Carla Hall, beloved chef and TV personality, is introducing Carla Hall NOW, a brand new, two episode series on QVC airing Saturday, June 1 and Saturday, June 15. We got to exclusively sit down with Carla for all the details on her upcoming show and what’s in store for those who tune in. Keep reading for why she chose to start this endeavor, a sneak peek at her favorite must-have products that she’ll discuss on the series and to learn why the Q50 Ambassador feels especially connected to women over 50.
Related: Best-Ever Stone Ground Grits: Chef Carla Hall’s Easy Recipe Ensures Creamy Grains
Woman’s World (WW): What was the purpose of creating this series, and why did you choose to partner with QVC?
Carla Hall: I’ve been working with QVC for the last year and a half — I started with my line and I’ve been a guest in the kitchen with David, with Mary, with Rachel. And so after Q50 [QVC’s 50 women over 50 campaign], we came up with this idea to do a special. [Just like the Q50 Summit, my show] also speaks to the age of possibility and doing new things and maybe not being perfect. So I’m really, really excited about it. And I just want to want to showcase all of that, but also I want to showcase all of my favorite things that I am curating from QVC, and we’re calling it — stop it, because I love a pun — ‘Carla’s Haul!’
WW: Is there any possibility of the series extending past the two episodes?
Carla Hall: We’ll see. One step at a time. It’s new, we’re going to have fun with it. No pressure.
WW: Why do you feel a particularly special connection with the over 50 crowd?
Carla Hall: Well, one, I just turned 60. So I think about the things that I like, and I think about how I shop and I feel like, well, 84% of the QVC audience is 50+, and so I know her because I am her. We’re also the ones who have the disposable income and make a lot of the financial decisions in the household. The one thing about QVC that I love is I can speak directly about the product to the person who is buying it, and that’s unlike a shelf talker or going to another store, and that’s the power and the beauty of this platform.
WW: How do you plan on showcasing your favorite products?
Carla Hall: I’m going to be wearing — everything from head to toe — things from QVC, starting with NYDJ. Many of these items are unique and were designed specifically for QVC. So I’m excited to take those jeans — I haven’t decided what color, either the light denim or the white — and then a striped shirt, which is going to be Isaac Mizrahi, I think I’m doing the pink stripe, and I’m going to take a scarf and wear it like a belt.
WW: At the Q50 event in Las Vegas last month, every single outfit of yours looked so good. Every single time!
Carla Hall: I love it. And I think, you know, we have all this wisdom as we have been getting to this age, and a lot of people will say that we’re over the hill. And like I said in my talk, we’re not over the hill, we are the summit. But there’s a part of us I think in the back of our minds saying, ‘Am I over the hill? Can I not wear these things?’ And I’m here to say no, your body should be a canvas and all the clothes are the paints and the colors and the textures. And so that’s how I think about it. I mean here, I put on this little flower. It’s just a little clip-on, but you can wear it in your hair, you can wear it anywhere. You know, my glasses are face art. So I feel like I want to remind people to just put on something that is unexpected.
And sometimes, especially for women, we dress for other women. There is nothing more exciting to me than to have this flower on, I’m walking down the street, and another woman says, ‘Oh my gosh, ah, I love your color.’ It makes somebody happy, right? So I absolutely love that. And so this is sort of an extension of how I am on the street, to bring it into the studio and to share and have a conversation.
WW: Do you feel you’ve always had this passion for style and fashion?
Carla Hall: I’ve had a passion for arts. So I’ve always had a passion for color and texture, and even in college, I liked shopping in my closet and putting together things I’ve never worn before. I like wearing the same thing and maybe putting an accessory on it to surprise myself. Also, I didn’t have that much money, so it was like, how do I mix things up to make them interesting. Even how I would take my button-down and put it through my belt loop and do other things like that. So it’s that kind of thing, to get creative, and it’s not creative for creative sake. It’s not creative because maybe I don’t have the money, but it’s also creative to say, Oh my gosh, look at that! It’s like a recipe. How can you change the recipe with different herbs and spices. I look at my fashion like that.
WW: How would you describe your style in three words?
Carla Hall: Colorful, creative and unexpected.
WW: Oh, I like that! And I know you’re going to get into this on the series, but can you talk a little about your top three favorite products that you plan on showcasing and why they’re your favorite?
Carla Hall: The NYDJ jeans, because they just fit really well. I know they’ve been on QVC for a while, but I was introduced to them through a friend., and I was like they just make me look good! And the fact that they’re this cooling technology where you can wear jeans in the summer and not feel like your thighs are sweating. I mean, let’s be real. I love that. This particular style, the Joni Capri, is unique to QVC and it has five colorways and I think the colors are really good.
Next, the sheets. I have to tell you, it’s the Home Reflections Double Brushed Sheets. Everybody in the meeting wanted to go and buy these sheets! There is a special, they’re $25, and you can mix and match them. I love mixed prints and I love doing that with my sheets! They’re cheap enough to buy a couple of sets. Also whenever my husband and I travel and we do Airbnbs, we take our own sheets. Also, I am going to do a demo and show people how to fold a fitted sheet!
My third favorite item, I have to say, is my own Sweet Heritage Electric Kettle. I mean, come on, do I have to pick one of my own children? I love it. I just used it yesterday. I use it a lot, it sits on my counter. I was making a chocolate chai ganache [earlier]. I heated my milk in my kettle and infused it with the chai tea and then poured it over the chocolate from the kettle. So it’s not just for water! So I’m approaching this product as a chef — when I develop something, I think about how many different ways can we use it.
You can watch the show live on QVC Saturday, June 1 and June 15 at 10 p.m. EST or tune in to the livestream on QVC.com. They also will be available to stream on QVC+ after they air.
For more celebrity content, click through these stories:
Stacy London’s 3 Tips for Embracing Your Personal Style — & Authentic Self — as You Age
Patti LaBelle Talks New Music + Her Advice For Women Turning 50
Christina Applegate on Being ‘Raw’ & Honest About Life + Speaking Her Own Truth
