Clothes, confidence and reshaping the future (with guest Karen Martin):

Dahlia is joined by Karen Martin, Editor of the BBC's Global News Podcast and Happy Pod to discuss weight loss injections and reinvention.

Karen talks about how the menopause impacted her identity and why she chose to use weight loss injections to regain a version of who she was - but how it became a moment of reinvention.

Dahlia and Karen discuss how it feels to go through a dramatic weight loss, why Karen wants to break the taboo of the injections and the initial response to her change in weight. They also discuss the joy of getting dressed and how Karen's style changed as she embraced a new version of herself in her 50s.

Curious about mounjaro, food noise and the behind the scenes of weight loss injections - have a listen to one perspective on using the medication.

Karen Martin is the Editor of the BBC’s most listened to international news podcast – the Global News Podcast.

She also edits the weekly Happy Pod and The Newsroom Programme on the BBC World Service.

A former reporter for newspapers, radio and TV, Karen now runs a 24/7 team of journalists covering stories from around the globe.

She’s also the mother of two teenaged daughters, a huge supporter of younger women in their careers and an avid cold water swimmer.

Karen isn’t afraid to stand out in a male dominated workplace, running editorial meetings dressed from head to foot in pink, leopard print or both.

She’s always across the latest news – and the hottest fashion trends.

Dahlia is joined by Dr Kerstin Brehm to discuss everything from diagnosis to dressing to making tough decisions.

Kerstin shares her journey from cardiac surgeon to leadership coach and why she is continuously challenge herself to learn in new ways.

Dahlia and Kerstin discuss how easy or difficult it is to diagnose what does and doesn't feel right in your career, why we don't always need to seek passion in our work and why we need to stop living for the weekend and enjoy our everyday.

Kerstin gives advice on the balance between inner confidence in your own ability and also knowing when to have confidence in the views of those around you.

Dr. Kerstin Brehm is a former heart surgeon turned corporate leader and founder of The Leadership Clinic™. Today she’s an outspoken advocate for ambitious women 40+, helping them reinvent success on their own terms. A strategist, podcaster, and fashion lover, Kerstin brings bold ideas, sharp insights, and a touch of style to everything she does.

Dahlia is joined by journalist Marianne Jones to discuss the importance of identity and how to retain a sense of self as life circumstance's change.

Marianne reflects on the moments of change across her career and how stress meant that she had to prioritise her health and take a change in direction - and what that meant for her identity.

Marianne is honest about the challenges that life can bring but offers advice on the link between confidence, resilience and finding joy in the everyday.

Dahlia and Marianne also discuss the work that Marianne does for Dementia UK and Marianne shares how vital clothing was to helping her Mum retain a sense of self as she lived with dementia.

Marianne Jones is a multi award-winning journalist, editor and broadcaster. Currently joint features director of YOU magazine, she has edited the Sunday Telegraph’s Stella Magazine, the Saturday Telegraph Magazine, andGrazia. She has co-hosted a number 1 podcast, Been There Done That Got the Podcast, and is an ambassador for the charity Dementia UK.

Dahlia is joined by Zena Everett Speaker, Leadership Coach and Author of 'The Crazy Busy Cure' and 'Badly Behaved People'.

Zena and Dahlia discuss the link between clothes and culture with Zena sharing her reflections from her time in recruitment and her research for her writing.

The discussion explores questions such as whether organisations should provide a clothing allowance for junior new starters, whether imposter syndrome is really a thing and whether you can be stressed and well dressed all at oncce.

The conversation centres around the fact that clothes can be used strategically to either build your confidence or to create an image where you are over or underestimated (listen carefully to Zena's favourite fashion moment) and Dahlia and Zena discuss the role clothes can play in shaping a corporate culture. There is a very clear shared view of the fact that there is no room for 'bad behaviour' in the workplace and that everyone deserves respect whatever they choose to wear.

Listen to reflect on how workplace culture has influenced your clothing choices and how you have used clothes to build your confidence and improve your mindset.

Dahlia is joined by Sam Parker, Site Director of British GQ and author of 'Good Anger' a book about how to 'rethink rage.'

Dahlia and Sam discuss what anger can do for our stress levels and the difference between keeping 'anger in' and 'anger out' - how you choose to express your emotion.

Sam talks about the inspiration behind his book and how his own mental health journey inspired him to look deeper into the different emotions we feel and understand the 'why'.

Sam also unpicks stereotypes about who society deems as 'allowed to be angry' and why this matters.

Clothes, confidence and a little bit of rage all in one!

Sam Parker is author of Good Anger: How Rethinking Rage Can Change Our Lives. He has been an editor and writer for 15 years for publications such as the Guardian, Times and Telegraph. He works as a senior editor at British GQ. He runs the weekly newsletter Good Anger on Substack.

Dahlia is joined by Monica Hanouka, Nutritional Therapist to discuss the link between Clothes, Confidence and Cortisol.

Monica unpacks what 'cortisol' is, how we regulate our nervous system and how this influences our stress. She explains how what we eat can directly influences our stress levels and our confidence. Her focus isn't food but the whole wellness journey and how we create more awareness around our choices and how they make us feel.

In a world where there is so much 'noise' around food Monica gives us the science to better understand how to create a sensible approach to nutrition.

Monica has long been fascinated by health and genetics, leading her to study Biology at University College London. She went on to train as a broadcast journalist with a specialism in health and spent a fast-paced decade in television news.

After the birth of her third child, Monica took a step back from her career to focus on raising her family. During this time, she faced two major surgeries within six months, which triggered a significant decline in her gut health, energy, and overall wellbeing. Slowly, she began to restore her health through food and lifestyle changes.

This personal journey sparked a deep passion for nutrition and inspired Monica to undertake a four-year professional diploma at the renowned Institute for Optimum Nutrition. Since then, she’s been dedicated to helping others transform their health from the inside out.

Monica takes a highly personalised, root-cause approach to every client, focusing on sustainable change rather than quick fixes. She supports people with a range of issues, including hormonal imbalances, IBS, weight concerns, food intolerances, poor sleep, and low energy.

Dahlia is joined by Alexandra Shulman, journalist, author and former Editor in Chief of Vogue magazine.

The conversation centres around reflections from Alexandra's book 'Clothes and other things that matter', which was written as a way to capture her time at Vogue, sharing stories and experiences through the outfits she owns.

Alexandra describes the role clothes have played for her over time and some of the outfits that she has owned that are the most meaningful to her. Dahlia and Alexandra also discuss the wider topic of identity with Alexandra giving her view on how she felt leaving Vogue, how she knew she was ready to step into something new and how she sees her writing now.

Alexandra also shares her tips on building confidence, how she approached leadership at Vogue and what getting dressed everyday means to her.

Alexandra Shulman was brought up in London. She attended St. Paul’s Girls’ School and gained a BA in Social Anthropology from Sussex University.

She started her career working in the music industry and then moved into magazines as a secretary on Over21 magazine. She began working as a journalist on Tatler magazine in 1980, leaving in 1986 to become Women’s Editor on The Sunday Telegraph. She returned to magazines as Features Editor of Vogue in 1988, becoming the first female editor of a monthly men’s magazine when GQ launched in the UK in 1990. In 1992 she became Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue where she stayed for 25 years leaving in June 2017.

During that time she launched an annual Vogue Festival, oversaw the launch of Vogue’s digital programme including Vogue.co.uk and Vogue Video and took the sales of the magazine both domestically and internationally to a record high.

In 2007 she was awarded an OBE for services to fashion journalism and in 2018 a CBE for services to magazines

She has also written two novels, Can We Still Be Friends, and The Parrots both published by Fig Tree/Penguin, and a memoir of the Centenary year preparations for British Vogue, Inside Vogue: A diary of my 100th year. Her book Clothes….and other things that matter was published in Spring 2020 by Octopus books and was a Sunday Times Bestseller. She also wrote the introduction to Elizabeth11 –Queen, Princess, Icon – published in 2022.

She is a contracted writer for the Mail on Sunday and Daily Mail and contributes other papers and magazines. She is known as a commentator on female leadership, fashion, and contemporary style

She was a Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery for eight years, and a Trustee of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity for eight years. She is currently a Vice President of The London Library and Trustee of The Wallace Collection

She is now working as a journalist, consultant, speaker and author.

Alexandra has a son, Samuel and lives with her partner David Jenkins in London

Dahlia is joined by Alicia Drabble Castellano to discuss the a business journey born out of PTSD recovery. As the founder of 'Single Swan' a wellness-focused clothing brand, Alicia explains how her personal struggle with mental and physical health became the inspiration that fuelled her creative journey.

Dahlia and Alicia discuss what it takes to start a brand from scratch when you don't have former business/industry knowledge or VC funding to support you, and how Alicia decided 'not knowing' would be her super power to help her discover her way.

The conversation looks at what it takes to be a founder in terms of mental mindset and resilience - whilst Alicia champions kindness she recognises that she has had to grow a thick skin to persevere at times.

Alicia's advice includes understanding how to 'find your tribe' and know where to seek out light in the most vulnerable moments and to have the wisdom to know what you can change and adjust to what you can't.

Prepare to be inspired...

Single Swan is a wellness-focused clothing brand founded byAlicia, a former teacher who had to step away from education due to health challenges. After a period of uncertainty, she found a new purpose—creating a brand rooted in kindness: kindness to ourselves, to others, and to the planet.

With no formal training in design but a deep passion for style and a fascination with how clothing impacts well-being, Alicia channelled her vision into something truly innovative. Her hero piece, the 7SWAN, is a revolutionary wellness jumpsuit redefining activewear. Designed forversatility, longevity, and effortless elegance, it offers a premium alternative to traditional Lycra-based options.

A proud member of the Buy Women Built community, supporting and championing female-founded businesses, Alicia has built Single Swan into a platform for empowerment. Her clothing is gaining recognition including a sell-out event at Fearne Cotton's Happy Place Festival, where her designs connected deeply with audiences looking for wellness and mindful living.

Proudly made in London, the 7SWAN empowers women to move freely,embracing both sustainability and style.