Welcome to Violet Sessions, a series of talks with interesting people doing amazing things hosted by chef and food writer Claire Ptak and journalist and broadcaster Danielle Radojcin. In this episode, Danielle chats to sci-fi artist Lucy McRae, and documentary Lotje Sodderland about their short film, The Institute of Isolation. The film, commissioned by Ars Electronica and currently showing at the The Science Museum in London, explores the idea of how as humans we are now wilfully evolving through technology rather than nature. The podcast includes a discussion with the audience, focusing on the idea of isolation and how it affects people in different ways. 

Violet Sessions, Ep. 1 – Lucy McRae and Lotje Sodderland: The Institute of Isolation

Danielle Radojcin, host of Violet Sessions, sat down with Marine Tanguy, Gretchen Andrew, Leni Dothan, Tracey Brown and Lauren Gillett to talk about the new art programme taking place in London 4-8 October 2016.  A series of events taking place alongside Frieze, it involves artists, corporations and institutions, all working together to integrate art into the existing cityscape and make it accessible to all.

Violet Sessions, Ep. 2 - Marine Tanguy: Melt Week London, Changing the cityscape through art

Penny Martin, editor of The Gentlewoman magazine, speaks to broadcaster Danielle Radojcin about scoring Zadie Smith for her latest cover, what it was like interviewing Celine's Phoebe Philo, and her concept of fashion which she calls 'soft glamour'. The regular recording takes place at Violet bakery in East London, in front of an audience of about 20 people.

Violet Sessions, Ep. 3 - Penny Martin: Soft glamour, hard copies and The Gentlewoman

Fashion illustrator Jo Ratcliffe talks to broadcaster Danielle Radojcin about the launch of Femoji, her sticker and keyboard app. Following a career in fashion working with Kate Moss, Louis Vuitton and Dazed, Jo decided to quit her London studio and go travelling. Inspired by a range of amazing women, she decided to launch her range of feminist emojis. 

Violet Sessions is a series of interviews with female creative pioneers, aimed at inspiring anyone who listens to them. They take place at Violet, the bakery owned by chef and author Claire Ptak in East London.

Violet Sessions, Ep 4 - Jo Ratcliffe: Fashion, feminism and Femojis

Somerset House's Marie McPartlin talks about her passion for bringing underground art to a mainstream audience through her role as a director at a London cultural institution, and how she has forged an unusual and highly successful career for herself as a producer of cross disciplinary art forms. The chat takes place at Violet in East London, and is hosted by broadcaster Danielle Radojcin and chef Claire Ptak.

Violet Sessions, Ep 5 - Marie McPartlin: Raves, technology and underground art

Sylvia Farago is a creative fashion producer who worked with Jefferson Hack, Rankin and Burberry. After a relationship with an ex boyfriend turned sour, she set up her own company, and now travels all over the world producing shoots for Celine, Vogue and Love, working with the world's top photographers including Collier Shaw and Nick Knight. Over coffee at Violet in Hackney, East London, Sylvia a chats to Danielle Radojcin and Claire Ptak about how she made it to the top of her game, her adventures in the fashion industry, and how she combats jet lag.

Violet Sessions, Ep 6 - Sylvia Farago: Dazed, 90s London and outrunning past lives

"Don't start with a burning car," says the Parisian Kim Boutin about learning how to code. Here she talks to Danielle Radojcin and Claire Ptak about life at the vanguard of digital creativity and how we can encourage young girls to get into coding. Since leaving her job at Kenzo to set up her business in London, Kim has produced interactive magazine OK Grl with Louby McLoughlin, worked for Dior and created the VR designs at virtual nail salon Wah in London.

Violet Sessions, Ep 7 - Kim Boutin: VR design, Dior and Kenzo

"When I work on the estate I feel like I'm working with my father. It's a collaboration. It's all a way of being close to him and to the work." Curator and design consultant Mariah Nielson talks to Danielle Radojcin and Claire Ptak at Violet bakery in East London about managing the estate of her father, the late artist J.B. Blunk, her experience of travelling to Japan as a 16-year old model, culture differences between California and London, and the value of travel and spending time alone.

Violet Sessions, Ep 8 - Mariah Nielson: J.B. Blunk, Japanese culture and California dreaming

"I love the fact there's this great awakening." For this Port Eliot Festival special, Danielle Radojcin and Claire Ptak sit down with the legendary fashion designer and US Vogue's chief fashion critic to discuss fashion and politics; changing attitudes to the environmental impact of fashion; Hamnett's legendary slogan T-shirts and the stories behind them, her upcoming relaunch and why Kanye West is her number one fan.

Ep 13 - Katharine Hamnett and Sarah Mower: what's the point of protest fashion?

Violet Sessions

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