Garmology - A podcast about clothes, and stuff.

In this episode of Garmology, Nick heads to London to meet Anthony Princi — designer, educator, and founder of Fashion Department. What unfolds is an intense, honest, and deeply practical conversation about how fashion actually works behind the scenes. Anthony shares his journey from Australia to Paris and London, working across every level of the industry—from tailoring at Levi’s to designing for major brands—and how that experience led him to build Fashion Department: a platform focused on bridging the massive gapbetween fashion education and real‑world industry skills.

What happens when a lifelong sneaker lover refuses to throw away his favourite shoes — and ends up building a full sneaker restoration business instead? In this episode, we meet SneakerPharm’s founder, the craftsman bringing dead, battered, sun-bleached trainers back to life using skill, chemistry, and a whole lot of patience. From reverse-engineering damaged materials to perfecting the art of whitening, reglueing, repainting, and rebuilding — this is a deep dive into the world of sneaker rescue and the culture around it. We talk about: 🧪 How he learned restoration through trial, error, and obsession 👟 Why certain sneakers are worth saving — even if they look beyond repair 🔥 The business of sneaker cleaning, detailing, and reviving rare pairs ✨ The surprising emotional stories behind the shoes people send in 📦 What it’s really like turning your passion into a full-time craft If you love sneakers, craftsmanship, or just great stories from people who really care about what they make, you’ll enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at a fascinating and fast-growing world.

This week on Garmology, we’re rethinking everything we thought we knew about shoes. From Nike internships and bespoke sneakers in L.A. to orthopedic labs in Canada, shoemaker Andrew Turriff has walked a long, winding path to creating Turiff Functional Footwear — a brand built on one radical idea: that shoes should actually work for your feet. We talk about his journey from art school to Fluevog to founding his own label, his discovery that most footwear ignores how the human foot actually moves, and how he set out to make rugged, repairable shoes that let you live, move, and feel better. This episode covers everything from the craft of shoemaking to barefoot philosophy, sustainability, and why “growth for growth’s sake” might be fashion’s biggest flaw. It’s a thoughtful, inspiring conversation about slowing down, making things well, and walking your own path — one pair of truly functional shoes at a time. 🎧 Garmology — a podcast about clothes, and the deeper stories behind them.

This week, we step inside the heart of British shoemaking. Our journey takes us to Northamptonshire, where craftsmanship and tradition run deep. Chris Woodford—6th-generation shoemaker and the man behind Crown Northampton and E. Woodford—opens the doors of his family’s factory to share stories of heritage, innovation, and the enduring art of making shoes. We chat about what it means to carry on a legacy while steering a modern business, the surprising freedom that comes when every worker has their own key, and the obsessive pursuit of making products as good as they can possibly be—using the finest leathers sourced from around the world. And yes, we dive into the wonderfully mad idea of crafting whole-cut welted sneakers that take 50 hours to make… and why people can’t get enough of them. This is a rich, two-hour conversation about passion, precision, and the quiet joy of making things that last.

Repost: A slight diversion guest-wise today, as it's my sister Emma, a psychologist, that picks up the phone for a fly-on-the-wall style chat about topics within the Garmology sphere. We talk about the psychology of social media, why retail therapy has become a thing, peak hipster, why women get poorer clothes, the issues and pitfalls of ordering online, where the real deals can be done, our mums' taste is outed and much more. Unusually, I get to talk more in this episode!

Back by popular demand, Jon and Shaun join me once again for a meandering (but mighty enjoyable) chat covering all sorts — from smelly clothes and style dilemmas to menswear books, garment care, and even buying secondhand from celebs. Listener questions lead the way, and while solid answers are... a maybe, the banter is guaranteed. Settle in — it’s a good one.

This week, we’re heading to Sheffield in the heart of Northern England for a delightful conversation with Wendy Ward. Wendy’s journey has taken her through roles as a fashion designer, author, teacher, PHD-student and activist. You might have spotted her recently in The Guardian, where she talked about her inspiring #TakeItBack campaign — we dive into that and much more. From daily stitching rituals to reflections on how our clothes make us feel, this episode is both thoughtful and joy-filled, with exploration of personal style, sustainability, and yes — a bit of giggling about dungarees. So, grab a cuppa and settle in for a chat full of heart, insight, and warm Yorkshire charm. Links in the show notes!

In this episode, we head to Belfast to sit down with Michael and Paul, the duo behind The Bureau — a menswear store with legendary status. Founded in 1989, The Bureau began as a bold vision from two young guys who saw space for something different. Decades later, they've built a reputation for championing quality, heritage, and timeless style, while always keeping things fresh. We dive into an honest conversation about life in retail, the evolution of the shop, navigating tough times, and the iconic Bureau man.