Second Life

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.

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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."

Marissa Schwartz is the costume designer behind the hit new Amazon Prime Video series Sterling Point. The show has gained acclaim for its fresh perspective on the YA genre and its commitment to representing its Gen Z characters authentically in the dialogue, the acting, and, of course, the outfits. In this episode, Schwartz shares how she approached dressing each of the characters and which brands she leaned on—from Chanel to Bode to Still Here—to help tell the story.

Watch this episode on our new YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠, and be sure to subscribe!

Roxana Saidi is the founder and CEO of Táche. However, before she founded her pistachio-milk brand, Saidi graduated with a degree in marketing and got her first job out of college in public relations in Los Angeles. She then founded a social media agency that eventually grew into a creative and brand strategy agency called Rx Social. She later moved to New York and transitioned into consulting, but while on a trip with her family, she was struck by an idea for a brand offering nut milk made from pistachios, which were a staple in her Middle Eastern household as a child. Her research proved that pistachio milk could be more sustainable than almond milk and more nutritious than oat milk, so she started Táche by experimenting in her kitchen and launched the brand in 2020. Táche quickly found its way into high-end cafés and grocery stores, such as Erewhon and Sprouts, and the brand recently entered Whole Foods with its three-ingredient pistachio milk.