Welcome toSecond Life, a podcast spotlighting successful women who’ve made major career changes—and fearlessly mastered the pivot. Hosted by Hillary Kerr, co-founder and chief content officer at Who What Wear, each episode gives you a direct line to women who are game changers in their fields. Subscribe to Second Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts to stay tuned.
If you frequent Who What Wear for shopping or style advice, chances are you’ve come across an incredibly chic outfit reference from Chrissy Rutherford’s Instagram. Her signature style (think high-waisted denim paired with a perfectly tailored blazer) has dominated street style for the last decade, and she’s become a fashion force to be reckoned with. Over the last several years, Rutherford has become the ultimate multi-hyphenate: She is a writer, entrepreneur, digital creator, and brand consultant. This year, Rutherford launched her own newsletter, Fwd Joy, in which she shares her unique perspective with her audience, covering a vast range of topics from her relationship with therapy and tarot card reading to beautifully curated shopping guides. Rutherford has undoubtedly established her voice in the industry, garnering the attention of over 160,000 followers, that transcends fashion.
While we love Rutherford’s keen sense of fashion and beauty routines, she uses her platform to create real change within the industry. In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, Rutherford posted a series of Instagram stories about systemic racism in America that resonated with millions, receiving over five million views and re-shares. So in 2020, alongside Danielle Prescod, Rutherford co-founded 2BG Consulting—a company dedicated to educating fashion and beauty brands and industry leaders on how to create actively anti-racist brand identities from the inside out while fostering inclusive and diverse values. Together, Rutherford and Prescod host seminars to delve deeper into the history of white supremacy in the industry and how to make a real impact.
Rutherford has become a passionate, authentic voice in the industry, but before she was paving her own path—on her own terms—she spent 12 years working in the fashion media industry. As one of the first members of the Harper’s Bazaar digital team, Rutherford was actually tasked with starting and running the publication’s Instagram, where she grew the following to millions. At Bazaar, she evolved her career from intern to market editor to special projects director. Listen to the latest episode of Second Life to hear how Rutherford was able to take the leap of faith to go out on her own and how she continues to evolve her voice and use her platform.
Next: Meet Culinary Genius Jing Gao: Founder of Premium Chinese Food Brand Fly by Jing