Imani Ellis: The Creative Collective and CultureCon Founder and CEO

This week, we are giving a second listen to our very special episode with Lili Reinhart. Reinhart is an actor, producer, and founder of the skincare brand Personal Day. She knew she wanted to be an actor from a young age and spent her tween and teenage years auditioning, self-taping, and begging her parents to let her finish schooling online so she could concentrate on her craft. At 19, she was cast as Betty Cooper on the hit CW show Riverdale and spent the next seven years in a nonstop filming and production cycle. During this busy period of life, she still found time to pursue outside projects, publishing a book of poetry in 2020 and founding a production company. When Riverdale ended in 2023, it allowed her a moment to pause and consider what she wanted to work on going forward. Since then, she’s been developing projects with her production company that ignore the mainstream in favor of tackling topics like mental health. She’s taken on a few acting projects, like the TV series Hal & Harper, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last month. She also spent two years developing her skincare line, Personal Day,and has been receiving great reviews for its nonirritating formulas and effective solutions for acne-prone skin. Since this episode’s original release, Reinhart’s career has continued to thrive, and her latest project, The Love Hypothesis, premieres on September 23.

This week, Who What Wear senior fashion editor Anna LaPlaca and Associate Director Kristen Nichols headed straight from their final shows to the studio to recap all things New York Fashion Week. They dive into it all, from their most anticipated shows to designers on the rise to the trends to look out for come spring. Plus, they reveal the best color to incorporate into your spring wardrobe.Watch this episode on our new YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠, and be sure to subscribe!

Annie Meyers-Shyer is the creator of the social media phenomenon and book This Oak House. However, before embarking on a renovation project that would turn her into an "accidental influencer," Meyers-Shyer started her career in the fashion industry. She first worked for InStyle magazine and then Harper's Bazaar. For a period, she transitioned into the tech space as the fashion director of MySpace, but she soon returned to the traditional fashion space, working in PR at Chanel. After working at Chanel for six years, she left to focus on being a mom full-time. When her mother-in-law moved out of her Los Angeles home, Meyers-Shyer decided she wanted to take on the home and, thus, a renovation project. She documented her journey on Instagram for her friends to stay updated, and what began as a small, casual account blossomed into a community of over 200,000 followers. Today, she has taken her renovation journey and documented it in a book called This Oak House, which releases tomorrow.

This week, Hillary Kerr is joined by the prolific creative director of Coach: Stuart Vevers. Vevers has had a wide-ranging career, from his first job at Calvin Klein in the 1990s to his roles as creative director at both Mulberry and Loewe. He talks all things Coach, including the brand's legacy and its upcoming New York Fashion Week show—which is happening today! Plus, he shares how he approaches designing for the younger generations and why he thinks the Tabby and Brooklyn bags have gained cult followings.  Watch this episode on our new YouTube channel, and be sure to subscribe!

Jess Rona is a content creator, the founder of Jess Rona Grooming Salon, and the founder of the new dogcare brand Shmoop. Before she had her own dog-grooming empire, Rona dreamed of becoming an actress. At 18, while pursuing her acting dreams, she got a job as a dog bather at PetSmart in Los Angeles. While working this job, she slowly began to learn how to groom as well. She took a break from dog grooming to move to New York City and start doing improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade. She ultimately returned to Los Angeles and began dog grooming once again, even participating in grooming competitions. Eventually, she opened her own grooming business out of her garage, transitioning into being her own boss. Then, her slow-motion dog-grooming videos on social media began to go viral, which helped her business take off. She moved her grooming salon to a brick-and-mortar location in Larchmont Village, and now, Rona is about to launch Shmoop, "a beauty brand for every dog."