and what it reveals about the limits of influencer-driven businesses (12:52). Upgrade your subscription to paid through Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or sign up at ⁠https://www.backrow.net/⁠ for access to all podcasts episodes and Back Row articles.

On this holiday episode of The Back Row Podcast, Amy Odell shares a special installment of Retail Confessions, featuring an anonymous interview with a former Harrods sales associate. The interviewee discussed what it was really like working on the shop floor at one of the world’s most famous luxury department stores — from intense sales pressure and demanding clients to the unspoken rules of the über-rich. To preserve anonymity, the interviewee’s responses are read by Amy’s husband, Rick. Sign up for Back Row Premium to hear more episodes like this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Retail Confessions is back — this time inside Chanel at Bergdorf Goodman. In this episode of Back Row Premium, a former Bergdorf Goodman sales associate shares what it was really like working in Chanel’s boutique at one of the most elite department stores in the world, from men shopping for mistresses (1:24) and the unspoken hierarchy of VIP clients (3:30) to the bag Chanel sales associates had to be specially trained to sell (6:24). As always, names are withheld — but the details aren’t. Retail Confessions is a recurring Back Row series featuring anonymous, firsthand accounts from inside fashion’s most powerful brands.

Amy Odell talks with model and writer Lauren Chan about what she calls a "recession of size inclusion" in fashion. After years of progress, brands are reverting back to casting “straight size” models by default —and the consequences go far beyond aesthetics. Lauren shares a fashion week story that captures the problem perfectly: a major entertainment cover shoot featuring a size-12/14 talent had no designer samples available, Amy and Lauren discuss why it matters when the fashion industry ignores bigger bodies; how AI will affect body diversity in fashion; the impact of GLP-1s; and more. Follow Lauren Chan on Instagram. Follow Amy Odell on Instagram. Subscribe to the Back Row newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's that time of year... predictions season! Amy reviews how well her predictions fared last year (1:07) and makes fashion predictions for 2026 on The Met Gala (3:25); Chloe Malle's first Vogue cover (4:21); celebrity brands (6:14); AI (6:50); and more. Plus, the "Loose Threads" news roundup 10:53). (This is the audio version of the Back Row newsletter published January 6, 2026.)

FOR PART TWO OF THIS PODCAST, sign up for Back Row Premium in Apple or Spotify. In part two, Amy gets Dana Thomas's thoughts on Emily in Paris after watching it for the first time; how French attitudes toward plastic surgery compare to those in America; and how the French feel about the Bezos billionaire lifestyle. In this episode of the Back Row podcast, veteran fashion journalist Dana Thomas joins Amy Odell to talk about Emily in Paris! She reveals what it was really like to actually live the fantasy of moving to Paris at 18 years old to work in fashion, how it influenced her style, and how actual French fashion is so different from the show. CHAPTERS 00:00 Why Emily in Paris works as fantasy 01:30 Dana Thomas’s real “Emily in Paris” story 03:40 Modeling and learning French beauty and style rules 06:40 French chic vs. American cool 09:50 Life as a teenage model in the 1980s 12:00 Falling in love and moving to Paris 14:00 How French women actually dress 17:20 Scarves are very important 22:30 The French style formula, explained 26:20 Handbags, pockets, and why French women don’t carry much 29:00 Men’s style in Paris vs. the "Emily in Paris" fantasy Links & Resources: Back Row newsletter Amy Odell - Instagram Dana Thomas Instagram Deluxe (book) Gods & Kings (book) Fashionopolis (book) Style Files (newsletter) This episode was produced by Amy Odell and edited by Amy Odell and Jonathan Voytko. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gwyneth Paltrow has long been known for promoting various wellness fads that drive experts crazy. Long before she was publicly singing the praises of raw dairy products, she would publish "detox" diets each January. These were the foundation of Goop's wellness business. In this excerpt from Amy's latest book Gwyneth: The Biography, hear about how Goop began, how its viral diet advice generated great controversy (along with invaluable notoriety) in its early days, and how health and medical experts felt about it all. Get the full Gwyneth audiobook here. Get Gwyneth: The Biography in hardcover or ebook here. Audio excerpt courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio from Gwyneth by Amy Odell, read by Chante McCormick. Copyright © 2025 by Amy Odell. Used with permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What can we glean about Condé Nast's politics from recent current events? Teen Vogue has been shuttered, but Vanity Fair's Trump 2.0 package was a journalistic achievement of the sort rarely seen these days. Anna Wintour is a known Democratic supporter and fundraiser, yet she's been cozying up to the Trump-supporting Bezoses for Met Gala money. Amy Odell is joined by comedians and cultural critics Claire Parker and Ashley Hamilton, who host the highly addictive and excellent Good Noticings podcast, to figure out what this all says about Condé Nast right now. Plus, Melania Trump’s $40 million documentary, and how it ties back to all of this. Chapters: 0:00 – Welcoming the Good Noticings podcast 0:37 – Vanity Fair’s major Trump 2.0 article and what it says about Condé Nast 4:42 – Anna Wintour is leaning into controversy 6:30 – Why did the Trump team do the Vanity Fair story? 7:15 – Christopher Anderson’s photo spread 8:53 – The discourse around Karoline Leavitt’s lip filler 15:16 – Reacting to Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos sponsoring the Met Gala 25:34 – The fashion relevancy of Melania Trump’s $40 million documentary 29:26 – Would Vogue put Melania on the cover? Speculation! 33:06 – How will controversy affect the Met Gala’s future? Links & Resources: Good Noticings Podcast Apple⁠⁠ Spotify TikTok: @goodnoticingspod Instagram: @goodnoticingspodThe Olivia Nuzzi Good Noticings episode Claire Parker Instagram: @clairethescare Ashley Hamilton Instagram: @ashleyhammm Back Row Newsletter ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ Amy Odell Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can a 2.5-hour artsy, originally scripted film open at the box office? The Marty Supreme cast is so determined to get us to the theater for this movie that they're wearing full monochromatic orange for promotional appearances. Gwyneth Paltrow is being strategic with her fashion choices in other ways, and helping daughter Apple's prospects in the process. This is the audio version of the Back Row newsletter published Thursday, December 18, 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this series, Amy interviews luxury retail workers about what it's really like to sell the world's most expensive and exclusive fashion to the world's wealthiest people. In this installment from the Back Row newsletter (read as usual with the help of Amy's husband Rick): an ex-Ralph Lauren employee who worked at the store in the aughts and 2010s, helping Anna Wintour (2:19), Guy Ritchie (5:14), Sarah Jessica Parker (6:19), and more. Also, horror stories involving rats (7:59), nightmare customers (9:11), and more.