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Fashion icon Julia Fox has always been a champion for new designers and upcyling. For her latest venture, she’s doing just that. As a co-host and executive producer of the E! reality competition show OMG Fashun, Fox and co-host Law Roach emphasize the importance of sustainability in the fashion industry.
“It just kind of felt like the natural next step,” Fox said. “I was already upcycling on my own—just on my socials. I was already discovering and nurturing new talent and showcasing their designs and wearing them.”
For the latest episode of Who What Wear With Hillary Kerr, Fox sits down with Who What Wear’s editor in chief, Kat Collings, to share how she landed her latest gig, why she wants to see more upcycling in the fashion industry, and more.
For excerpts from their conversation, scroll below.
I’m curious if you can tell me about the concept and how it developed into this competition format. How did it all come to life?
It just kind of felt like the natural next step. I was already upcycling on my own—just on my socials. I was already discovering and nurturing new talent and showcasing their designs and wearing them. This just kind of feels like a beautiful marriage of those two things that I absolutely love and am passionate about.
[My] agent was pitching the idea to me and was like, “What do you think?” Obviously I was like, “Yeah, of course, I’m down.” But in the back of my head I was like, “But there’s no way I’m actually going to get my own show. That’s crazy.” I didn’t believe that was in the realm of possibility, but I was like, “I’m not gonna be able to live with myself if I don’t at least try.”
I knew the odds were stacked against us, but I really, really believed in what we were doing. I feel like the world needs something like this. It’s not a serious competition show. We do not take ourselves seriously. We keep getting compared to Project Runway, but I think we’re more like Chopped meets Drag Race.
It’s supposed to be fun. It’s not life or death. Even the contestants that don’t win, I still end up wearing their designs.
I made sure that we’re going to stay in touch with everybody because everybody here is valid. Everybody here is talented.
For all the crafty girls, aside from scissors, what’s in your DIY tool kit?
A hot glue gun. You can do so much with that. It’s the best tool ever invented.
If I give you a few household items, can you tell me how you would turn them into an outfit or an accessory? First, duct tape.
I would wrap it around my entire body and make a really cool wrap dress with some skin poking through.
I would probably put a pair of shoes on and then wrap the shoes around my foot—maybe like rolling it up the leg.
It would just look so freaking badass. I can see it now.
As someone who regularly takes fashion risks and dresses outside the box, I’m curious what in fashion is exciting you right now. On the flip side, is there anything you’re just a little sick of?
I definitely don’t love like quiet luxury stuff. It’s boring. It’s not really my thing.
I do love the mob wife aesthetic right now because I am the OG mob wife. I dressed like a mob wife for all my early 20s.
It’s really funny to see that coming back around. I’m like, “Damn, I should start pulling out all my old clothes.”
I had the colored furs, the cross jewelry, the leather pants, and all the things.
Fine
Diamond Cross Necklace
Abercrombie & Fitch
Winterized Collarless Faux Fur Jacket
Proenza Schouler
Maxine Pant in Lightweight Leather
I’m curious what you hope the future of fashion looks like, and where do you want to fit into it?
I am seeing fashion becoming a little more democratized and definitely social media helps a lot. It used to be that you really had to get past the gatekeepers. You just gotta put yourself out there, and if you have a good product, it’ll do well.
I hope to see a lot more upcycling, a lot more people being conscious about sustainability. I hope we can just go in that direction. I would like to be on the forefront of that. I think that’s the right thing to do, and it’s the ethical thing to do.
I hope that people watch this show and start digging out of their trash can or their junk drawer, going outside on the sidewalk and picking up stuff and just starting to play around instead of just going to the store and giving these evil corporations more money.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Next, check out our interview with celebrity hairstylist Clayton Hawkins.
