Welcome to Season 3 of The Writers' Cafe! Brought to you from the award-winning indie, Sevenoaks Bookshop!
This week's visitor to the cafe is the incredibly insightful Robin Givhan! Robin is Pulitzer Prize winning fashion and culture critic, best known for her work at The Washington Post. Her new book, Make It Ours: Crashing the Gates of Culture with Virgil Abloh, is the first major biography of the late designer - tracing his rise from Rockford, Illinois to becoming the first Black artistic director at Louis Vuitton, and situating his story within a broader reckoning over race, taste, and exclusivity in the fashion industry. Join us as we discuss who gets to define culture; the role of social media in shaping fashion; sneaker culture; legacy; and the designers who paved the way before Virgil!
Denise's Bookseller Review:
\"This is an incredibly insightful read, mapping out the tremendous waves Virgil Abloh--the first Black designer to serve as artistic director at Louis Vuitton--made in the fashion industry, while also giving kudos to those who came before him. I loved how much Robin's writing shines with the admiration so many felt for Abloh. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this; it makes discourse around the fashion industry feel really accessible, while still offering plenty to think about. I was particularly interested in the section exploring the impact of sneaker culture amongst men, and the misogyny that exists even within sneakerland--a subculture that has often felt far less accessible to women. A fascinating and thoughtful read!\"
If you are new to The Writer's Cafe pod: Inspired by our own in-shop cafe of the same name and the conversations about books, life, literature, and so much more every single day - as well as the literary salons of old where gossip thrived - this podcast seeks to highlight and celebrate the best writers and voices every episode with a warm, detailed conversation about their work and craft.
Robin's work can be purchased with us here:
Make It Ours: https://sevenoaksbookshop.co.uk/shop/make-it-ours-crashing-the-gates-of-culture-with-virgil-abloh-by-robin-givhan/