“What is a podcast? I’ve never seen one.”
So began this week’s interview with Fran Lebowitz, who joined us on The Run-Through for a delightful and hilarious conversation about everything from novelty cufflinks to the truth about nepo babies to her beauty routine: “I take a shower.”
This Saturday, October 21, Lebowitz will take to the stage of Kings Theatre in Brooklyn for a conversation with author Marlon James. We felt this was as good a reason as any to sit down with New York’s favorite and wisest curmudgeon, whose collections of essays Metropolitan Life (1978) and Social Studies (1981) are some of the great books about New York City and its social mores.
Lebowitz joined us in the studio wearing a brand new Anderson Sheppard blazer—gray pinstriped cashmere wool—with her signature Levis 501 cuffed jeans. Lebowitz is loyal to the famed Savile Row tailors, who originally told her they don’t make clothing for women (except Marlene Dietrich). She finally wore them down, and now they have a dedicated dummy—a Frannequin!—with her measurements.
Lebowitz is known for this uniform, but she had many thoughts about the trends prevalent on the streets of New York City: “I think there is a worldwide mirror famine.” She also noted that platforms were a bad idea the first two times they were in fashion, and said that she’s frequently approached by 20-somethings who tell her how they wish they’d lived in New York in the 1970s, when Lebowitz first moved to the city. Her response for them: “It’s more fun to be in your 20s in the ’70s than in your 70s in the ’20s.”
Lately she’s been attending New York Liberty games, and has been called a good luck charm for the team. She no longer, however, attends fashion shows since, as she said, “they stopped being about the clothes.” Our loss!
We also chatted with Vogue Runway’s José Criales-Unzueta, who just returned from Shanghai Fashion Week with tales to tell and reviews to share. There’s the new Moschino designer, the Eras and Renaissance tour movies coming out, and it’s Chioma’s last week in the New York City office. But perhaps most importantly, we mention Vogue.com’s post on how to help civilians in Israel and Gaza.
