Brittany and Gabriel Hugoboom (Evie) on Building the “Conservative Cosmo,” the Raw Milkmaid Dress and the Business of Controversy

This episode kicks off a two-part exploration of the modern women’s media landscape. Today, Sammi sits down with Brittany and Gabriel Hugoboom, the husband-and-wife team behind Evie Magazine — a publication often described as a “conservative Cosmo.” Next week, she’ll speak with Sami Sage, co-founder of Betches, a media company with comparatively left-leaning readership. 

Brittany and Gabriel Hugoboom created Evie with the goal of building a women’s media brand centered in femininity, beauty, and lifestyle without the progressive filter. In this conversation, Sammi digs into how they positioned Evie from day one, what business opportunity they spotted, and whether fashion and politics can ever be separated in 2026. They also unpack the viral Raw Milkmaid dress that set off backlash from both sides, and what that moment taught them about brand power, consumer perception, and the business of controversy..

The Hugobooms also talk about their second company, 28—a cycle-based wellness app backed by Peter Thiel—and how media becomes top-of-funnel for product ecosystems and cultural influence. From modern feminism to the soft-life debate to the death of the girlboss, this episode offers an unfiltered look at the ideas shaping women’s media today—and why Evie thinks the next female-led empire might not look like the last one. 

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Check out Evie on Instagram

Read the New York Times piece

Here’s what Brittany and Gabriel cover with Sammi:

00:00 Brittany and Gabriel Hugoboom’s Social Currency

04:08 Being the “Conservative Cosmo”

13:36 The Viral Raw Milkmaid Dress

24:42 Hot Takes on Femininity in 2026 

33:57 Dealing with Backlash  

36:04 28

38:12 Women's Health

42:05 Product Expansion and Marketing

48:47 Future Vision for Evie and 28

58:28 Industry Predictions

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