Sighs and Whispers

10/06/2023

For my latest episode of , I spoke with the wonderful Whitaker Malem —leather artisans and the visionaries behind many iconic pop culture looks. I met with them in February (yes, I am very behind) at their home and workshop in London, where we had a long chat about all aspects of their career, their inspirations, how they developed their signature molded leather work, and much more. As you can see from the very varied images above, it’s impossible to distill Patrick Whitaker and Keir Malem’s career into just ten photos. Once their totally unique leather bustiers and jackets were discovered by the fashion press and boutiques, they soon found their way onto the bodies of pop and rock stars who clamored for custom designs. Collaborations followed with designers like Alexander McQueen (including the gladiator style they made for one of his Givenchy collections, seen on in the first photo), Tommy Hilfiger, and Hussein Chalayan. Since the early 2000s, they have helped costume over 25 films—becoming the go-to artisans for all things superhero and warrior. Additionally, Whitaker Malem have closely collaborated with Allen Jones (the subject of my last podcast) for over thirty years. As you can imagine with such a varied career, we had lots of talk about—you can find the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. ❤️❤️❤️

07/13/2023

For the latest episode, I sat down with one of my absolute most favourite artists ever, Allen Jones. In February I flew to London, and on my first day—very jetlagged—I took a train out to Oxfordshire to meet him at his rural home and studio. At 85, Allen still paints daily in his sizeable barn-like studio in the beautiful English countryside. You will likely know Allen for his sculptures of pneumatic female mannequins as furniture—a chair, a hat stand, and a table—or his work with Kate Moss or his many paintings riffing on fe**sh imagery and gender. It was a dream come true chatting with Allen (thank you ) and then having lunch with him and his wife in their beautiful old farmhouse.We spoke at length about when he moved to New York in 1964, lived in the Chelsea Hotel, fell in with the American pop artists, and then took a long road trip around the country—and how that trip had such a massive impact on his work, from his introduction to fe**sh magazines to the development of a more hard-edged painting style. He tells stories about Claes Oldenburg, Frank Lloyd Wright, his childhood in the London suburbs, seeing Charlotte Moorman play the cello n**e at a party, teaching, and much more. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, and Spotify—and visit the website to learn and see more. ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

06/18/2023

My latest interview for is with author, journalist, activist and founding editor of Ms. Magazine, Letty Cottin Pogrebin. I first came across the name Letty Cottin Pogrebin while reading biographies of Helen Gurley Brown and Jacqueline Susann (seen above with Letty in the first image). From 1960 to 1970, Letty was director of publicity and later vice presidfnt of the publishing company Bernard Geis Associates. She rose to publicity director at just 20 years old, her smart and innovative ways of marketing books sending shockwaves through the industry and helping to make giant bestsellers of books like Helen Gurley Brown's 'S*x and the Single Girl and Jacqueline Susann's 'Valley of the Doll! While working there she wrote her first book, 'How to Make It in a Man's World, which laid out how to survive and excel in business as a young working woman; I read it a decade ago and have been trying to set up an interview with her for years.
Based on a good review Letty's book received in the New York Times, Betty Friedan invited her to attend the Organizing Convention for the National Women's Political Caucus in 1971; listening to hours of discussion on women's issues proved to be a revelation for Letty, who emerged a dedicated feminist. At that convention she met Gloria Steinem; together they founded Ms. magazine in 1972. Over her career, Letty has written eleven books and edited three centering on subjects around the family, raising children, friendship, being a working woman, aging, and Judaism. Her latest book, 'Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secree,' was released last year; in it, she unfurls generations of secrets in her family and discusses how the Jewish teaching of "Shanda," or shame, perpetuated constant paranoia and secrecy. She was a delight to talk to; you can listen to our conversation and hear her stories on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Soundcloud. 💖💖💖

06/01/2023

In the latest episode, I chat with novelist, screenwriter and TV producer James Fritzhand. I first came across James Fritzhand’s work through an ad in the July 1978 issue of Cosmopolitan. Advertising his novel Dream Babies, between the title scrawled in lipstick and the headline “They’re Hollywood’s Wild Children, Who’ve Got it All – But Want More,” I knew it would be just the kind of trashy showbusiness novel I love. I found it on eBay, thoroughly enjoyed it, and started ordering more—from a roman à clef about Jean Nidetch, the founder of WeightWatchers ('The New Body'), to a thinly veiled one about Barbara Streisand ('Starring,' I couldn't find my copy), to sagas, adventure novels and gothics under a number of pseudonyms. Fritzhand is the author of eighteen novels. When I started researching him, I discovered that after a successful career as a commercial writer in the 1970s and early 1980s, James switched to TV—writing for many of the major prime-time soaps of the era: Falcon Crest, Flamingo Road, and Hotel (which he also produced for a season).
I tracked him down in northern California and we spoke on the phone a few months ago—discussing everything from his childhood in Crown Heights in the 1950s and 60s, discovering himself as a writer, the publishing industry in the 1970s, how he went from literary novels to popular fiction to TV writing, soap opera gossip, meeting his partner of 46 years in the o**y room of a gay bathhouse, and escaping showbusiness for a quiet life. His debut novel, 'Son of the Great American Novel,' has recently been rediscovered and will be re-released next year with a new foreword. You can listen to our conversation on all podcast platforms and learn more about James on our website. 💜💜💜

05/06/2023

If you are looking for something to listen to this weekend, I just released the latest episode the podcast: an interview with art director, author and educator Steven Heller. Steven is the author, co-author or editor of over 200 books on graphic design, illustration and political art—among them a wonderful memoir about his time working in the alternative press in his teens and early 20s in the late 60s/early 70s, 'Growing Up Underground: A Memoir of Counterculture New York.' As much of my scholarly work looks at countercultural dress and media, we discuss all of that as well as his over thirty years working as an art director at the New York Times. Above are a bunch of the covers he designed for Screw, Gay, Mobster Times (all three Al Goldstein publications), Andy Warhol's Interview (which he redesigned in 1971), Rock, the New York Free Press, and the New York Review of S*x & Politics (which he helped found as a teen). Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Soundcloud—visit the link in bio/stories to learn more. ❤️❤️❤️

03/15/2023

Late last spring I interviewed illustrator Emanuel Schongut about his career and life—I finally uploaded that episode to last month. Sadly, he passed away in December at age 86—go listen to our conversation, if you haven't yet, as Manny was very sharp and full of stories about working as an artist in New York and San Francisco from the 1950s to today. Luckily, in the fall before his death, he worked with on a zine detailing his incredible 1960s book covers—it has just been published by and is a wonderful document of Manny's memories and inspiring work. 💔

11/04/2022

While I was in LA in September, I had the wonderful honour of interviewing Joan Agajanian Quinn for the latest episode of the podcast. Joan is an art collector, journalist, editor, and muse. Perhaps more than any other LA resident, Joan Quinn has single-handedly contributed to Los Angeles becoming an art capital. In addition to being the West Coast editor of Andy Warhol's Interview in the late 70s and 80s, Joan hosted a public access arts interview show for over 30 years—continually promoting artists and sharing her passion with others. Joan is just wonderful—so warm, so friendly, so open. We talk about everything from growing up in LA and the changes its undergone over the last 80 years, all her artist and fashion designer friends (Zandra Rhodes, Issey Miyake, Allen Jones, Divine, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Warhol, and on and on), parties, clothes, and so much more.

As a dear friend to generations of artists, she became their muse—what started as some artist friends painting and sculpting her portrait in the seventies, has now grown into a collection of over 300 portraits of Joan—by everyone from Helmut Newton to the classic Hollywood photographer George Hurrell, it is a completely peerless accumulation. Part of her collection of artworks and portraits is now on view in “On the Edge: Los Angeles Art 1970s – 1990s from the Joan and Jack Quinn Family Collection” at in Watertown, Massachusetts, where it has been extended until January 31st, 2022. Visit the link in bio/stories to listen to our conversation.

1. Joan by George Hurrell, 1985; 2. Emmanuelle Khanh, Joan Quinn and Zandra Rhodes, 1978; 3. Jack and Joan Quinn at home, 1978; 4. Andy Warhol, Joan and Bob Colacello, 1977; 5. Joan and Issey Miyake, 1981; 6. Joan by Antony Donaldson, 2010; 7. Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Joan, 1984; 8. Joan and Prime, 2022; 9. Berta and Frank Geary, Joan, and Chuck Arnoli, 1978; 10. Joan by Robert Mapplethorpe, 1986. 💖💖💖

03/21/2022

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Sigh & Whispers, the newsletter is a place for me to discuss and work through ideas and research for larger projects (books, academic articles, etc.) A place to share and explore interesting subjects that have come to light while researching that don’t necessarily fit within the larger projects. A place to interview and talk with creatives—those outside the age range I converse with on my Sighs & Whispers podcast—about their processes and projects. Within this newsletter I will discuss fashion, art, photography, film, architecture, interior design, food, magazines, fitness, women’s issues—the intersecting mess of culture, society and history that deeply stimulates me and that impacts all aspects of our life today.

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10/09/2018

In honor of last week's news about Saga and the 1,500-year-old Viking sword, here is a model nestled on the vast lap of King Gustav Vasa I in Stockholm's Nordiska Museet, wearing a jersey jumpsuit by Swedish designer Dehå. Photographed by Norman Parkinson for Life magazine, September 27th, 1968. 🌟 ⚔️ 🌟

10/08/2018

A little new moon magic with and her familiar, Flora, in our autumnal bodysuit and skirt—visit to see more photos and to purchase. 🍂🌸🍂 @ Bovina, New York

10/06/2018

To hopefully bring a little levity to your weekend here is the irrepressibly joyful Sylvester and Two Tons of Fun singing "Dance (Disco Heat)" in 1978. ✨🌟✨

10/04/2018

A little of Laser and I in our home for , 2016. I’m wearing a vintage Biba velvet wrap dress (purchased from many moons ago). Thank you again 🌟🐱🌟

10/04/2018

Total with Jerry Hall, 1975. Immaculate makeup by the best, Way Bandy, and photos by Francesco Scavullo. 🌟🌟🌟

10/04/2018

Queen of the night Marie Helvin and kitty for Enrico Coveri per Lips. Scanned from Vogue Italia, October 1977. 🐆🐆🐆

10/03/2018

As it's his 69th birthday, here is Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham shredding on "I'm So Afraid" with Stevie Nicks grooving out in chiffon, denim and a tambourine at a concert in Largo, MD, on October 5th, 1975. 💜

10/02/2018

In honor of World Ballet Day, the dreamiest ballerina ever (in my opinion) Suzanne Farrell doing turns for the most dashing muppet ever, Count von Count. From 'Sesame Street' S16 E2003, which first aired on January 9th, 1985. ✨👯‍♀️🧛🏻‍♂️✨

09/29/2018

The kind of Celine woman I’d wanna be. 🌟 All ads from between 1974 to 1978.

09/27/2018

All the grooviest fashions (including some pieces very recently premiered by Paco Rabanne in his first collection) and dancing of 1966 in this film from the Pl***oy Club in London's Mayfair with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich performing their million-selling single, "Bend It!" 🌟❤️🌟