Spotify Brings Fashion and Podcasting Together With Mina Le and Mia Calabrese
Last week, guests gathered in New York City for On Air, In Style: An Evening with Spotify—a night of conversation, culture, and connection celebrating the intersection of fashion and podcasting. On Spotify, that intersection is thriving. Fashion podcast audiences grew 23% year‑over‑year in 2025, while streams jumped 68%, and searches for “fashion week” were up 93%.
Hosted by fashion and culture creator Mina Le, the event centered on a fireside chat between Mina and breakout pop-culture star Mia Calabrese. Together, they explored fashion inspirations and traced Mia’s style evolution, while offering a candid look at how personal perspective shapes creative expression.
Mina also revealed that this summer, she’ll be bringing video episodes to her podcast, High Brow.
For the Record caught up with Mina and Mia after the event to chat about podcasting and how they stay on top of trends while remaining true to themselves.
Video has become a major force in podcasting. What do you think the format adds to the medium?
Mina: I think adding a face to a voice can deepen an audience’s connection to the speaker. There are lots of podcasts that I listen to with five different people talking. And I’m like, “Who’s talking to who? What are we saying?” I think video just adds a new level of depth and dimension while making it easier for people like me, who are visual learners, to process.
You’ve just announced your upcoming video podcast, Mina. How is this show different from the podcasts you’ve hosted before?
Mina: I’m definitely thinking about the set. I want to make it recognizable because before, when I started High Brow, it was just me and my guest in my bedroom, sitting on my bed. I’m excited to get to play with production design, figure out this space, and really make it a home.
What is it about podcasts that makes them such a powerful storytelling format for you?
Mina: They’re definitely more candid. Other mediums, like short-form, aren’t always long enough to fully get what someone has to say. Or with long-form video essays, they can feel very produced, which is great for certain things. Podcasts offer a space that’s more casual, where you can say things a little bit more off the cuff and you can really be yourself. That’s what’s really magical about them.
How do you balance staying on top of trends with staying authentic to who you are?
Mia: I like to keep up with the trends, but I don’t follow them just because they’re popular. I pay attention to what genuinely connects with me and filter everything else through my own perspective.
You both draw inspiration from a wide range of influences. How do you use Spotify to discover new voices, ideas, or cultural reference points?
Mina: Spotify has a really awesome search feature. I use it as part of my research process. I like to know what people are talking about and what conversations have already been had. I’ll search for episodes about topics I’ve been thinking about to see how other people are discussing them.
Mia: I use Spotify to discover new artists, genres, and cultural influences through playlists, artist radios, and recommendations. I also like exploring the inspirations behind artists to find new sounds and ideas.
Watch Mina and Mia’s On Air and In Style conversation on Spotify.
