Graydon Carter

Graydon Carter

Author: Bella Freud May 21, 2025 Duration: 56:41
Graydon Carter is a celebrated Canadian journalist, editor, and cultural commentator best known for his 25 years as the Editor of Vanity Fair. Born in Toronto, Graydon Carter began his career in journalism in Canada where he co-founded Spy magazine in 1986. The satirical monthly became famous for its sharp, irreverent take on media, politics, and celebrity culture, establishing him as a critical voice in American media. In 1992, Graydon Carter became the editor at Vanity Fair, transforming the magazine into a powerhouse of long-form journalism, celebrity profiles, and cultural commentary. Under his leadership Vanity Fair became known for its investigative reporting - breaking a number of key political scandals; also the much anticipated photographic spreads and covers featuring Hollywood stars, shot by the legendary photographer Annie Liebovitz. Graydon Carter stepped down from Vanity Fair in 2017, founding Air Mail, a digital weekly aimed at worldly readers interested in culture, politics, and style. With his signature wit and curatorial flair, he has published his memoir 'When The Going Was Good' with author James Fox. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Graydon Carter discuss the joys of ironing, creating desirable trinkets for people to 'take home' from the Vanity Fair party, and whether it was Aerosmith's Steve Tyler, or Kate Moss who actually said 'nothing tastes like skinny feels.' 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
Helena Bonham Carter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:59
Helena Bonham Carter is an English actress. Known for her portrayals of interesting, singular women, she rose to fame playing Lucy Honeychurch in A Room with a View in 1985, and the titular character in Lady Jane in 1986…
Willy Chavarria [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:29
Willy Chavarria is an American fashion designer. Born and raised in California, he studied graphic design at the Academy of the Arts, and got his start in clothing design working in the shipping department at Joe Boxer,…
Annie Leibovitz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:54
Annie Leibovitz is one of the most influential contemporary American photographers. Born in Connecticut, Leibovitz moved frequently in her childhood due to father’s position in the US Air Force. She took her first photos…
Richard Russell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:19
Richard Russell is a record producer, musician, and the owner of XL Recordings. Richard joined XL as an A&R Scout in 1991, and in 1992 released the single The Bouncer with XL co-founder Nick Halkes, which was featured on…
IB Kamara [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:02
IB Kamara is a stylist, journalist, musician, and creative director. Born in Sierra Leone, IB moved to The Gambia as a child to escape from civil war, settling in London aged sixteen. Kamara studied Fashion & Communicati…
Rosalía [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:01
Rosalía is a Grammy award winning Spanish singer-songwriter. Her work transcends genre, blending folk, avant-pop, hip-hop, jazz, reggaeton, and traditional flamenco. Born and raised in Catalonia, Rosalía has a degree in…
Alexa Chung [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:33
Alexa Chung is a presenter, writer, model, and photographer. A muse to many in the creative industry, Alexa is globally recognised for her impact on fashion and culture. After modelling in her teenage years, Alexa went o…
Arthur Jafa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:13
Arthur Jafa is an American artist. Raised in Mississippi, he studied architecture and film at Howard University, and has been working as a filmmaker and artist for over four decades. He has had a successful career as a c…
Tessa Thompson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:34
Tessa Thompson is an American actor. Her father is the musician Marc Antony Thompson who founded the musical collective Chocolate Genius Inc. She was raised between New York and Los Angeles, making her stage debut as Ari…
Ocean Vuong [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:52
Ocean Vuong is a Vietnamese-American author, poet, and professor. Born in Vietnam, Ocean Vuong came to America aged two and was raised in Hartford, Connecticut, working in his mother’s nail salon from an early age. He re…