Tiffanie Darke: How to be in fashion now, finding purpose, the joy of being less greedy

What does it take to lead luxury fashion for two decades—then make an unexpected pivot? My guest this week, celebrated fashion designer Clare Waight Keller, knows first hand. After shaping the vision at Chloé and Givenchy—where she famously created the Duchess of Sussex’s wedding dress—Clare stepped away from the Paris catwalk to become Uniqlo’s Global Creative Director. In this episode, Clare reveals why this was more than a career shift —it was a statement of intent. With luxury fashion prices soaring 52% since 2020, Clare’s new mission is to show that great everyday design can be accessible to everyone, and that in the right hands “fast fashion” can be reimagined as slow fashion. Clare also takes us under the hood of her creative and decision making process—sharing why trusting her instincts is her superpower, why discomfort fuels her best work, and how seeing time as her most precious resource has shaped every decision she’s made. We get to the truth behind why there are so few female fashion directors, what it was like to work with the Duchess of Sussex, and why Uniqlo’s home-base of Tokyo is her favourite fashion capital yet. Clare Waight Keller is a revered force in fashion, and her journey—rooted in instinct, embracing change and long-term strategic thinking—offers inspiration to anyone forging their own path to just right.

Have you ever wanted to throw your whole life up in the air—just to see where it lands? Journalist and author of In Pursuit of Happiness Stacey Duguid did exactly that four years ago, and if her life since then was a Netflix series, you’d binge it in one sitting—hiding behind your hands one minute and cheering her on the next.

What does career success mean to you? Not the glossy, societal version—but one that lights up your zone of genius and provides the income you need to thrive. With 85,000 hours of your life spent at work, how do you make them really count? Erica Sosna, career coach and founder of The Career Equation, has the answers. In this episode, Erica shares the four key questions that unlock a career equation, how to figure out where you’re at now, and strategies for crafting a mission statement that aligns work with skills, earning potential, and personal goals. At the heart of it all is the big question: what does “enough” look like, and what strategies lead to achieving it in your career? Erica’s story is nothing short of incredible. Two years ago, she faced a life-changing accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. She tells Melanie how her Career Equation mission statement became her North Star for staying focused on recovery, helping her rebuild her life, career, and income from the ground up. Truly inspiring. Whether you’re making a career comeback, tweaking your current job, or dreaming up a whole new direction, this episode is packed with practical advice and fresh ideas to help you shape a career—squiggly or linear—that truly works for you. Guest: Erica Sosna Website: The Career Equation Book: The Career Equation Self-directed course: Your Career Plan

Living with ADHD—or loving someone who does—can feel like riding a pendulum that swings endlessly between “not enough” and “too much.” But what if you could step off and find the sweet spot in the middle? Enter Kate Moryoussef, host of the award-winning ADHD Women’s Wellbeing Podcast, who has not only pretty-much mastered living her “Just Right” life but has also inspired countless others—including me—to do the same.

Did you know it takes just 66 days to break a bad habit? Or that the relentless “I’m not good enough” voice in your head can be silenced for good? Catherine Gray—one of my personal heroes—has made it her life’s work to unravel these challenges and share the solutions. As the bestselling author of Versions of a Girl and the Unexpected Joy of series, Catherine brings a witty, no-judgment approach to quitting alcohol—and figuring out how to live joyfully afterward. Her fresh perspective makes sobriety not just achievable but genuinely aspirational. In this episode, we dive into Catherine’s story: how alcoholism shaped her life, the moment sobriety finally stuck, and the unexpected joy she found on the other side. We discuss practical ways to stop people-pleasing, explore the fascinating interplay of nature vs. nurture, and unpack the neuroscience behind addiction and gratitude. Catherine also shares the small, daily habits that create lasting change and reveals why managing your ego might just be the ultimate life hack. If you’re battling a bad habit, experimenting with a sober month, or supporting someone who is, this conversation is for you. It’s a powerful reminder that no matter how stuck you feel, change is possible and transformative—and there’s magic waiting for you on the other side. Guest: Catherine Gray @unexpectedjoyof Versions of a Girl by Catherine Gray - I LOVED it, really explores nature vs nurture - I gobbled it up on holiday and cried at the end. Catherine’s Unexpected Joy Of.. … Being Sober …The Ordinary …Being Single