Mayor Zohran Mamdani is starting a new era in New York City, and the lessons from 1980s NYC have never been more relevant.

CNN legal analyst and Five Bullets author Elliot Williams joins Kenya to discuss Mayor Mamdani's affordability politics, Trump 2.0, and policy issues impacting the business of fashion—including immigration, labor, and tariffs.

Elliot also shares insights from Five Bullets—including a conversation with subway vigilante Bernie Goetz—and what the book reveals about affordability, safety, and politics in New York then and now.

Pre-order Five Bullets by Elliot Williams today!

Elliot's Book Events:

February 9 at Politics and Prose in Washington, DC

February 11 at Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn, NY

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AI policy has dominated Washington in 2025, but what does this mean for fashion brands and retailers using AI? Kenya sat down with Meagan Foster, Senior Principal at Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies and former deputy chief of staff for U.S, Senator Peter Welch, to break down the year in tech policy— just days before President Trump signed an executive order on federal preemption of state AI laws.

Meagan’s analysis was right on point—the December 11 White House executive order moved one step closer toward the federal preemption she identified as the defining AI issue of 2025.

Meagan shares her insider perspective on the current power dynamics shaping various parts of AI policy—from chatbots and copyright to children's safety and chips to China.

In this episode, we discuss how every congressional committee is claiming jurisdiction over artificial intelligence; AI's impact on fashion jobs and the future of work; and why children's privacy and online safety could provide a breakthrough for AI legislation.

This episode was recorded on December 2, 2025. Listen for fashion footnotes throughout with key updates on the December 11 AI executive order and the final text of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Connect with Meagan Foster.

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This holiday shopping season, counterfeit goods aren't just an IP problem, but they also raise serious consumer protection and health concerns. After Entrupy—the global leader in AI-powered authentication—scanned materials from close to about 1,200 different fakes, over 70% of the fakes tested had hazardous levels of lead and arsenic.

In this episode, Kenya sits down with Entrupy CEO Vidyuth Srinivasan, to discuss how the fashion tech company combines artificial intelligence, microscopic imaging, and human expertise to authenticate luxury goods, sneakers, and apparel at scale. Entrupy works with brands, retailers, resellers, and governments to identify and combat counterfeits worldwide.

In this conversation, we explore how Entrupy's AI authentication technology works and why human expertise remains essential; the shocking health hazards hidden in counterfeit products; why no country is immune from counterfeits and what governments can do; and Entrupy’s partnership with TikTok Shop. Plus, Vidyuth shares strategies on how luxury, apparel and footwear companies can protect their brands against counterfeit operations this holiday season.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Entrupy 2025 State of the Fake Report

AI authentication for streetwear and apparel

Entrupy authentication certificate

ARS Counsel holiday preparation for brand protection

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AI is reshaping how fashion designers create and connect with customers. Should designers and other industry talent be required to disclose AI-generated elements? What should creators know and how can AI and intellectual property work together?

SUITED host Kenya Wiley recently sat down with IP attorney Darrell Mottley to discuss these issues; his current role as Assistant Clinical Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Clinic (IPEC) at Suffolk University Law School; and how IPEC is training the next generation of IP attorneys while also providing legal services to creators in Boston and across the United States.

Professor Mottley's legal scholarship focuses on AI and the creative community. What should creators be mindful of when inputting their information into AI-assisted tools? What are First Amendment concerns around government-mandated transparency for AI-generated creative works—as discussed in Professor Mottley's latest law article?

In this episode, Professor Mottley explains why you should not put information into AI systems that you do not want to become public, citing the recent chat conversations that were searchable on Google as a cautionary example. He also shares strategies for designers using AI, plus practical advice and course recommendations for law students interested in fashion and tech.

Connect with Professor Darrell Mottley at Suffolk University Law School

Read Professor Mottley’s AI law article here.

For fashion designers and other creators requesting legal services, please see the application page for the Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Clinic.

Join the conversation on LinkedIn and share your thoughts on AI and intellectual property in fashion.

On Wednesday, November 5, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on Trump's tariffs impacting textiles, apparel, and footwear—with justices appearing skeptical of the government's authority to use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose such sweeping measures. In this episode, international trade attorney Amanda Simpson breaks down the oral arguments and explores three critical questions: Does IEEPA authorize these tariffs? What's the refund process if the Court rules against the government? And what are the next steps for Trump's trade agenda and fashion brands?

Amanda explains why any refund process will likely take years to resolve, even if importers win, and emphasizes the importance of supply chain diversity in navigating ongoing trade uncertainty. Whether you're a designer, brand, fashion law attorney, or industry professional in sourcing or supply chain management, Amanda shares steps to prepare for what's next after the Supreme Court issues its decision.

Connect with international trade attorney Amanda Simpson:

LinkedIn

Email: amanda@simpsontradelaw.com

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Ropes & Gray IP transactions partner Erica Han, co-chair of the firm's consumer & retail brands industry group, joins host Kenya Wiley to navigate the legal landscape of dupes in fashion and beauty.

In this episode, we discuss the IP battles related to dupes and explore the legal and business implications of dupes-based business models. Erica shares what investors should consider before investing in dupes-based businesses—including the business model, IP risk, whether there’s protectable IP and innovation, and key contract terms for entities that rely heavily on influencers.

From investors and innovators to influencers, brands, and consumers, this episode breaks down what dupe culture means for fashion's entire ecosystem.

Connect with Ropes & Gray IP transactions partner Erica Han

Read Erica’s insights on dupes business models in fashion and beauty:

Dupes Boom Spurs IP Risks, Opportunities for Investors, Law360, July 2025

Imitation Game: Legal Considerations with Dupes-Based Business Models, Ropes & Gray alert, June 2025

For more on fashion law, politics, and policy, follow SUITED on Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter here.

FDA compliance lawyer Kristen Klesh joins host Kenya Wiley to discuss the evolving legislative and regulatory landscape for cosmetics and beauty brands. From federal implementation of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA) to state-level toxic-free laws, this episode explores the legal complexities facing beauty brands as the industry approaches a $590 billion market by 2030.

In this episode, we also discuss Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws for packaging and the plaintiffs' class action bar. Plus, Kristen shares strategies for beauty brands navigating supply chain management, starting with due diligence and communication with suppliers. Listen to the end to hear Kristen's complete list.

Connect with Kristen Klesh here.

More on cosmetics regulation and fashion law:

From Beauty Trend to Sweeping State Mandates: What Brands Need to Know about the Rise of "Toxic Free" Laws, June 2025

Decoding the PFAS Puzzle: Strategies for Fashion & Beauty Brands, July 2024

Athletes and Beauty Brand Partnerships — Proper Steps Will Ensure a Win-Win Relationship (full article published in Sports Business Journal), June 2024

The AI Pin: Fashion-Forward or Tech's Next Big Thing?, June 2023

For more on fashion law, politics, and policy, follow SUITED on Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter here.

In this episode, Kenya Wiley sits down with Maka Hutson, immigration attorney and leader of Akin's immigration practice, to discuss how changes in U.S. immigration policy could affect fashion creatives and the industry's future talent pipeline.

On September 19, President Trump signed a proclamation requiring a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa petitions filed on or after September 21—a massive jump from the current fee of approximately $3,600. Days later, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services published a proposed rule to overhaul the H-1B selection process with a weighted system that favors higher-paid workers (public comments are due by Friday, October 24). While H-1B visas are often associated with Big Tech, fashion companies also depend on H-1B workers in design, marketing, media, engineering, and data science—especially as brands weave AI and other emerging technologies into their operations.

Kenya and Maka also discuss immigration compliance, workplace audits, Optional Practical Training (OPT) for international students and its connection to the H-1B process, O-1 visas for individuals with extraordinary ability, and what brands should know about bringing creative teams to the U.S. for major fashion shows and events.

This episode was recorded on Monday, October 21, 2025.

Connect with Maka Hutson here.

Read the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking to File Cap-Subject H–1B Petitions (comments due October 24, 2025).

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