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Always Looking Up - Belle Bakst On The Fashion Media, Disability, Who Is Being Seen And Who Should Be
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Belle Bakst On The Fashion Media, Disability, Who Is Being Seen And Who Should Be

Always Looking Up

06/02/26

63m

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In this week’s episode I sat down with Belle Bakst. Belle, is a stylist, fashion editor, content creator and disability advocate. Also known as “Little Fashion Stylist”, her work has been featured in Cosmopolitan, InStyle, Harper's Bazaar, Brides, and more.

We discuss who is driving the conversations around representation and inclusivity, especially in this new era, the permanence of fashion as an art form, what it means to be whimsical and much, much more.

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin.

All proceeds from purchasing this episode will be split between ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠City Harvest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Food Bank For NYC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Join Always Looking Up on Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jilliancurwin645746.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join The Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AlwaysLookingUp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Belle: Instagram: @littlefashionstylist TikTok: @littlefashionstylist Substack: Outta Sight

Learn More About And Support The Fun Eye Fund: https://www.funeyefund.org

Follow Me: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jill_ilana⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alwayslookingup.podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jillian_ilana⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jillianilana.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alwayslookingup227@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Read With Me:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Goodreads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The StoryGraph⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Support the organizers, detainees and their families at Delaney Hall (all links from @feminist):

Donate To Family Support Funds: linktr.ee/SupportOurFamilies

Donate to the Commissary Fund: givebutter.com/commissaryfund

Call your representative: https://5calls.org

Learn More: indivisible.org/campaigns/dismantling-detention

Support Minneapolis:

Stand With Minnesota: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.standwithminnesota.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

MN NOICE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mnnoice.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Community Aid Network MN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.canmn.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Support Those Impacted By The Cutting Of SNAP Benefits:

Feeding America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.feedingamerica.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

World Central Kitchen: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://wck.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

No Kid Hungry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nokidhungry.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

List Of NYC Food Pantries: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/food_pantries.page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Support Immigrant Communities (all links came from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chnge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠):

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chirla_org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.chirla.org/donatenow/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Immigrant Defenders Law Center (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@immdef_lawcenter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

In this week’s episode I sat down with Sonia Vera. Sonia is a Venezuelan-born model who is seeking to transform how the disability community is represented and celebrated within the fashion industry. She is a passionate advocate for radical, long-overdue change, using fashion as a platform to normalize inclusion and disability, and to shine a light on the significant and largely overlooked spending power of these communities.

We discuss how fashion as an art form has always seen disabled bodies, how the industry can go much further in regards to representation and inclusion, being a part of this year’s Met Costume spring exhibition and much, much more.

This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin.

All proceeds from purchasing this episode will be split between ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠City Harvest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Food Bank For NYC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Join Always Looking Up on Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jilliancurwin645746.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join The Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AlwaysLookingUp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Sonia: Instagram: @sonia_veraofficial

Follow Me: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jill_ilana⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alwayslookingup.podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jillian_ilana⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jillianilana.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alwayslookingup227@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Read With Me:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Goodreads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The StoryGraph⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Support Minneapolis:

Stand With Minnesota: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.standwithminnesota.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

MN NOICE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mnnoice.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Community Aid Network MN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.canmn.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Support Those Impacted By The Cutting Of SNAP Benefits:

Feeding America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.feedingamerica.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

World Central Kitchen: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://wck.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

No Kid Hungry: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nokidhungry.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

List Of NYC Food Pantries: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/food_pantries.page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Support Immigrant Communities (all links came from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chnge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠):

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chirla_org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.chirla.org/donatenow/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Immigrant Defenders Law Center (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@immdef_lawcenter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.immdef.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Inland Coalition 4 Imm Justice (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ic4ij⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jornaleros⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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