Fashion critic Rachel Tashjian joins Amy Odell to unpack the biggest shifts happening right now in fashion media. From Vogue’s future to the creator vs. critic debate, AI-generated fashion models, $26,000 Versace dresses, and why fashion discourse seems to be getting meaner.
Rachel, formerly the...
Fashion critic Rachel Tashjian joins Amy Odell to unpack the biggest shifts happening right now in fashion media. From Vogue’s future to the creator vs. critic debate, AI-generated fashion models, $26,000 Versace dresses, and why fashion discourse seems to be getting meaner.
Rachel, formerly the Fashion Critic at the Washington Post and now Senior Style Reporter for CNN, breaks down:
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro: Amy Odell welcomes Rachel Tashjian
00:21 – Rachel’s new role at CNN
02:34 – Why video matters in fashion journalism
03:54 – Are people still reading? Changing media habits
04:22 – Amy on books, audiobooks, and audience shifts
05:49 – The rising tension in fashion discourse online
07:16 – When commentary overshadows the clothes
08:22 – Algorithms flatten expertise in fashion
09:29 – Creators vs. traditional editors: a 15-year evolution
10:43 – Substack, TikTok, and where fashion criticism lives now
11:35 – Access, honesty, and the cost of true criticism
12:46 – Do creators need editors? The “no safety net” problem
13:19 – Dior controversy: when brands exclude influencers
14:31 – Should influencers follow critic standards?
15:35 – Does Vogue still matter in 2025?
17:06 – Why Vogue covers still trigger huge reactions
18:33 – Anna Wintour’s influence across culture
19:32 – How AI is about to transform fashion media
20:55 – Performative fashion vs. post-Instagram design
22:33 – Can AI replace fashion creators?
23:54 – AI’s role in fashion advertising and image-making
24:43 – Will AI replace human fashion voices?
25:31 – The future: will Vogue become just covers?
27:14 – The price conundrum: $26,000 dresses and who they’re for
28:55 – What fashion brands really want from the public
30:49 – TikTok’s misinformation problem in fashion
31:49 – The Vogue rumor and how fake fashion news spreads
31:57 – Three fashion creators Rachel loves
33:29 – Three fashion creators Amy loves
Links & resources:
Back Row newsletter
https://amyodell.substack.com
Amy Odell Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/instamyodell/
Rachel Tashjian
CNN announcement: https://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2025/10/07/rachel-tashjian-joins-cnn-as-senior-style-reporter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprophetpizza/
Creators mentioned
Kim Russell @TheKimbino: https://www.instagram.com/thekimbino/
Jay Tibbits: https://www.instagram.com/jaytibbitts/
Rashida Renée @:howtobeafuckinglady: https://www.instagram.com/howtobeafuckinglady/
Mandy Lee @OldLoserinBrooklyn: https://www.instagram.com/oldloserinbrooklyn/
Timothy Chernyaev @relaxitsonlyfashion on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@relaxitsonlyfashion?lang=en
Fashion Roadman: https://www.youtube.com/@FashionRoadman/videos
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