How ‘Articles of Interest’ became a go-to podcast for the fashion history
New York-based podcaster Avery Trufelman’s acclaimed show explores everything from modesty and military apparel to the politics of sunglasses.
The fashion industry moves at a relentless pace that doesn’t always allow for deeper analysis, especially when the immediate focus is on new collections or commercial appeal. But for those seeking a more insightful, research-driven take on the history of fashion – or the current sociopolitical consequences of the industry – Avery Trufelman’s podcast Articles of Interest guides its listeners down rabbit holes as varied as clerical vestments, chromophobia and the rise of outdoor apparel in everyday environments.
“I work on longer timelines,” the New York-based Trufelman tells Monocle. “I’m not really into fashion, I’m mostly confused by it.” What began as a spin-off of popular design podcast 99% Invisible in 2016, Articles of Interest is now, a decade on, an important resource for fashion journalism. One episode might be years in the making. Often a single conversation will spark an idea. “I’m always collecting tape,” she adds. “I reach out to designers, visit exhibitions. When you talk to people working in the industry – the pattern makers, the designers – everyone is fascinating.”
It’s an investigative approach to storytelling that is rigorous, often delving into the intricacies of a production chain or the sociological issues that arise with a given topic. For example, Trufelman opined that French president Emmanuel Macron’s unexpected outing in mirrored sunglasses in Davos recently could be read as the deployment of an “involvement shield” – a concept that was coined by sociologist Erving Goffman in 1963. It describes behaviours (such as wearing a cap or listening to music) that help to ward off unwanted interactions. “Sunglasses were developed as a type of protection shield from each other with the rise of the city and the urban environment,” she says. Or maybe, as Macron himself insisted, he had a harmless eye infection.
Whatever the truth behind the shades, Trufelman’s investigations always make for a great yarn. Going beyond surface-level questions of aesthetics, Trufelman provides a form of education that is accessible to a wider audience and not driven by any commercial agenda. “A given theme always emerges from a real, genuine question,” she says with a smile.
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This article is from Monocle’s March issue, The Monocle 100, which features our editors’ favourite 100 figures, destinations, objects and ideas.
Read the rest of the issue here.
