Podcast
Fashion & Founders The Podcast
Hosted by Victoria Smith · EN
Fashion & Founders is a media platform exploring how fashion is actually built. Hosted by Victoria Smith, the show sits at the intersection of fashion, technology, and capital spotlighting the founders, investors, and operators shaping the industry’s next era.
Through long-form conversations, we go beyond trends to unpack fundraising, manufacturing, resale, AI, sustainability, career, and the evolving business of fashion. This is where fashion’s builders speak, share, and connect.
33episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Rebecca Minkoff: Building a Household Name Fashion Label
Jan 1100:37:16Tap to summarizeIn 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 bootstrap before raising money. Rebecca also pulls back the curtain on the true cost of Fashion Week, navigating fast fashion copycats, using AI to pitch and work smarter, and the resilience required to play the long game.Follow Fashion & Founders:Podcast IG: @fashionandfoundersPodcast Substack: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Website: fashionandfounders.comPodcast TikTok: @fashionandfoundersPodcast LinkedIn: Fashion and FoundersPodcast YouTube: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Links: Shop MyVictoria Pickle Closet: @victoriasFollow Rebecca Minkoff:IG: @rebeccaminkoffIG: @beckyminkoffFemale Founder CollectiveSuperwoman PodcastHer book FearlessFashion Career Playbook HERERent the Runway:Use code: RTRXVSMITH50 and get 50% off your first month!Thanks for listening!
Transcribe →
Cynthia Rowley: How to Make it in Fashion in NYC
Jan 300:41:58Tap to summarizeIn 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 also offers advice for breaking into the fashion industry without a traditional background, moving to New York, and balancing creativity with the business side of fashion.Follow Fashion & Founders:Podcast IG: @fashionandfoundersPodcast Substack: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Website: fashionandfounders.comPodcast TikTok: @fashionandfoundersPodcast LinkedIn: Fashion and FoundersPodcast YouTube: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Links: Shop MyVictoria Pickle Closet: @victoriasFollow Cynthia Rowley:IG: @cynthiarowleyWebsite HEREFashion Career Playbook HERERent the Runway:Use code: RTRXVSMITH50 and get 50% off your first month!Thanks for listening!
Transcribe →Fashion Career Playbook
Jan 200:06:46Tap to summarizeFashion 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-partFollow Fashion & Founders:Podcast IG: @fashionandfoundersPodcast Substack: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Website: fashionandfounders.comPodcast TikTok: @fashionandfoundersPodcast LinkedIn: Fashion and FoundersPodcast YouTube: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Links: Shop MyThanks for listening!
Transcribe →
Archival Vintage Fashion Reimagined by Isle of Monday
Dec 1400:42:24Tap to summarizeIn 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 building a business, and what it really takes to source one-of-one archival pieces. They also discuss fundraising, advisors, launching in beta, and why the future of luxury fashion lies in vintage, rental, and circular fashion models.Follow Fashion & Founders:Podcast IG: @fashionandfoundersPodcast Substack: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Website: fashionandfounders.comPodcast TikTok: @fashionandfoundersPodcast LinkedIn: Fashion and FoundersPodcast YouTube: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Links: Shop MyVictoria Pickle Closet: @victoriasFollow Isle of Monday:IG: @isleofmondayTikTok: @isleofmondaySubstack: Isle of MondayRent HERE ShopMy:For Creators HERELearn more HEREThanks for listening!
Transcribe →
Following Your Personal Mission: Influencer Social Responsibility with Alex Bushman
Dec 700:34:32Tap to summarizeIn 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 with Bridget and Danielle Pheloung with Girls Inc. and Pickle. As well as events with the Nader sisters, Lexi Wood, and Miranda Mckeon. After experiencing the loneliness that comes from being a founder Alex co-founded Good Ole Girls Club and started the Girl Dinner Series to create a community for other founders to come together. Looking to the future, Alex shares her vision for ISR and the innovative approach Gen Z is taking to nonprofit work. Follow Fashion & Founders:Podcast IG: @fashionandfoundersPodcast Substack: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Website: fashionandfounders.comPodcast TikTok: @fashionandfoundersPodcast LinkedIn: Fashion and FoundersPodcast YouTube: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Links: Shop MyVictoria Pickle Closet: @victoriasLocker Links: LockerFollow Alex Bushman:IG: @alexbushmanFollow Influencer Social Responsibility:IG: @influencersocialresponsibilityWebsiteTry Dupay:Sign up HEREUse code: VICTORIA25 for $25 off an annual membership Thanks for listening!
Transcribe →
Fashion Meets Tech to Empower the Underdogs: SSQRD founder Nabihah Ahmad
Nov 2300:40:36Tap to summarizeIn 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 women start building the tech products we all use. A sharp, honest, energizing conversation for anyone interested in fashion, tech, or carving their own path.Follow Fashion & Founders:Podcast IG: @fashionandfoundersPodcast Substack: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Website: fashionandfounders.comPodcast TikTok: @fashionandfoundersPodcast LinkedIn: Fashion and FoundersPodcast YouTube: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Links: Shop MyVictoria Pickle Closet: @victoriasLocker Links: LockerFollow Nabihah Ahmad:IG: @nabihah.ahmadTikTok: @ahmadnabihahFollow SSQRD:IG: @ssqrd.coTikTok: @ssqrd.coShop HEREFollow Maison Réforme:IG: @maisonreformeShop HEREThanks for listening!
Transcribe →
How to Scale a Business without Chasing Hype with Eshita Kabra Founder of By Rotation
Nov 1600:49:37Tap to summarizeIn 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 reshaping the industry, and what most founders get wrong about brand building, community, and social strategy.Eshita also gives an unfiltered look at raising venture capital, protecting your equity, and how she secured seven figures from angel investors while staying true to her values. Her advice covers negotiation, long-game leadership, and building a company without hype or performance. If you’re interested in fashion tech, sustainable fashion, resale and rental, entrepreneurship, fundraising, or real talk about being a founder without the Instagram gloss this episode is for you.Follow Fashion & Founders:Podcast IG: @fashionandfoundersPodcast Substack: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Website: fashionandfounders.comPodcast TikTok: @fashionandfoundersPodcast LinkedIn: Fashion and FoundersPodcast YouTube: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Links: Shop MyVictoria Pickle Closet: @victoriasLocker Links: LockerFollow Eshita:IG: @arentyoueshitaLinkedIn: Eshita KabraFollow By Rotation:IG: @byrotationRent HEREGift Guides:Find it HEREThanks for listening!
Transcribe →
The Parts of Entrepreneurship No One Talks About with Abby Price Founder of Abbode
Nov 900:41:19Tap to summarizeIn 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 market for embroidery.Follow Fashion & Founders:Podcast IG: @fashionandfoundersPodcast Substack: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Website: fashionandfounders.comPodcast TikTok: @fashionandfoundersPodcast LinkedIn: Fashion and FoundersPodcast YouTube: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Links: Shop MyVictoria Pickle Closet: @victoriasLocker Links: LockerFollow Abby:IG: @abbyepriceTikTok: @itsabbypriceFollow AbbodeIG: @abbodeShop HEREFollow Jayebird:IG: @jayebirdsportShop HEREUse code: fashionandfounders for 15% offThanks for listening!
Transcribe →
Styled Sara: How to Break into the Fashion Industry
Oct 2600:42:30Tap to summarizeOn 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 she learned by doing. Dabbling with design, Sara released a dress for Reformation and recently dropped a collection with Nordstrom and Wayf. This is a must listen to episode for anyone who wants to work in the fashion industry or do content creation. Follow Fashion & Founders:Podcast IG: @fashionandfoundersPodcast Substack: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Website: fashionandfounders.comPodcast TikTok: @fashionandfoundersPodcast LinkedIn: Fashion and FoundersPodcast YouTube: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Links: Shop MyVictoria Pickle Closet: @victoriasLocker Links: LockerFollow Sara:IG: @styledsaraTikTok: @styledsaraSubstack: Styled SaraShop her Collections:Reformation HERENordstrom HERETry Dupay:Sign up HEREUse code: VICTORIA25 for $25 off an annual membership Thanks for listening!
Transcribe →Fashion Tech Weeks: Takeaways from NYC, SF, LA
Oct 1900:17:57Tap to summarizeThis 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: @fashionandfoundersPodcast Substack: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Website: fashionandfounders.comPodcast TikTok: @fashionandfoundersPodcast LinkedIn: Fashion and FoundersPodcast YouTube: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Links: Shop MyVictoria Pickle Closet: @victoriasResources:Locker SIGN UPLearn more about SHOP MYEpisode with NICOLEEpisode with ERIKAThanks for listening!
Transcribe →