Stacey Duguid stays with us for The Afterparty, a celebration that begins once the velvet rope has been crossed.

We talk dream parties, unforgettable dance floors, and the moments you don’t hear about on the guest list.

From a Tom Ford high-five with unexpected consequences to feeling decidedly uninvited inside Donatella Versace’s apartment, Stacey shares the stories that live somewhere between glamour and chaos.

Unfiltered, fun, and slightly chaotic, just how an afterparty should be.

In this first guest conversation of The UN/INVITED Podcast, Stacey Duguid traces a career that has moved from the glossy front row to the grit of honest writing, from corporate fashion to deeply personal essays, and now into the world of art.

Through it all, she has remained raw, funny, emotionally fearless, and unmistakably herself.

In this episode, we talk about unexpected turning points (including the remarkable way she landed her role at ELLE), her six years writing the beloved “Mademoiselle” column despite never being a trained writer, the breaking point that reshaped her life in 2020, and the courage it takes to reinvent yourself again and again.

Let's get past the velvet rope with Stacey Duguid!

In this pilot episode, I take you back to the night in Milan that inspired The UN/INVITED Podcast, a bold, uninvited moment that changed the course of my life. It was the beginning of a creative journey that had no map, no permission, and certainly no official invitation.

This story shaped not only the theme of the podcast but also its structure. The velvet rope becomes the metaphor that ties everything together, the subtle line between outside and inside, between where we begin and where we hope to go.

My experience made me reflect on the myriad, and often unconventional, ways people find their way into the creative scene. There’s no single path, no written rules, and no guaranteed “right” moment. Every journey unfolds differently, and that’s what makes them worth exploring.

I am setting the tone for what’s to come: real, honest, and insightful conversations with the people shaping the creative world, the turning points that shifted their direction, the risks they took, the rules they bent, and the invitations they’re still hoping to receive.

Welcome to the UN/INVITED Podcast.

The UN/INVITED Podcast

Inspired by a true story.

A few years ago, I found myself at a party in Milan where, let’s just say, I wasn’t exactly on the list.
That night, I met a designer I’d always admired, and that unexpected encounter changed everything.
What began as a bold, uninvited moment evolved into an opportunity that took me from being a fashion student to walking on the runway.

That experience made me reflect on how creative journeys really unfold. There’s no single recipe for success, no clear map, no guaranteed way in. The creative world can feel unpredictable; its rules are rarely written down. Sometimes, all it takes is being in the right place, at the right time, and daring to step past the velvet rope.

Using the velvet rope as a metaphor, The UN/INVITED Podcast explores that threshold, the moment when someone moves from feeling like an outsider to finding their place within the creative landscape.

Each episode features a creative voice that uncovers the turning points, the challenges, and choices that shape their path. At its core, The UN/INVITED celebrates every journey because there’s no one way to make it, and each story has its own meaning.

Whether you’re officially on the list, crashing the gate, or building your own entrance, this is your invite to join the party!