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Second Life
Second Life
Author: Second Life
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Hosted by Who What Wear co-founder Hillary Kerr, Second Life spotlights successful women who have made major career changes. Guests share lessons they've learned through fearlessly daring to pivot, and how they've used skills from their "first lives" to navigate their winding career journeys.
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Alison Roman is a food writer, cookbook author, and overall culinary powerhouse. Roman's food career began when she dropped out of college to pursue her dream of working as a chef. She started out as a sous-chef for various restaurants before pivoting into food writing and recipe development. Roman joined us on the show in 2020 to tell us about her path to getting published at outlets like Bon Appétit, Buzzfeed, and The New York Times as well as authoring her first cookbook, Dining In. Since being on the show, Roman has published three more cookbooks, the latest of which is called Something From Nothing, and started her own newsletter. She's also ventured into the consumer packaged goods space with the launch of her own tomato sauces and opened her own small grocery store, First Bloom. She joins us to tell us about the newest chapter of her career and where she's going next.
In this episode, Who What Wear Associate Editorial Director Eliza Huber and Senior Fashion and Social Editor Tara Gonzalez debrief everything they saw during NYFW, from bunny slippers to baseball mitt bags. They discuss some of the standout shows, and the unexpected guests they spotted in the crowd. Plus, they dissect the trends they noticed across the board and give their advice on how to work them into your wardrobe.
Watch this episode here on our new YouTube channel, and make sure to subscribe!
Carla Rockmore is a fashion influencer and designer. She began her career in retail before transitioning into the design department, utilizing fundamental skills acquired during her fashion trade school education. Rockmore developed her creative vision across categories, designing everything from ladies’ dresses for high-end department stores to licensed children’s sleepwear for Disney. She pivoted into content creation during the pandemic, when she found herself in need of a creative outlet while all of her projects were on hold. Her career online started in her fifties, posting TikTok videos of herself getting ready in hopes of teaching other women how to express themselves through clothing. Before she knew it, Rockmore was dubbed “the Carrie Bradshaw of TikTok” and quickly became a fashion authority known for her iconic two-story closet. Today, she has almost two million followers, and she does it all while continuing her work as a designer with her clothing line, the Carla Rockmore Collection, which you can shop now on QVC.
The Who What Wear Podcast is now on YouTube!
For our first episode in this new era, we're welcoming acclaimed celebrity stylist and friend of the pod Karla Welch back to the show. In this episode, Who What Wear cofounder and Chief Content Officer Hillary Kerr sits down with Welch to get back to the basics of what it takes to be a celebrity stylist. They discuss the power of modern stylists, how to create true magic on a red carpet, and how to navigate the complexities of the Hollywood ecosystem. Plus, Welch breaks down some of the gag-worthy looks we've seen on her clients this award season, including Golden Globe nominee Tessa Thompson and Oscar nominee Renate Reinsve.
Watch this episode here on our new YouTube channel, and make sure to subscribe!
Priyanka Ganjoo is the founder and CEO of Kulfi Beauty, but her first job was in business consulting. She was drawn to the role because she loved working with people and solving problems, but she knew she hadn’t found her true calling yet. Her pivot into beauty came after she got her MBA. She started in corporate, managing global retail strategy for Estée Lauder, and later transitioned into the merchandising space when Ipsy hired her to run its Glam Bag program. It was there that Ganjoo learned how to create experiences with her customer in mind by personalizing packages for millions. But as a South Asian woman, she found herself underrepresented in the brands she would source for her Glam Bags. She decided to start Kulfi to honor her heritage and create space for people and her culture. A year after launching the brand, Kulfi became the first South Asian female-owned brand to be carried at Sephora.
In this episode, Who What Wear Shopping Director Bobby Schuessler sits down with jewelry designer Jennifer Fisher to look back on her career 20 years after she started her namesake brand. Over the last two decades, Fisher was named a finalist for the 2012 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, was crowned the "queen of hoops" by The New York Times, and has counted celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and Hailey Bieber among her clientele. She's also sharing the ways she's expanding her empire—from new retail locations to her cookbook, Trust Your Gut, to her lifestyle brand, Maedyn.
Andrea Beaty is an award-winning children’s author. Before she became known for her curious and clever characters in Rosie Revere, Engineer, and Ada Twist, Scientist, she was on track for a career in STEM. In college, Beaty studied biology and computer science, and then went on to work at a software company. Her start in writing came when she volunteered to write a tech support newsletter for a customer audience. The job helped Beaty hone her skills as a writer and copy editor years before she decided to try her hand at fiction. She started by writing stories inspired by the books she read to her kids before getting published in the 2000s. Since then, Beaty’s work has landed her on the New York Times Best Sellers list multiple times and has even been adapted into an award-winning Netflix animated series. She often credits her time as a technical writer as what gave her the skills to break down big concepts and life lessons for kids. Now, more than 20 years after her first book was written, Beaty shows no signs of slowing down with more stories on the way this year.
Jane Herman, the founder of denim line The Only Jane, author of the popular Substack Jane on Jeans, and newly appointed WWW editor in residence, is a denim expert. In this episode, Who What Wear co-founder and Chief Content Officer Hillary Kerr sits down with Herman for a 2026 denim digest, where they discuss the five types of jeans you need for a complete wardrobe. Plus, she gives recommendations for specific styles to help you transition away from baggies and barrels, and shares simple styling hacks for altering your jeans at home.
Leslie Tessler is the founder of Hanni, a bodycare brand that specializes in innovative, easy-to-use, ultra-hydrating products. Her first job was in fashion at Ralph Lauren before she pivoted into beauty as a marketing manager for L’Oréal Paris. She went on to continue her work at the executive level in the space with Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare. But after 10 years of working in such demanding roles, Tessler felt burned out. She booked a trip to Argentina to get away from it all, thinking she’d go back home in a few months, but she ended up falling in love with the culture and staying for a decade, during which she dreamed up the now-famous Hanni Weighted Razor and Shave Pillow. Leslie returned to the U.S. to officially launch Hanni in 2021, and her brand went on to become the first razor company to ever partner with Sephora in 2022. Today, it continues to expand the definition of bodycare with hit products that elevate everyday rituals.
Vanessa Lee is a highly sought after celebrity aesthetic provider who focuses on minimally invasive procedures that accentuate her clients’ natural beauty. A registered nurse with 17 years of experience, Lee is also the founder of The Things We Do, a beauty concept bar offering premium, safe, and effective services from bio-stimulators to microneedling to PRFM (Platelet-Rich Fibrin Matrix). Lee joins Who What Wear co-founder Hillary Kerr to walk through all of the latest and greatest science-backed treatments worth trying this year. Plus, Lee shares her most cost-effective tip for rejuvenating your skin.
Senada Greca is a celebrity personal trainer and serial entrepreneur in the health and fitness space. Although she found her love for fitness at a young age, she started her career in finance before pivoting into pharmaceutical and diagnostic sales. Working in the medical industry gave her a deep understanding of physiology that paired well with her love for strength training and exercise. When Greca began posting videos of her full-length workouts online, her platform quickly grew as more and more people looked to her for advice on how to achieve their fitness goals. It wasn’t long before Greca was training A-listers like Kim Kardashian. She then went on to found WeRise Fitness—an app where she helps millions of users build healthy lifestyles, and her newest venture has been co-founding science-backed supplement brand Aonic.
In this episode, Who What Wear Editorial Director Lauren Eggertsen sits down with Holt Renfrew Fashion Director Joseph Tang for some new-year trend predictions. Tang discusses what it means to be a fashion director in the luxury space and how he strives to bring the runway to his customers. He recaps the biggest shopping trends he noticed in 2025 and tells us what brands and styles he thinks we'll see more of in 2026. Plus, he tells you which It items to look for when you're shopping this spring to refresh your wardrobe, from tailored wool coats to silk peplum tops.
Rachel Mansfield is a popular cooking content creator and the co-founder of Cadootz, a healthier-alternative kids’ snack brand that makes delicious protein-packed crackers for your little ones. She began her career working in PR for a top beverage company and, in her off time, ran a food blog to supplement her income, sharing original healthy recipes online and posting tutorials. When Mansfield was unexpectedly fired from her day job, she decided to put everything she had into growing her online presence. She amassed thousands of followers with each dish she shared, building a brand around making cooking less complicated for people who want to lead healthy lifestyles. Within months of losing her job, Mansfield grew her platform enough to monetize her content and turn her hobby into a full-time gig. Today, she has a cookbook under her belt (and another on the way), runs a venture capital firm called Grt Sht Ventures that allows her to invest in like-minded businesses, and leads an online community of more than a million followers. Plus, she just launched her newest culinary venture with Cadootz, a snack company that embodies her commitment to sharing better-for-you foods with families like hers.
In this episode, Who What Wear Shopping Director Bobby Schuessler is joined by fine-jewelry designer Jean Dousset. Although he’s a direct descendent of Louis Cartier, Dousset has made his own way in the luxury-jewelry space with his namesake brand. Dousset joins us to talk about how he became the go-to engagement ring designer for celebrities like Eva Longoria and Paris Hilton and why celebrities don’t have as much impact on engagement trends as you’d think. He explains why he decided to switch to only using lab-grown diamonds in his work and how he incorporates them in stunning, one-of-one pieces for his customers. Plus, he shares his expert recommendations for the best starter pieces in any fine-jewelry collection.
In this episode, Who What Wear Editor in Chief Kat Collings sits down with Kristen Nichols, WWW's associate director of special projects, to discuss her annual Luxury Report—a comprehensive analysis of the trends, It items, and runway moments that defined this year in luxury fashion. They recap the highly anticipated creative-director debuts we saw at major houses, including Michael Rider's first show with Celine, and they discuss which celebrity partnerships drove luxury sales all year long. Plus, Nichols shares her predictions for the trends we'll see in 2026 as new designers take on big roles at major fashion houses.
Read the Luxury Report here!
Shop our editors' eBay picks here!
Claudia Sulewski is the founder of Cyklar, a new bodycare brand that bridges the gap between luxurious self-care and efficacious formulas. Before becoming a beauty founder, Sulewski was one of the original beauty YouTubers. She started her YouTube channel when she was just 13 years old, under the name BeyondBeautyStar, posting makeup tutorials, vlogs, and other lifestyle content. By the time she graduated high school, she’d grown a massive following that allowed her to monetize her content as an official YouTube partner and make her hobby her full-time job. Claudia’s status as an internet sensation reached new heights when Teen Vogue tapped her to host the publication’s YouTube channel as a red carpet correspondent. Her years of experience shooting and editing her own content and using herself as talent for her creative vision were also crucial when she expanded into traditional acting and directing. She’s gone on to lead a successful career on and off camera since getting her start on YouTube, booking roles for hit shows like Shrinking and directing music videos for her fiancè, Grammy Award–winning artist Finneas O’Connell. Her career has now come full circle with Cyklar after years of filming GRWM videos and self-care routines for her millions of loyal followers.
In this episode, Who What Wear Editor in Chief Kat Collings sits down with Senior Fashion Editor Anna LaPlaca to discuss her annual State of Style report. At the end of every year, LaPlaca analyzes the biggest trends and dissects why they took over our feeds. The pair discusses the return of ’80s influence in fashion, the uptick in preppy style beyond traditional heritage brands, and, of course, they get into the ongoing debate over whether or not quiet luxury is really dead. Plus, they share their best tips on where to shop to make sure your wardrobe is up to date ahead of the new year.
Read this year’s State of Style story here!
Shop our editor's eBay picks here!
Before Jamie Haller launched her namesake shoe and apparel brand, she worked behind the scenes in the fashion industry in corporate retail. In the 2000s, she designed pieces for big brands of the era like Wet Seal, Guess, and Bebe. After learning the ins and outs of fashion production at a macro level, Haller left the corporate world to work for smaller brands where she had more creative control over her work, allowing her to hone her style as a designer. During the pandemic, she wanted to venture outside of what she knew and landed in a different realm of design: home renovation. Her eye for fashion translated well in the world of interiors, allowing her to gain clients quickly and make a name for herself in the space. Haller’s love for trying new things also led her to a new category of fashion she hadn’t yet conquered: shoes. In 2020, she launched her namesake shoe line and released her now-famous penny loafer style that has become an everyday staple for countless fashion insiders. She later returned to her roots when she expanded into apparel with a line she created with women like her in mind. Today, she’s brought the many skills and talents she’s acquired over the years together with her first storefront in Montecito, California, where you can shop her brand in an intimate space she designed herself.
Paul Tazewell is the award-winning costume designer behind the magical world of Wicked and Wicked: For Good. In this episode, Who What Wear Senior Fashion and Social Editor Tara Gonzalez sits down with Tazewell to celebrate the release of the highly anticipated finale of Elphaba and Glinda’s story. He discusses all of the thoughtfully detailed costume choices and Easter eggs you might miss during your first viewing and shares his design process for some of the standout pieces from the movie, including Glinda’s glamorous wedding dress and Dorothy’s iconic crystal shoes. Plus, he tells us how it felt to make history as the first Black man to win an Oscar for Best Costume Design for his work in Wicked Part 1.
Listen to Paul’s episode on Wicked Part 1 here!
Erica Malbon is the co-founder of Malbon Golf—the game-changing, fashionable golfwear and lifestyle brand that seeks to break tradition by inviting anyone and everyone to enjoy what she calls the “greatest game on Earth.” Malbon Golf began as an Instagram mood board created by her husband, a longtime golf enthusiast. When the couple decided to make Malbon into a full-fledged brand, Erica didn’t have any experience in the sports or retail industry. That said, she had developed an entrepreneurial spirit from her time as co-founder of her first venture, The Now, an L.A.-based massage business that offers luxury spa treatments at an affordable price point. Having learned firsthand what it takes to run both the operational and creative sides of a company, Erica was more than prepared to reimagine golfwear for a new generation and create a brand with a mission to make the sport more accessible. Since launching in 2017, Malbon has amassed a community of golf lovers that includes veteran fans of the sport, professional athletes, and celebrities like Justin Bieber. And they’ve expanded their brand around the world with locations in China, South Korea, and the Philippines.

















Loved this interview!
she is not so impressive, she has money and education. the hard thing is to star a new beginning without money , contacts, education
Beautiful talk
Awesome episode!
love love love raissa and so happy to hear her amazing story. thanks for doing this interview.
Raissa is the inspiration for the the modern woman. thank you for interviewing her