It took over a year after the untimely death of Virgil Abloh for Louis Vuitton to announce who would be taking over in his role as men’s creative director. But the reactions to the announcement that famed musician Pharrell Williams was the pick were instantaneous.

On this week’s episode, we discuss New York Fashion Week, including the possibility of spectacle overshadowing the clothes, and the impactful moments and looks from the week. Also in the show: a discussion of Pharrell Williams taking over as men’s creative director at Louis Vuitton.

But in an industry increasingly focused on spectacle and a media landscape that forces brands to compete for attention with the endless scrolls of TikTok feeds, can clothes speak for themselves?

At both Another Tomorrow and Tanner Fletcher, the emphasis was on clothes that could be personally styled by the people who wear them.

Phoebe Philo’s return date was announced, as Philo stans rejoiced. Elsewhere last week, Balenciaga and Adidas revealed negative impacts of their 2022 controversies, and NYFW officially kicked off.

Like September’s NYFW, it feels like a pre-pandemic fashion week. But not all the throwbacks to old times are good.

This week, we discuss news from Capri Holdings’ earnings report about the future of luxury, the first glimpse of Daniel Lee’s vision for Burberry, including a new logo, and the verdict in the Hermés MetaBirkins lawsuit and its implications for fashion NFTs.

After spending the last two years focusing on his business’s booming growth in China, Alexander Wang made his New York return last night. Based on the attendance, you’d never know his brand was tarnished just two years earlier.

While there are plenty of wellness brands founded by female celebrities, the last two years have seen an influx of male celebrity-founded beauty and wellness brands. From Harry Styles to Brad Pitt to Michael Strahan, dozens of celebs have brought new brands to market since Pharrell launched Humanrace in late...