Creativity in the Time of Capitalism

Welcome to part two of my conversation with Sara Berks, the founder and former CEO of MINNA (2013-2025) who operated from the principle that good design considers far more than aesthetics or even function. Sara and MINNA, her B-Corp certified, artisan produced line of textiles for the home, have been featured in such publications as Vogue, Domino, Dwell, and Martha Stewart. Today we will continue to learn about Sara’s journey at the helm of MINNA, as well as the new project she is currently working on: Portals. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/creativity-in-the-time-of-capitalism/donations

Join me in welcoming my next guest, Sara Berks. Sara is the founder, former CEO and creative director of MINNA (2013–2025), an artisan produced universe of ethically made goods for the home that championed and preserved traditional techniques native to Latin America. Her collection was manufactured through reciprocal relationships with over 400 creators across Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Uruguay and Bolivia.Sara defines good design as something inseparable from consideration for people, the planet, and its resources. In this way, she cultivated a path for herself and her collaborators that saw profit as a means to create dignified, consistent employment and fuel for future collaborations that prioritized cultural preservation and locally sourced materials. Learn more about Sara’s experience at the helm of MINNA, why she made the decision to close, as well as what she is up to today, a new project called Portals.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/creativity-in-the-time-of-capitalism/donations

Description: Today I am joined by Liza Belmonte of Every Body Gets Dressed and a guest co-host, multidisciplinary artist Bec Mapes. We often don't see the effort that it takes to fail, nor do we know the sometimes damaging feats undertaken in the name of avoiding it. But when it comes to failure, what can often feel weighty, shameful, or even hard to admit is in fact, if you ask me, more of a door than a dead end. Bec shares how she confronted the term "failure" head on. And our guest, Liza describes how quick strategic failure became the key that unlocked the door to a life she never knew could have been possible. For me, my own failure says, “I tried”. And in my case, failure was also having the courage to stop, the declaration that I am more valuable than the cost of letting go.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/creativity-in-the-time-of-capitalism/donations

“You can’t outsource community. You have to build it.” A conversation with the multidisciplinary designer on creating community through networks of resilience. I’m very excited to introduce you to my next guest, Christa Clark. She is a multidisciplinary designer with a background in UX (user experience) who stepped away from the corporate sphere to focus on issues that affect her immediate community—from food scarcity and mutual aid to textile recycling and circular economies. Christa is currently been working on several projects, including Material Union, an in-development a textile recycling facility and community resource center that has the potential to create a replicable model for use across the USA where textile recycling infrastructure is sorely lacking (currently 85% of all textiles end up in landfills).Christa reminds us that when the macro feels as dire as it does right now, one of the most liberating things that we can do is to dig deeper into our local communities, forming networks of resilience and mutual aid—something that is rooted in dignity and community, not charity or systems that uphold disparity.My hope with today’s conversation is that everyone can walk away with a bit of hope, license to act, and curiosity. And perhaps a few ways to reframe regular day-to-day decisions—changing the dial just ever so slightly to bring in more empowerment, optimism, collaboration, and engagement with our local communities.Please visit the Creativity in the Time of Capitalism Substack to learn more and for episode resources. Mentioned in this episode: Christa ClarkMutual aidUX/UI designATX Free FridgeFood wasteRedistribution of resourcesMaterial UnionTextile RecyclingFree Fridges Apparel wasteUpcyclingCircular economiesSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/creativity-in-the-time-of-capitalism/donations

Welcome back to part two of my conversation with Shana Tabor. If you have already listened to part one, you're right where you need to be. If you have not listened to the first part of our conversation, I would definitely recommend pausing here and going back to last week's episode. This week, we're going to go further into Shana's journey with In God We Trust, including what those last years looked like, the shifts in her personal life that cracked open a new perspective, and the less obvious driving force behind Shana’s creative business. But perhaps even more than that, we're going to move forward with Shana to where finds herself now. She's spent these past few years in deep consideration of those nearly two decades of running her business—what it looked and felt like on the inside, and not just the outside, what the unconscious motivators were behind some of her decision-making, what she wished she had known then, but is grateful to know now—essentially all of the things that can only be known in hindsight. There are some really key points and interrogations here that will be truly worthwhile for any creative entrepreneur, no matter where you find yourself in your journey.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/creativity-in-the-time-of-capitalism/donations

My next guest is Shana Tabor, the designer and business owner behind In God We Trust (IGWT)—a string of boutiques in Brooklyn and lower Manhattan that carried its own branded collections from 2005-2021. IGWT specialized in women's and men's apparel, jewelry and accessories. Walking into any one of those spaces was like walking into another world. Tabor’s storefronts were beautifully and holistically merchandised—creating a complete environment through everything from the brand’s aesthetic and even sewn in labels, to the shop fixtures and old Americana touches. Shana also opened up her own production facility right in Brooklyn and trained many aspiring jewelry and fashion designers along the way. The period of time that IGWT existed saw wild changes in the independent fashion space, like the advent of social media, a couple of recessions, COVID, and more. I'm truly so honored to be able to share Shana's story now and to give her the space to share it in her own words. She has been reflecting on her time running In God We Trust over the past few years and the insights that she has gleaned are utterly poignant, some a true punch in the gut, others gentle reminders for all creatives. This will be the longest set of interviews that I've published on creativity in the time of capitalism to date. And it is wholly deserved in order to give Shana the space to lay out her creative path. So without further ado, let's get started. And my deepest thanks to Shana for the trust with sharing her story.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/creativity-in-the-time-of-capitalism/donations

From grassroots community to destination platform, inside the curatorial mind of Noihsaf Bazaar's founder and independent fashion's greatest champion. Kate Lindello, is the founder of the cult-favorite site Noihsaf Bazaar. Noihsaf (“fashion” spelled backward) Bazaar is a resale site that began in the early days of Instagram and has since migrated to its own platform. With a focus on exclusively independent designer lines (think Ilana Kohn, Jesse Kamm, Ace & Jig, and Raquel Allegra), Kate created a space that solidified the value of apparel produced outside of mainstream fashion through its second life. Kate began the project as a balm to postpartum depression, seeking connection and community by sharing personal listings on Instagram that came directly from her own closet.This is a recorded phone call between myself and Kate and I that was originally intended only for transcription purposes, and we’ve cleaned it up as much as possible for our listeners. A special thank you to Kate for allowing me to share this off the record conversation. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/creativity-in-the-time-of-capitalism/donations

This episode is the second in a two part conversation with Minnesota based artist and designer, Alexis Stiteler, if you missed part one, please pause and start there. Let’s dive back in.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/creativity-in-the-time-of-capitalism/donations

My next guest is artist and apparel designer Alexis Stiteler. Her collection of small batch, organic and botanically dyed apparel has quickly garnered a cult following for its hauntingly beautiful aesthetic that straddles a dual identity, both garment and artifact. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/creativity-in-the-time-of-capitalism/donations

This episode is the second in a two part conversation with Nigerian based designer, Mukhtara Yusuf, if you missed part one, please pause and start there. In part two, we dive into the context where I first met Mukhtara—fashion. We discussed what it looks like today–it’s deep rootedness in personal storytelling and nostalgia, in cultural violence and erasure, and the very nature of consumerism. Let’s dive back in.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/creativity-in-the-time-of-capitalism/donations

A visual artist, scholar, cultural activist and designer, Mukhtara Yusuf’s work operates in the space of decolonizing design, sustainability, alternative economies and design in the global south. In our conversation, we discuss the seen and unseen aspects of design, including grief, trauma, as well as cultural biases and effacement. I left this conversation with all of my synapses lit up, immersed in bigger and broader questions than I had considered in some time, and I hope the effect will be the same for all of you out there as well. This is part one of a two part conversation.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/creativity-in-the-time-of-capitalism/donations

Welcome to part two of my conversation with Rebecca Mapes, if you missed part one, please be sure to start there.When we left off, Bec had just shared where she found herself after spending three years developing and ultimately releasing her sustainable hair care product under her label Winden. After prioritizing the most sustainable choices possible for the manufacturing and packaging of her new shampoo bar, she ultimately found herself facing the unsustainable financial reality of those choices. We also learn more about her experiences translating Winden to the fundraising and start-up world, and the realities of relocating her business from NYC to Sante Fe, NM. Finally, we discover the surprising place Bec has come to land in her creative and entrepreneurial journey. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/creativity-in-the-time-of-capitalism/donations

My next guest, Rebecca Mapes, is a multidisciplinary artist whose work currently comprises painting, jewelry, collage, and glass blowing. She began her creative career with Winden, a collection of fine, minimalist jewelry created in NYC. Ultimately, that brand evolved to incorporate high end hair accessories before Mapes spent three years developing a sustainable shampoo bar with a deeply considered and equally sustainable carrying case. In part one of this conversation, we deep dive through her entrepreneurial career trajectory, with an emphasis on the role debt has played in the various stages of her growth, as well as her thoughts today on an-all-or-nothing approach to sustainability as an independent business owner.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/creativity-in-the-time-of-capitalism/donations

Welcome to part two of my conversation with Ilana Kohn, if you missed part one, please be sure to start there. Originally a successful illustrator who began her career creating original works for The New Yorker and The New York Times among others, Ilana brought her love of color and graphics to her collection of effortlessly silhouetted and comfort-driven daily wear essentials. Kohn’s label is one quickly recognized by those in the know, with a cool and easy approach to fit and cut informed by the designer and her team’s perspective rather than the gaze of “capital F” Fashion industry. In the second chapter of our conversation, Ilana gives a rare glimpse behind the curtain at what the reality of operating an independent apparel collection looked like in the post-COVID era. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/creativity-in-the-time-of-capitalism/donations

The official uniform of cool girls everywhere (including Molly Baz and Claire Saffitz), Ilana Kohn's namesake apparel collection is no stranger to fans, followers, and peers in the independent and slow fashion space, and I am so pleased to welcome her as my guest on this first official episode of the Creativity in the Time of Capitalism podcast. I spoke with Ilana this past November on the heels of the announcement that she would be closing her deeply beloved and wildly successful cult clothing line. Based in New York City for the duration of its run, and most recently headquartered across three stories in the heart of NYC's Lower East Side, Kohn has sat at the helm of her brand since its official launch in 2012.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/creativity-in-the-time-of-capitalism/donations

The Creativity in the Time of Capitalism Podcast is here! Hosted by veteran entrepreneur and creative Miranda Bennett, learn the why behind this much anticipated project that interrogates the intersection of creativity and livelihood. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/creativity-in-the-time-of-capitalism/donations