Episodes
Sol and Michael are back and - in a landmark turn of events - get naked on the podcast! That isn't a joke, by the way. Join the duo as they talk about the grip that freaks and geeks held on them (the song, not the people), pant-shoe interaction, trompe l'oeil, how brands like Maison Kitsune have managed to stay afloat, the worst smelling perfume in the world (we are not kidding, it smells like war), and so much more! We hope you enjoy! Sol Sol Thompson and Michael Smith explore the world and...
Published 04/23/24
Published 04/23/24
HeroHero Subscribers got this full episode early, access to giveaways and more! Uh oh - in this HeroHero exclusive, Sol and Michael are joined by a disgruntled Grailed employee who's telling on everything, everyone, and everywhen(?). Join the boys as they go through a hostile takeover, swagger jacking, the proliferation of bot accounts, 5G Seller, and so much more! We can't go into it too much (lest we give away that sweet, sweet premium content for free)! Lots of love! Sol Sol Thompson and...
Published 04/16/24
This episode was released early on our HeroHero - Subscribe for additional episodes, giveaways, and more! Sol and Michael are joined by writer-extraordinaire Laura Pitcher on this episode of the podcast to discuss astrology, radiant femininity, being banned from the country of New Zealand, reading, checking in on your friends, dating apps, japanese wrestlers, Laura's writing process, "working" from home, dedicating a life to researching a niche topic, misinformation on tiktok, spiders, and...
Published 04/09/24
Sol and Michael are back to talk about funding fashion startups (and the inherent cost barriers),  social media addiction, Fitbruary, buying the worst possible games on steam, some small designers we've been loving lately, the curation of stores like Lara Koleji and James Veloria, Boston sports culture (and the lack of a fashion scene), Ann Demeulemeester, Kanye West, Kanye West's destruction of some really cool articles of clothing, and so much more! Hope you enjoy! Sol  --- FOR...
Published 03/26/24
This episode is a preview  - if you'd like the entire episode, consider subscribing to our HeroHero for early episodes, extra episodes, giveaways, and more! The boys are back to discuss regional fashion and how it's shaped international trends! Join Sol (@solthompson) and Michael (@_smithstagram) as they explore everything from lighthouse keepers and Ivy Trads in the northeast to Chicanos and the Athleisure dudes of LA to the grunge scene of the northwest (yes, I do not listen to a lot of...
Published 03/19/24
Sol (@solthompson) and Michael (@_smithstagram) are back with longtime friend of the podcast Trevor Gorji (@trevorgorji) and newtime friend of the podcast Nick Castre (@nickcastre)! The Fugazi boys are expanding the brand outside of California, with their sights set on New York - we sat down with them to talk about their next steps, plans for new items and events, how they see both themselves and Fugazi in the world of fashion, what it's like to build an authentic following, their runway show...
Published 03/12/24
10.5 - Answering the Biggest, Baddest, Most Fashionable Listener Questions Sol (@solthompson) and Michael (@_smithstagram) are back to answer listener questions! Questions include things like: - Comfort versus drip - what's preferred? - How should you match a hairstyle to an aesthetic? - What is a trend or piece of clothing that can be done well but is rarely done well? - What is your least favorite material used for clothes? - What's a cultural or religious style you would want to...
Published 03/05/24
For early access to episodes and so much more, subscribe to our HeroHero! Sol and Michael are joined by Bailey Goldberg (knitting extraordinaire, funny guy, recent victim of someone stealing his hubcaps (it was me)) this week on the podcast! Over the episode, the boys discuss the rise of knitting culture in New York (and elsewhere), dungeons and dragons, hand-knitting versus machine knitting, eBay, Sears, where to get the best Cortado in NYC, their "white whales" of fashion items,...
Published 02/27/24
I hope this podcast finds you well. I am writing to you today to outline the third episode of Season 10 of the Pair of Kings podcast (hosts Sol Thompson (@solthompson) and Michael Smith (@_smithstagram) cc'd on this release) and discuss potential avenues for exploration and continued collaboration. Topics Discussed The new podcast dress code and the necessity of changing the modern perception of wearing suits - both casually and formally.Chrome Hearts Tastefluencers and Sol's borderline...
Published 02/20/24
We're back with the first guest episode of Season 10! Join Sol (@solthompson) and Michael (@_smithstagram) as they're joined by Charlie (@divineeprovidence), who recently was voted as the best dressed person in New York City. We are not joking, this was an actual vote that they won. Tune in to hear the conversation which touches on everything from gender expressionism through fashion, classical menswear and its conventions/rules, historical and cultural influences on fashion - like Star...
Published 02/13/24
We're so unbelievably back. In this lively episode of the Pair of Kings podcast, hosts Sol Thompson (@solthompson) and Michael Smith (@_smithstagram) dive into a wide range of topics - high fashion critiques of fantasy characters, the unexpected popularity of beams at Blue in Green, and the bizarre Hasidic tunnels in Brooklyn.  That's not all, though: the boys explore the challenges of dressing like characters from Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell, talk about the ousting of Ronald...
Published 02/06/24
It's so hard to say goodbye to season 9: so much has happened! We're very very happy to have you join us to close it out, though. Join Sol (@solthompson) and Michael (@_smithstagram) as they talk about walking runway shows (and trying not to laugh), how everyone has gotten so much better at dressing, the necessity of ready-to-wear for designers who want to survive, how the past year was for fashion as a whole, Dune (fear is the mindkiller), how the rise of social media has killed "if you know...
Published 12/21/23
The best fashion podcast in the world is back with TWO WHOLE HOURS of pod. Join Sol (@solthompson) and Michael (@_smithstagram) as they talk with Christian (@vansatthemetgala) about his brand, Raised Online, Dracula Flow 4, Spotify Wrapped, the Met Gala, Nike Techs, Tommy Cash, people you truly hate (Jared Leto and Henry Kissinger, stand up), the starting 5 of the most annoying people in fashion, basketball, swaggy golfers, Drake's custom Bottega polo that he had made for a Statefarm...
Published 12/07/23
The best fashion podcast in the world is back with its two esoteric, mysterious, cool, charming, witty, lovely, adorable, hot, mysterious (again), hosts: Sol (@solthompson) and Michael (@_smithstagram)! Join the boys as they chat about the downfall of fashion journalism, the most influential runway shows of all time, Rick Owens runways, Dior and I (the documentary), Fraternity hazing rituals, viral marketing, Supreme, resonant frequencies of clothing, the importance of Linen, clinical trials,...
Published 11/30/23
Sol (@solthompson) and Michael (@_smithstagram) are back this week with collector/tastemaker/karaoke superstar/sushi connoisseur/One Piece historian Arianna Cho (@ariavicho / @ariannasclosetarchive). Join the trio as they chat about some of the pieces she's selling, rare bits and baubles (like the incredible eye buttons), favorite Undercover seasons, working at Issey Miyake and at Rick Owens, buying her first pair of Tabis on layaway (sorta), how people don't understand sizing, activating...
Published 11/16/23
It's all three boys on the mic today - Join Sol (@solthompson), Michael (@_smithstagram), and John (@johnhogeboom) as they talk about deciding between brown and mink Birkenstocks (this is significantly more in-depth than I ever expected), how dry cleaning is a scam, getting tabi'd in married boots, being two degrees of familiarity away from Drake, the departure away from Playboi Carti and Drain Gang, how there are no more good cable knit sweaters being made, Scott Pilgrim Versus the World,...
Published 11/10/23
It's time for a guest episode with Michael Fang (@cannedjunk) of Wenjüe Lu (@wenjuelu)! Sol (@solthompson) and Michael (@_smithstagram) sat down in Michael's Brooklyn-based studio to talk about his process, where he and his partner draw inspiration, the conception of the brand, the definitions of art, fashion, and expression as a whole, favorite movies, Lady Gaga (briefly), drawing on cultural heritage to make a brand, being open to getting offended, and so much more! Thank you again to...
Published 11/04/23
The boys are back! Join Sol (@solthompson) and Michael (@_smithstagram) as they talk about the rise of fashion trends as a result of counter-culture, hyper-masculinity and its interconnectedness with skinny jeans, Rizz in Ohio (Kai Cenat, Fatum Tax), the lack of a breakout brand experiencing organic growth, Rana Plaza and Levis' abuse of Bangladeshi workers, and the various Rick Owens denim cuts (and how none of the names make any sense)! Tap in to listen, join the discord, and follow us on...
Published 10/27/23
Finally: a fashion podcast that covers 2012-2013 Bar/Bat Mitzvah fashion. Join Sol (@solthompson) and Michael (@_smithstagram) as they're joined by Clara Perlmutter (@tinyjewishgirl) to talk about all things fashion.  Tap in to hear discussion on Clara's obsession with John Cena, dressing up as Smeagol (it's scary good), Sugar Lipz, Westchester, NY, having enough closet space, painted jeans, places to thrift, shopping with your mom, being Jewish, parasocial relationships, and Crosby, Stills,...
Published 10/19/23
Back! From! Hiatus! That's right, everyone! I got school under control again, so we're back - join Sol (@solthompson) and Michael (@_smithstagram) as they cover topics like Peter Do's first show at Helmut Lang, why LVMH purposefully covers up their emissions data (despite having access to it), post-Alessandro Gucci, Fake Dunks, Oscar the Cat, Nocoptober, vintage denim (which is apparently better in London than it is in NYC), and so much more! We hope you enjoy the episode - full video will...
Published 10/12/23
It's been a hectic couple of weeks - Sol's back in grad school, Michael went to the heartland (England), and John's getting married! With that being said, Sol (@solthompson) and Michael (@_smithstagram) are back and chatting about NYFW - the good, the bad, and the ugly. Tune in as the boys talk about Sunnei, AV AV AV, the Ocky Way, Grailed, afterparties, the changing nature of being seen at shows and what the next stage of fashion week is, old people in Portugal, street fashion in London,...
Published 09/28/23
We're back with the masterminds behind the Lower East Side's newest fashion popup, Komune! Join Sol (@solthompson) and Michael (@_smithstagram) as they sit down with Martin (@nerfmartin), Brandon (@childshbrandino), and Vic (@sincerelyvm) as they delve into the experiential fashion retailer for those passionate about emerging designers, as their Instagram so eloquently puts it.  Tune in as the group discusses creating a space for young fashion creatives, their favorite pieces in the store,...
Published 09/14/23
We're back with a wonderful guest episode with none other than the woman who - literally - saved Instagram: Tati (@illumitati)! Join Sol (@solthompson) and Michael (@_smithstagram) as they talk with Tati about the rizz king, burning McLarens, Heavn by Marc Jacobs, early internet, witerally being based, Ice Spice, becoming a fashion photographer, PR companies, minecraft, Death Grips, Vinnie Hacker, bellboys, and so much more! Thank you again to Tati for joining us on the podcast! We hope...
Published 09/08/23
We wanted to do it as a season opener, but John's planning (and going to be in!) a wedding! He's also wearing Tabi boots to the wedding! Regardless, we're back, and drinking along to Michael's first guest episode! Join Sol (@solthompson), John (@johnhogeboom), and Michael (@_smithstagram ✔️) as they venture through the old episode, critique themselves, and play the harshest critics - fueled by White Claw, $3 table wine, and vomit beer. Tune in as the boys experience identity crises, berate...
Published 08/31/23