In the latest “Savage Fashion” podcast episode, WWD’s chief content officer Jim Fallon and style director Alex Badia sat down with Michael Grynbaum to discuss his new book “Empire of the Elite: Inside Condé Nast, the Media Dynasty That Reshaped America,” filmed at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York.

The stories from Grynbaum’s book personally resonated with both Fallon and Badia — WWD was owned by Condé Nast Publications from 1999 until 2014, when it was sold to its current parent company, Penske Media Corp.

Grynbaum said the idea for the book came about after he broke the news of Graydon Carter stepping down as editor in chief of Vanity Fair in 2017 and “the era of the celebrity editor was coming to a close.” Grynbaum always saw Condé Nast as more of a cultural institution, with its continued influence on style, art, photography and literature.

“I grew up in the New England suburbs,” Grynbaum told Fallon and Badia. “I loved getting these magazines every month: The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, GQ. They felt these beacons from another world about what was going on in London, New York, Los Angeles — all these sophisticated places that I was so eager to be part of.”

Grynbaum said he found out about Anna Wintour’s stepping back as editor in chief of Vogue — although she remains firmly in control as global editorial director of Vogue and chief content officer of Condé Nast – through a text message, two weeks before his book came out. Condé Nast and Wintour didn’t comment for the book, and Grynbaum shared that they didn’t allow current editors to talk to him either. Some editors were open to speaking with him, but they were later told by corporate that they wouldn’t be participating.

“Anna Wintour is not just the biggest person in fashion, but is truly a global icon,” said Grynbaum. “It wasn’t just the ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ [that cemented her image]. She learned from these designers that cultivated a look for themselves. It added to the mystique. Mystery and the inability to know someone creates an aura.”

He pointed specifically to Karl Lagerfeld as someone Wintour mimicked, never varying from her perennial bob and sunglasses so she is instantly recognizable.

Fashion media still remains one of the most cutthroat worlds. Meryl Streep’s cult-favorite character in “The Devil Wears Prada,” Miranda Priestly, is viewed through a different lens today; she’s not seen as much of a villain. Beyond fashion, Grynbaum sees the movie as a larger commentary about the modern work landscape and what it means to have ambition.

Fallon noted that a sense of entitlement ran through the entire organization — town cars were lined up around the block at the former Times Square office for anyone, including assistants, to use.

“Condé was not a friendly place, obviously,” Grynbaum said. “But everyone who I talked to who went through the ringer of working for Vogue and for Anna Wintour came out of it grateful. Anywhere else [they worked at], they had this work ethic and intensity that served them well.”

The work culture at Condé Nast stemmed from its editorial director of all its publications from 1962 until 1994, Alexander Liberman — who Grynbaum hopes his book will bring back as a notable figure. He said that Liberman had a “waste creates creativity” mentality, back at a time when the company had a monopoly on the aspirational audience and when magazines were a profitable business.

“[Publisher and founder of Condé Nast’s parent company Advance Publications] Si Newhouse was a billionaire,” said Grynbaum. “He didn’t want to lose money, but I think he believed there was a higher calling to a place like Vogue and bring Americans a certain type of refinement and discernment. He also realized that the more gilded the world of Condé Nast appeared, the more seductive it was for advertisers, talent and for readers. Why did you buy Vogue [before the era of influencers]? You wanted the fantasy.”

The podcast hosts also discussed the latest news making industry noise — Louis Vuitton has launched its La Beauté color line with Pat McGrath. Miu Miu has also launched its first fragrance, Miutine, with Emma Corrin fronting the campaign. And Valentino has a new chief executive officer for Alessandro Michele to report to, Riccardo Bellini.

“If you look at a lot of brands, it’s really how you take what is being shown on the runway and reinterpreting it,” explained Fallon about Michele’s rocky start to his time at Valentino. “If you look at Louis Vuitton, Nicolas Ghesquière is brilliant as is Pharrell. But it’s how they then merchandise the collection around what they’re doing. An extreme [example] is Marc Jacobs — which we discussed in the last podcast — they have a design team who create product who have nothing to do with what Marc shows on the runway and yet the business is doing well. Enough that they’re looking to sell it for $1 billion plus.”

Badia agreed with Fallon, stating that the merchandisers need to be the “King Midas” of the brands. “Alessandro Michele has very fun shows and sometimes a little bit repetitive — but I don’t know if people want to dress that way. From runway to reality.”

Brands also have to give their new creative directors the space to adapt and find their footing; Fallon said that Jonathan Anderson took about five years to finally “hit his stride” at Loewe.

Badia was also in attendance at Kith’s first runway show in six years, which was held at its newly reopened New York flagship. “It was nice, on Lafayette Street,” said Badia. “A lot of athletes, good front row. [Kith is] still [playing with] the idea of mixing streetwear — the oldest trick in the book but it still works. The athleisure and the streetwear with sartorial. It showcased where this market is going. There were collaborations with the New York Yankees, the Mets — and bringing elements of New York. It was a feel-good show for me.”

To listen to the full episode, CLICK HERE.