Fashion & Founders The Podcast

How do you build a career where opportunities come to you instead of constantly applying for jobs? And how did Quince become a $10.1 billion company selling $50 cashmere sweaters? This week on Fashion and Founders, I'm joined by Dakota Kate Isaacs, Head of Brand Strategy and Narrative at Quince, to talk about building a career in fashion, taking risks, and the technology changing the fashion industry. Dakota has never applied for a job she's held. After completing 12 internships in college, s...

How to start a jewelry business. Engagement ring trends. Lab-grown vs. natural diamonds. Acquired Style Wedding. Ring Concierge founder Nicole Wegman joins Fashion and Founders to talk about scaling to a $100 Million Business. Nicole shares advice for anyone who wants to become an entrepreneur, leave corporate and work for themselves, or eventually start their own brand. She explains why she believes you should gain work experience before starting a company, what aspiring founders should lear...

How to work with luxury fashion brands. How to get invited to fashion week. Top 1% of fashion creators. Kate Bartlett has built one of the most recognizable careers in fashion content going from an FIT student posting day-in-the-life videos to working with some of the biggest luxury brands in the world. In this episode of Fashion and Founders, Kate breaks down how she turned content creation into a real business, what it actually takes to build relationships with fashion brands, and the...

September Reset Guide. Fall Reset. How to become a founder. Why Aureum stopped selling jewelry. Cass Dimicco joins Victoria Smith, host Fashion and Founders to break down how she went from fashion buyer to creator to founder of Aureum. Cass gives listeners a “founder playbook,” even if you’re not about to start a company this is a great September reset guide. We go into changing your habits, building confidence, and betting on yourself. Her company recently went through a big pivot too....

What does the future of fashion tech actually look like and which companies will survive it? What is fashion tech? How to work in fashion tech? What companies get investment? This week, Victoria sits down with Juan Pellerano, Chief Marketing Officer at Swap Commerce, a fast-growing fashion tech company that raised a $100 million Series C in 2026. Juan breaks down what agentic commerce actually means, how AI could change the way we shop online, and why the next generation of e-commerce may loo...

How to build a personal brand, make money as a content creator, and turn an online audience into a real business. In this episode of Fashion and Founders, host Victoria Smith is joined by Alexis Barber. Alexis is the founder and host of Too Smart For This and has built a portfolio career spanning content, consulting, speaking, entrepreneurship, and publishing. In this episode, she shares why she believes content creation is a skill, not a career and how creators can use content as a dis...

How to get invited to fashion week, what I wish I knew before attending my first fashion week, who gets invited to fashion shows? Inside Copenhagen Fashion Week SS27. What makes Copenhagen Fashion Week different and why it’s one of my favorites. We go over the Live Podcast with Ganni and how the brand engages in fashion tech and innovation. Plus tips I’ve learned about getting invited to fashion events and how to make the most of them. Ganni Founder Podcast Ganni Chief Sustainability Of...

How did Ganni become a global name? Is Ganni a sustainable fashion brand? What innovation is needed for fashion brands? Recorded live at Copenhagen Fashion Week at 1Hotel Copenhagen, Victoria sits down with GANNI co-founder Nicolaj Reffstrup to talk about building one of fashion’s most recognizable global brands. Nicolaj shares how his background in tech shaped the way he and his wife, Ditte Reffstrup, built GANNI. He also reflects on the rise of the “GANNI Girl,” taking on outsid...

What is trend forecasting? How are fashion trends predicted? How do brands predict what consumers will want years before it happens? In this episode, we go inside WGSN, one of the world's leading trend forecasting companies, to explore how fashion and consumer trends are forecasted and what founders, marketers, and creatives should be paying attention to now. Cassandra Napoli is the Head of Consumer Forecasting at WGSN, where she helps brands understand how consumers think, feel, shop, ...

What business school won’t teach you about luxury. How do you work in luxury fashion? This is inside LVMH's playbook. This week, I'm joined by Pauline Brown, former Chairwoman of LVMH North America, Harvard Business School professor, and author of Aesthetic Intelligence. Pauline shares the lessons she learned leading some of the world's most iconic luxury brands. We cover a lot, from why climbing the corporate ladder doesn't always bring more freedom, to the mistake most people make whe...

What does a creative director in fashion do? How do I get a job in fashion? What is fashion school actually like? Hear from Michelle Ochs, the Creative Director at Hervé Léger. In this episode, we talk about what it really takes to build a career in fashion from landing an internship at Marc Jacobs before even starting Parsons to navigating the job market during the 2008 financial crisis. After co-founding Cushnie et Ochs and spending more than a decade building the brand, Michelle made...

This week on Fashion and Founders, I'm joined by Morgan Riddle and Cherry Beagles, co-founders of The 400 Club, a community redefining sports through the lens of fashion, culture, and female fandom. Morgan Riddle was called “The Most Famous Woman in Mens Tennis” by the New York Times and now she is moving her focus to female fans in all of sports. Cherry Beagles founded The 400 Club in 2024, a community reimagining what sports fandom looks like for women, gaining recognition and named Forbes ...

This week on Fashion and Founders Podcast, I’m joined by Caley-Rae Pavillard, VP of Partnerships & Business Development at ShopMy. If you've spent any time around creators lately, you've probably heard the same thing: "Get on ShopMy." But why has it become such a powerful platform for creators, brands, and tastemakers? In this episode, we discuss why creators are becoming the new retailers, how affiliate marketing is reshaping the industry, and why follower count matters far less than mos...

This week, I’m answering your questions in a solo episode. I asked you to send in your biggest questions about working in fashion, founder tools, networking, fashion tech, and building a career you actually love, and we're covering all of it. From how to pivot into fashion from a different industry or degree, how to attend New York Fashion Week, the tools I’ve used to grow on social media, and the fashion tech companies and trends I'm watching closely right now. Whether you're trying to land ...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Rebecca Hessel Cohen, founder of LoveShackFancy. They discuss how Rebecca went from working as a fashion editor at Cosmopolitan to building one of the most recognizable brands in fashion. Rebecca shares the story behind the original bridesmaid dress that launched the company, the early years before opening a retail store, and how LoveShackFancy evolved from a niche aesthetic into a full lifestyle universe. They also discuss the viral ruffle skirt that ...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Colby Mitchell, founder of Swan Beauty, the AI beauty tech startup that went viral after sponsoring Acquired Style’s bachelorette trip. They discuss the strategy behind the partnership, the inbound after the trip, and the theories circulating the internet. The conversation explores the intersection of beauty and technology, the future of AI-powered skincare, and the journey to building Swan Beauty. If the bachelorette trip content left you wondering wh...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Giovanni Vaccaro, co-founder of GlamSquad, to talk about the future of beauty and how access is changing everything. What used to be reserved for celebrities and top influencers, getting your hair and makeup done at home, is now available on demand. Giovanni breaks down how GlamSquad made that shift possible, turning luxury beauty into something people can actually use in their everyday lives. They discuss the rise of convenience-driven services, the c...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Sali Christeson, founder and CEO of Argent, to discuss what it really takes to build a fashion brand over the long term. Sally shares her path from tech to launching Argent, and how a gap in the workwear market led her to create a brand rooted in both function and purpose. They get into raising venture capital in fashion, navigating the “messy middle” of growth, and why most brands don’t make it past the early years. Sally also shares how Argent went f...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with the Chief Business Officer of Vestiaire Collective, Klemen Drole. They discuss how the company evolved from a niche resale platform into a global leader in secondhand luxury. He was previously the Chief Technology Officer and shares the tech innovations Vestiaire is implanting to keep up with demand. They break down the realities of building a fashion resale company over 15+ years, from overcoming early stigma around secondhand to reaching profitabilit...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Hannah Krohne, Hannah Lizzy on TikTok, a fashion creator who turned TikTok into a launching point for her career. Landing roles at David Yurman, Danielle and Alix in styling, and ASOS in merchandising and trend analysis before ultimately going full-time as an influencer. They discuss her path from posting in her college dorm to building a platform that now functions as both content and portfolio. Hannah shares what it really looks like to balance a 9–5...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Ashley Moubayed, founder of Don’t Let Disco and a CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund finalist. They discuss her journey from building the brand as a side hustle to becoming a full-time founder, and the realities of growing a fashion business. Ashley shares what it’s really like to go through the CFDA Fashion Fund, from the application process to the impact it has on credibility and growth. They also break down the cost of New York Fashion Week, navigating press, ...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with the team behind OOTD, one of the fastest-growing fashion media platforms capturing street style around the world. What began as candid outfit videos filmed on the streets of New York has quickly evolved into an international fashion community covering major cultural moments from Coachella to Fashion Week. They discuss the strategy behind creating viral fashion content, scaling, and monetization. No longer just online they have built a network of creato...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Matilda Djerf, the founder of Djerf Avenue, to discuss how she built one of the most recognizable aesthetics in modern fashion. They talk about launching a brand with strong values, building community both online and offline, and navigating the realities of running a global business in your early twenties. Matilda also shares lessons on leadership, vulnerability on social media, and why taking care of yourself is essential when building a company. Fo...

New York Fashion Week isn’t dead, but it is changing. In this solo NYFW recap, Victoria breaks down what felt different this season and how Fashion Week is getting too expensive. From major brands like Ralph Lauren and Marc Jacobs showing off-schedule, Thom Browne showing in San Francisco, brands giving away show tickets leading to how NYFW could be evolving into an “Art Basel”-style citywide experience. She also shares the fashion tech + retail innovation that caught her eye, the behind-the-...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Ganni’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Lauren Bartley. They discuss how the brand approaches sustainability and design, as they set trends rather than following them. Lauren unpacks Ganni's transparent approach to sustainability reporting, its investment in next-generation material innovation, partnerships in resale and repair, and how the brand balances trend-setting design with long-term environmental strategy. They also explore Scandinavian sustainab...

In this episode, Victoria recaps her experience attending Copenhagen Fashion Week from street style and behind-the-scenes access to the sustainability frameworks shaping the future of fashion. She breaks down what makes Copenhagen different from other fashion capitals, why transparency and public access matter, and how brands are rethinking design through the lens of weather, function, and real life. Victoria also shares insights from industry panels, a Substack hosted dinner, standout design...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Kate March, founder and designer of Undone by Kate. She shares how a pandemic project became a made-in-New-York bespoke, bridal, and special occasion brand. Kate shares her path from celebrity styling to teaching herself how to sew on YouTube, creating her first upcycled tees that sparked demand, and the influencer moment that drove $10K in Shopify sales in one day. They talk bootstrapping on unemployment checks, learning pricing the hard way, building...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Marina Larroude, founder of Larroudé, to unpack how she built one of fashion’s fastest-growing footwear brands by rewriting the rules. Marina shares her journey from interning at Condé Nast to leading fashion at Barneys, and how those experiences revealed the white space that inspired Larroudé. They dive into why footwear is one of the hardest categories in fashion, how vertical integration and pre-orders became a growth engine, and why the brand chose...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with designer and founder Rebecca Minkoff to break down what it really takes to build a fashion brand and keep it alive through industry curveballs. Rebecca shares how an internship led to her first break, the celebrity moment that helped launch her label, and why success is a slow build of momentum over time. They dive into the business realities fashion school doesn’t teach like costing, pricing, profitability, and why she believes founders should b...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Cynthia Rowley, CFDA award winning designer, to talk about building a fashion career the scrappy way. Cynthia shares how she got started making clothes, her accidental path to New York, and what it really takes to sustain a long-term career in fashion. She breaks down the realities behind runway shows, navigating changes in the global fashion industry, and why small wins, consistency, and risk-taking matter more than chasing instant success. Cynthia al...

Fashion Career Playbook to break into fashion in 2026. How to break into the fashion industry in 2026. Part One out now on Substack. Link Here: https://fashionandfounders.substack.com/p/the-fashion-career-playbook-part Follow Fashion & Founders: Podcast IG: @fashionandfounders Podcast Substack: Fashion and Founders Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com Podcast TikTok: @fashionandfounders Podcast LinkedIn: Fashion and Founders Podcast YouTube: Fashion and Founders Podcast Links: Shop M...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Gabriella and Janelle, co-founders of Isle of Monday, to discuss how they’re making runway vintage and archival fashion accessible through their fashion tech rental platform. They share how backgrounds in fashion resale, finance, and tech led them to build a fashion tech company centered on access, preservation, and circularity. The founders break down the viral Roberto Cavalli moment that validated their idea, the importance of building a network when...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Alex Bushman, founder of Influencer Social Responsibility (ISR), to talk about transforming the creator economy through meaningful social impact. Alex shares how a single cold DM to Danielle Bernstein led to the start of We Gave What, impact branch of WeWoreWhat. Her previous work in the nonprofit sector led her to launching ISR, an agency that connects creators, brands, and nonprofits for community-centered events. With one of the first events w...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Nabihah Ahmad, SSQRD to talk about building a fashion tech startup. Nabihah shares how she broke into the fashion industry and then the tech industry by teaching herself how to code. She dives into how she taught herself to code, why she’s committed to democratizing fashion, and how one TikTok brought in 300+ partner brands overnight. They dive into unpaid work in fashion, mission-driven entrepreneurship, hiring with intention, and what happens when wo...

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Eshita Kabra, founder and CEO of By Rotation, the world’s largest peer-to-peer fashion rental platform. Eshita shares what it really takes to build a profitable, sustainable, community-driven fashion tech company in today’s economy. She breaks down how By Rotation grew from a honeymoon idea into a global marketplace where women earn real income sharing their wardrobes. We dive into why affordability beats sustainability, how peer-to-peer fashion is res...

In this episode of Fashion and Founders, Abby Price the founder of Abbode shares her founding story. From starting a business right after graduating from Parsons to scaling into a seven figure business. Abby shares the honest reality of being a founder and the hardworking that goes into having a successful New York fashion business. You may have seen Sabrina Carpenter wearing her pieces on SNL or your favorite influencer in an embroidered tank top, either way Abby has tapped a whole new marke...

On this episode of Fashion and Founders, Victoria is joined by Sara Walker who you’ve probably seen on Instagram as @styledsara. Sara talks about how she broke into the fashion industry, the first steps she took, and landing a job at Revolve. She also shares tips for getting started with content creation to going full time working for yourself. Sara takes listeners behind the scenes of the business side of content creation like how to build a long term partnership, industry rates, and lessons...

This week on Fashion and Founders the Podcast, Victoria shares a solo episode with takeaways from major fashion and fashion tech events from the past month. From New York Fashion Week, Climate Week, San Francisco Tech Week, and LA Tech Week. Sharing major themes and insights for the future of the industry as well as highlighting key players. Listen for new tools, resources, and brands and founders standing out. Follow Fashion & Founders: Podcast IG: @fashionandfounders Podcast Subst...

In this episode of Fashion & Founders Victoria Smith sits down with Ginny Seymour, CEO and re-founder of Aligne. Founded in East London and freshly expanded to New York, Ginny rebuilt ALIGNE as a design-led, DTC-first womenswear brand. Just in two years created a viral hero piece, the Daphne blazer, and has driven $1M in US revenue without paid ads. Ginny shares how ShopMy, smart gifting, and obsessing over customer signals shaped the product line and why she intentionally said “no” to wh...

This week on Fashion and Founders the Podcast, host Victoria Smith is joined with Lisa Green, co-founder Chief Brands Officer of Daydream. Daydream is the AI-powered fashion tech platform fixing broken search and personalization in shopping. We dig into how Daydream translates real-life “shopper language” into smart recommendations. Lisa traces her path from Google to The Yes (acquired by Pinterest) where she met co-founder Julie Bornstein. We discuss investor appetite for fashion tech, why f...

In this episode of Fashion and Founders, Victoria Smith sits down with Rachel Glicksberg, Women’s Fashion & New Initiatives Lead at The RealReal. Rachel shares The RealReal’s designer collaborations and upcycling initiatives, the rise of vintage and archive revivals, and how emerging designers are breaking through. Rachel also shares practical career advice on mentorship, cold outreach, her nonlinear career path, and building roles around your strengths. Rachel is also an advisor for fash...

Season 5 of Fashion Founders the Podcast, opens with Pia Mance, founder of Heaven Mayhem. Pia started with $900 dollars hand making jewelry on her bedroom floor and in just three years built a $10 million dollar business, recently featured on Vogue Business. Pia is creating a go-to accessories business with elevated pieces at an affordable price point. She shares lessons and advice from her entrepreneurial journey and with her background as an influencer, she really has an intuitive eye for w...

On this episode of Fashion Founders, Victoria Smith interviews Nicole Reisman, Director of Influencer Marketing & Events at Dolce Vita, for a deep dive into the world of influencer marketing and brand partnerships. Nicole shares practical advice for aspiring influencers on how to work with fashion brands, what brands really look for in collaborations, and why engagement matters more than follower count. She also explains how Dolce Vita approaches budgets, campaign strategy, and events, pl...

Hello and welcome back to Fashion Founders The Podcast, my name is Victoria Smith and this week I'm joined with Bianca Rangecroft the founder of Whering. Whering is a UK based but globally used digital wardrobe app that is making it easier than ever for you to finally get that clueless closet. Unlike other wardrobe and digital styling apps, you don't have to take a picture of every piece of clothing in your closet to be able to use this. For example, you can upload a link. Or use their databa...

Hello and welcome back to Fashion Founders The Podcast, my name is Victoria Smith, and this week I'm joined with Kathleen Sheppard, the founder of Tote, and Claire Ilmer, the founder of Future Reference. In this episode, we explore their recent partnership announcement and for some background, Tote is a social shopping app and Future Reference digitizes your wardrobe for one click, resale and closet insights. After EDGE New York Fashion Week, a must attend event for fashion tech in February, ...

Hello and welcome back to Fashion and Founders The Podcast, my name is Victoria Smith and this week I'm joined by Nik Pollina. Nik used to work at Google and transitioned from tech into fashion after getting laid off. She talks about her journey starting working for herself, and she is now the owner of Seven Moods, the co-owner of Thx its Thrifted, and a content creator. She has so much advice to share on managing these businesses, growing the businesses, and how to build your mindset around ...

Hello and welcome back to Fashion Founders The Podcast, my name is Victoria Smith, and this week I'm doing a recap episode from the Global Fashion Agenda Summit that I attended in Copenhagen. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to attend and excited to share innovators I met. Hear from the Trailblazer winner Sarika Bajaj, founder and CEO of Refiberd. I go over rental, resale, biomaterials, biodegradable shoes, AI in fashion, Love Island x Ebay, and much more. Follow Fashion & Fou...

Hello and welcome back to Fashion and Founders The Podcast, my name is Victoria Smith and this week I'm joined with Hanushka Toni, the founder and CEO of Sellier. I am coming to you live from London and am excited share this episode with Hanushka and hear more of her story. If you're wanting to transition careers and work in fashion, listen to this episode. She started her career as a lawyer and is now the CEO and founder of the UK's fastest growing luxury preloved store. Something I think th...

How to become a stylist. How to be a celebrity stylist. What it's like to be a stylist. How to work in fashion with no experience. Hello and welcome back to Fashion Founders The Podcast, my name is Victoria Smith and this week I'm joined with celebrity stylist Zoe Gofman. Zoe does not have your typical story of entering into the industry, and a little sneak peek she cold DMd Alex Cooper of Call Her Daddy, landed a big client, quit her job, and has been hustling and growing her business ever s...

Talking fashion tech with Mary Korlin-Downs founder of All Things Fashion Tech and Kate Sanner CEO and Co-Founder of Beni. From Beni’s relaunch that’s redefining how and why we shop and Mary joining the team, Kate shares leading industry insights. As well as what’s next in fashion tech and other founders innovating. Want to break in? Hear from these thought leaders on how: how to write a cold email that will actually get a response, who to email, building a portfolio, where to find job opport...