Karen Elson shares her remarkable journey from an unconventional supermodel to a musician, activist, and aspiring actor. Known for her signature pale skin, red hair, and unique beauty, Karen made waves in the fashion industry by gracing over 30 international Vogue covers and walking the runways for major designers like McQueen, Chanel, and Versace. She discusses her early struggles with bullying and an eating disorder, finding solace and inspiration in fashion magazines. Jill delves into Karen’s transformative experiences with iconic photographers like Steven Meisel, Tim Walker, and Peter Lindbergh, highlighting her collaborative spirit and willingness to push boundaries. Karen also touches on her activism work, including fighting for models' rights and her insights into the shifts within the fashion industry.

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Going Rogue is produced by Jill Demling and Maddie Kelly, who also serves as our social media director. Matty Rosenberg is the executive producer Be sure to follow Going Rogue on your favorite podcast platform.
Going Rogue is part of the Radio Free Rhinecliff media network.

Jill sits down with visionary creative director Nicola Formichetti for an conversation about his journey through the fashion world. Known for his work with Lady Gaga, his tenure at Diesel, and his current role at MAC Cosmetics, Nicola opens up about the experiences that shaped his approach to fashion and creativity. Nicola takes us back to his early days exploring the flea markets of Rome and traces his path to working at the highest levels of global fashion. He gets real about his boundary-pushing approach to creativity and why embracing mistakes has been key to his success. Nicola sharing what it was really like creating some of fashion's most memorable imagery with photographers like Nick Knight and Steven Klein. Nicola also talks about his current role at MAC Cosmetics, where he's bringing his vision to beauty and fashion. He's all breaking rules, challenging the status quo, and trusting your creative instincts, even when you're not sure where you're headed.

Along the way, Nicola mentions the people who've shaped his path, including his mother, Alister Mackie, Katie Grand, Katy England, Jefferson Hack, Kim Jones, Gwen Stefani, Richard Burbridge, Miles Aldridge, Anna Cockburn, Tomo Koizumi, Eugene Tong, and James Gager.

For anyone interested in innovation, creative courage, and authentic self-expression in fashion and beyond, this conversation offers plenty to think about.

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Going Rogue is produced by Jill Demling and Maddie Kelly, who also serves as our social media director. Matty Rosenberg is the executive producer

Jill chats with Stefan Beckman, one of fashion's most influential set designers. Over 25 years, Beckman has created unforgettable environments for Marc Jacobs, Chanel, Prada, and Louis Vuitton while collaborating with photography icons Steven Meisel, Peter Lindbergh, Steven Klein, Tim Walker, Craig McDean, Herb Ritts, and Fabian Baron. Stefan traces his path from theater and film school to becoming fashion's go-to set designer, revealing the creative process behind landmark fashion shows and editorial shoots. He discusses how his formative years shaped his visual approach and shares his perspective on where set design is headed as the industry transforms. Stefan recounts memorable moments with Whitney Houston, Notorious B.I.G., Cher, JLo, the Rolling Stones, LL Cool J, Jamie Foxx, Gwyneth Paltrow, Winona Ryder, Gisele Bündchen, Renee Zellweger, Amber Valletta, Matt Damon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Daria Werbowy, Kate Hudson, Owen Wilson, Rihanna, Billie Eilish, Angelina Jolie, and Beyoncé. Check out the video on our YouTube channel with many of the images discussed in this episode

Follow on Instagram and Threads at @goingrogue.podcast and @jilldemling
Follow on Bluesky
Follow on TikTok
Send us your questions or comments by calling us at 518-21-ROGUE

Going Rogue is produced by Jill Demling and Maddie Kelly, who also serves as our social media director. Matty Rosenberg is the executive producer Be sure to follow Going Rogue on your favorite podcast platform.
Going Rogue is part of the Radio Free Rhinecliff media network.