Alexi Wasser

Alexi Wasser

Author: Bella Freud January 28, 2026 Duration: 59:01
Alexi Wasser is a New York–based filmmaker, writer, and actor whose work blends razor-sharp comedy with raw emotional candor. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Wasser’s late father was the photojournalist Julian Wasser, who photographed 20th century cultural icons including Joan Didion and Jack Nicholson, and her mother Leslie Knauer is a musician who was in rock bands in the 1970s and ‘80s.  Wasser’s feature directorial debut, Messy - which she also wrote, produced, and stars in - was released in 2025. Messy is an intimate portrait of romantic humiliation, self-discovery, and reinvention in New York, drawing inspiration from the work of Nora Ephron and Carrie Fisher. As an actor, Wasser has appeared in acclaimed series including Rian Johnson’s Poker Face (Peacock), HBO’s Girls, and Search Party. She is currently developing her second feature, a modern-day New York comedy about the humiliations, disappointments, and occasional joys of adult life. Wasser continues to craft deeply personal comedic stories that interrogate identity, intimacy, and reinvention with an honesty and edge entirely her own.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Alexi Wasser discuss directing your own sex scenes, big feet, and the tyranny of looking for love. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud, the iconic designer turns her studio into something closer to a therapist's office. Every episode, a guest settles in for a conversation that starts with the fabric of our lives-literally. Bella Freud guides discussions that pick apart why we wear what we do, treating a wardrobe choice not as a trivial concern but as a window into our deeper selves. These aren't typical interviews about trends; they're meandering, personal explorations. You’ll hear stories about the power of a specific scent, the armor of a well-cut jacket, or the nostalgia tied to a childhood uniform. Naturally, the dialogue in this podcast often spirals into much broader territory, touching on the anxieties, cultural shifts, and personal histories that shape us. Freud shares her own vivid anecdotes generously, creating a space where fashion becomes the starting point for talking about everything from love and politics to the very construction of identity. The result is a series of intimate, sometimes surprising dialogues that reveal how the things we put on our bodies are inextricably linked to what’s happening in our minds and in the world around us.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 68

Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud
Podcast Episodes
Zandra Rhodes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:42
Dame Zandra Rhodes is an English fashion designer. She originally became famous for her beautiful, wildly coloured textile prints, going on to design her first collection in 1969. She started experimenting with her own l…
Kojey Radical [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:40
Kojey Radical is a British musician and visual artist. Born and raised in East London, Kojey - real name Kwadwo Adu Genfi Amponsah - studied Fashion Illustration at the London College of Fashion and has been described as…
Rachel Kushner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:18
Rachel Kushner is an American author and essayist. The daughter of two beatnik scientists, Kushner began her Bachelor’s degree in political economy at the University of California aged 16, and then moved to San Francisco…
Amelia Dimoldenberg [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:28
Amelia Dimoldenberg is an English comedian, writer, and the creator and presenter of her sensational Youtube series Chicken Shop Date. Chicken Shop Date began as a column in a youth club magazine, originally focusing on…
John Malkovich [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:02
John Malkovich is an award-winning American film star, theatre actor and director. After ten years in Chicago as an original member of the legendary Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Malkovich made his Broadway debut in 1984…
Fashion Neurosis Greatest Hits vol. 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:12
In this episode of Fashion Neurosis Mashup I have pulled out some of my favourite moments with the fascinating guests who have graced the couch. I hope you enjoy. Please keep subscribing and liking if you can. See you in…
Nick Knight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:46:07
Nick Knight is among the world's most influential and visionary image makers and the founder and director of award-winning fashion film website SHOWstudio.com. He has consistently challenged conventional notions of beaut…
Mia Khalifa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:36
Sarah Joe AKA Mia Khalifa is a Lebanese-American media personality, activist, and entrepreneur, known for her charismatic presence online and her bold advocacy work. She first rose to public attention in 2014 aged 21 whe…
Beth Ditto [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:25
Beth Ditto is an American singer and songwriter. She is best known for her hugely popular Indie rock band Gossip and her advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. Her voice has been compared to that of Janis Joplin and Tina Turner. Sh…
Alessandro Michele [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:13
Alessandro Michele, creative director of Valentino, is an Italian fashion designer. He is widely regarded as one of the most visionary and transformative figures in contemporary fashion. He came to prominence with his gr…