Exploring Fashion Through Discussion: Meet Drew Joiner

Drew Joiner’s love for sneakers began on the basketball court. While playing on Denver’s Grandview High School basketball team, he started to take note of the players he looked up to, along with the sneakers they were wearing. Now years later, Joiner runs Beyond the Garment, a podcast that explores fashion through discussion with designers, change-makers and influential figures in the industry. 

The Curio Cabinet team chatted about Joiner’s journey over lattes at Ralph’s Coffee in Manhattan, located just next to Central Park and in the Ralph Lauren store. Surrounded by fashion, we learned about what brought him to New York City as a Denver native, along with the opportunities that are rapidly presenting themselves to him as the podcast and his brand grow. 

After attending the University of Denver and during the pandemic lockdown, Joiner decided to start the podcast to combine several of his passions; fashion, history and human connection. 

“I thought, what’s one of the easiest ways I can learn about these things without having to go back to school and try to reacquire skills and knowledge that I didn’t necessarily have the vision beforehand that I wanted to get into,” Joiner said. 

While at first his listener base was small, Joiner’s podcast quickly gained traction as it was filling a niche in the fashion community. Many designers and artists don’t receive recognition for their work and are rarely afforded the opportunities to tell their stories in a format like a podcast. Beyond the Garment changed that, attracting listeners who are eager to hear the stories Joiner tells.  

“People love people in the industry who maybe don’t get the credit or the recognition that they should,” he said. For the guests on the podcast, “they love the opportunity to be able to speak about what they do because they don’t always get their recognition.”

Photo by Benjamin Harrison.

By exploring various topics or interviewing guests, Joiner brings the fashion brands we know and love to life by showcasing the creativity of the individuals behind them. 

“It’s about things that I care about,” he said. “Fashion brands, sustainable aspects, the manufacturing processes, the stories behind the clothes.”

Joiner moved from Denver to New York City last year and is embracing life in the city. The move strengthened his inspiration to continue his career in fashion. 

“You step outside in New York and you walk down the street, you see so much inspiration from an outfit standpoint, he said. You see it “in the way people just move in their clothing and how they have to have outfits that are designed for being able to walk around the city.”

The streets of New York offer a new perspective as well as a chance to gain inspiration from others. Public transportation and walking are the only methods of transportation in New York City, which was an adjustment compared to Denver. However, walking around the city serves as a catalyst for Joiner’s fashion sense.

“In a way, the outfit is the vehicle to move around the city.” 

His personal style inspiration comes from the environment of the city, combining some Americana pieces with Western flair. He likes to embrace a nod to fashion from moments in time like the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s in his looks with traditional garments that embody that American look. At the same time, he shops with intention. 

Photo by Benjamin Harrison.

“There’s a lot of things that the fashion industry can definitely improve on,” Joiner said. “For me, the biggest thing that I would love to see change is a true new course in manufacturing and textile production.” 

Buyers constantly fall victim to the overly consumerist nature of trends and the industry as a whole. For Joiner, it’s about the experience and getting the full scope of a purchase from beginning to end. Ralph Lauren is one of Joiner’s favorite designers and brands and sets a high standard that paves the way to what his interests and overall taste are. To make it on Joiner’s shopping list, there is intention, research and a need for the purchase. 

 “There are moments where there’s something new I want to try or this creative itch I need to scratch…but for a lot of my purchases or interests within fashion are pretty specific,” he said. “If something catches my eye maybe I’ll research it a little bit more but it doesn’t mean I’m going to go out and buy it.” 

Joiner often takes the fashion he sees out and about as inspiration for the podcast. He also develops content by researching historically significant moments in time for fashion and analyzing their impact.

That starts with uncovering stories that have yet to be told. Joiner has met with an array of guests, including senior designer John Taylor who has worked with brands like Nike, Aime Leon Dore, Gucci and Thom Browne. Although, consumers rarely know the stories behind individuals like Taylor and how he helped shape these brands.

“All of the names we know, there’s a line of people that stand behind them to execute the vision that they have. To execute that vision, it also takes creativity, collaboration, forethought and all these things that don’t get the same emphasis as the big names at the top,” Joiner added. “It’s not only important to highlight them but in a selfish way, I want to learn from them as well.” 

Joiner also finds stories by choosing to cover specific themes in fashion. Usually, these themes are reminiscent of his own style preferences, including the history behind Americana fashion. After exploring Japanese denim last year, Joiner is now unpacking a new topic: Black Ivy. 

Photo by Jordan McClendon.

“Black Ivy documents different men and women in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s who wore particular garments to subvert ideas that Black people were lesser than white people during the civil rights movement,” he explained. 

Through highlighting these topics and more, Beyond the Garment has become a well-repected exploration of fashion with a rapidly growing following. 

We asked Joiner if he could share any advice for aspiring creatives looking to break into the fashion industry in some capacity. He shared that patience is key when building recognition, like he has for himself. 

“The doors that have opened for me have opened the last two years,” Joiner said. “The doors that have opened and continue to open, happen in hindsight.” 

In addition to patience, preparation is also important for entrepreneurs to be successful. 

“You just need to make sure you’re prepared for them when those opportunities come and do your very best to fulfill those opportunities. If you fail, just try again.” 

Joiner continues to embrace life in New York City, sharing his experience with his social media followers and listeners of Beyond the Garment. With continued growth on the horizon, opportunities for his storytelling to continue are endless.

Featured image by Jordan McClendon.

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