8. Knockoffs

8. Knockoffs

Author: Avery Trufelman June 24, 2020 Duration: 31:00

Brands hold immense sway over both consumers and the American legal system. Few know this as well as Dapper Dan, who went from street hustler to fashion impresario and has spent time on both sides of American trademark law.

Articles of Interest is a limited-run podcast series about fashion, housed inside the design and architecture podcast 99% Invisible. Launched in 2018 by Avery Trufelman, the show encourages people to rethink the way we look at what we wear and what it says about us.

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Avery Trufelman’s Articles of Interest digs into the often overlooked stories stitched into the fabric of our daily lives. This isn't just a fashion podcast in the conventional sense; it’s a deep, curious exploration of why we wear what we wear, treating clothing as a tangible record of culture, labor, identity, and even rebellion. Each episode feels like unfolding a carefully preserved garment from a trunk, revealing the hidden histories and complex meanings in everything from blue jeans and pockets to specific uniforms and forgotten trends. Trufelman’s approach is both personal and rigorously researched, blending narrative storytelling with insightful interviews. Listeners hear the rustle of taffeta and the hum of sewing machines, but also the voices of designers, historians, and everyday people, all piecing together how our wardrobe choices reflect deeper societal shifts. The series, nestled within the broader Arts and Beauty landscape, redefines these categories by arguing that what we put on our bodies is one of our most intimate forms of expression and communication. Tune in for a thoughtful, beautifully produced journey that will change the way you look at your own closet and the world walking past you on the street.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 60

Articles of Interest
Podcast Episodes
9. Perfume [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:44
The world of high end perfume is surprisingly lucrative, considering that scent is often the most ignored of our senses. But one can't judge a scent solely by the brand and shape of the bottle. With the right amount of a…
7. A Fantasy of Fashion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:52
In the wake of World War II, the government of France commissioned its most prominent designers to create a collection of miniature fashion dolls. It might seem like an odd thing to fund, but the fantasy of high fashion…
Theme Music by Sasami [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:36
"Articles of Interest" theme song by Sasami Ashworth Sasami’s new album is out now. Get it! Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
6. Punk Style [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:48
There is this myth that it’s frivolous or unproductive to care about how you look. Clothing and fashion get trivialized a lot. But think about who get associated with clothing and fashion: young people, women, queers and…
5. Blue Jeans [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:05
For the most part, we tend to keep our clothes relatively clean and avoid spills and rips and tears. But denim is so hard-wearing and hard-working that it just kind of amasses more and more signs of wear. So you can lear…
4. Hawaiian Shirts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:18
There are a few ways to tell if you’re looking at an authentic, high-quality aloha shirt. If the pockets match the pattern, that’s a good sign, but it’s not everything. Much of understanding an aloha shirt is about payin…
3. Pockets [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:13
Womenswear is littered with fake pockets that don’t open, or shallow pockets that can hardly hold more than a paperclip. If women’s clothes have pockets at all, they are often smaller and just fit less than men’s pockets…
2. Plaid [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:55
Lumberjacks wore plaid. Punks wore plaid mini skirts. The Beach Boys used to be called the Pendletones, and they wore plaid with their surfboards. Lots of different groups have adopted the pattern over the course of the…
1. Kids' Clothes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:43
Clothes are records of the bodies we’ve lived in. Think of the old sweater that you used to have that’s just not your style anymore, or the jeans that just aren’t your size anymore. We are like snakes who shed our skins…