Fashion & Founders The Podcast

Victoria Smith
  • 4.8 (23)
  • FASHION & BEAUTY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Fashion and Founders The Podcast: Circularity, Tech, & Innovation. Conversations with founders and innovators working in different sectors of the fashion industry, offering an opportunity to get involved in this growing space. Hear directly from the people building the future of fashion about entrepreneurship, job opportunities, fashion tech, circularity, biomaterials, and more.Learn from incredible guests across the industry, from rental, resale, nonprofit, PR, policy, start ups, including Gab Waller, Pickle, Locker, Erika Veurink, Fashion Revolution, Eco-Age, Colorifix, and more. 

  1. Archival Vintage Fashion Reimagined by Isle of Monday

    DEC 14

    Archival Vintage Fashion Reimagined by Isle of Monday

    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 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: @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 My Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias Follow Isle of Monday: IG: @isleofmonday TikTok: @isleofmonday Substack: Isle of Monday Rent HERE  ShopMy: For Creators HERE Learn more HERE Thanks for listening!

    42 min
  2. Following Your Personal Mission: Influencer Social Responsibility with Alex Bushman

    DEC 7

    Following Your Personal Mission: Influencer Social Responsibility with Alex Bushman

    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 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: @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 My Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias Locker Links: Locker Follow Alex Bushman: IG: @alexbushman Follow Influencer Social Responsibility: IG: @influencersocialresponsibility Website Try Dupay: Sign up HERE Use code: VICTORIA25 for $25 off an annual membership  Thanks for listening!

    35 min
  3. Fashion Meets Tech to Empower the Underdogs: SSQRD founder Nabihah Ahmad

    NOV 23

    Fashion Meets Tech to Empower the Underdogs: SSQRD founder Nabihah Ahmad

    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 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: @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 My Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias Locker Links: Locker Follow Nabihah Ahmad: IG: @nabihah.ahmad TikTok: @ahmadnabihah Follow SSQRD: IG: @ssqrd.co TikTok: @ssqrd.co Shop HERE Follow Maison Réforme: IG: @maisonreforme Shop HERE Thanks for listening!

    41 min
  4. How to Scale a Business without Chasing Hype with Eshita Kabra Founder of By Rotation

    NOV 16

    How to Scale a Business without Chasing Hype with Eshita Kabra Founder of By Rotation

    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 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: @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 My Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias Locker Links: Locker Follow Eshita: IG: @arentyoueshita LinkedIn: Eshita Kabra Follow By Rotation: IG: @byrotation Rent HERE Gift Guides: Find it HERE Thanks for listening!

    50 min
  5. The Parts of Entrepreneurship No One Talks About with Abby Price Founder of Abbode

    NOV 9

    The Parts of Entrepreneurship No One Talks About with Abby Price Founder of Abbode

    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 market for embroidery. 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 My Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias Locker Links: Locker Follow Abby: IG: @abbyeprice TikTok: @itsabbyprice Follow Abbode IG: @abbode Shop HERE Follow Jayebird: IG: @jayebirdsport Shop HERE Use code: fashionandfounders for 15% off Thanks for listening!

    41 min
  6. Styled Sara: How to Break into the Fashion Industry

    OCT 26

    Styled Sara: How to Break into the Fashion Industry

    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 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: @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 My Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias Locker Links: Locker Follow Sara: IG: @styledsara TikTok: @styledsara Substack: Styled Sara Shop her Collections: Reformation HERE Nordstrom HERE Try Dupay: Sign up HERE Use code: VICTORIA25 for $25 off an annual membership  Thanks for listening!

    43 min

  7. OCT 19

    Fashion Tech Weeks: Takeaways from NYC, SF, LA

    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 Substack: Fashion and Founders Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com Podcast TikTok: @fashionandfounders Podcast LinkedIn: Fashion and Founders Podcast YouTube: Fashion and Founders Podcast Links: Shop My Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias Resources: Locker SIGN UP Learn more about SHOP MY Episode with NICOLE Episode with ERIKA Thanks for listening!

    18 min
  8. How to Start and Scale a Fashion Brand with ALIGNE CEO Ginny Seymour

    OCT 12

    How to Start and Scale a Fashion Brand with ALIGNE CEO Ginny Seymour

    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 wholesale to protect speed and point of view, until Nordstrom literally slid into her DMs. We cover ALIGNE’s US growth playboo, plus the brand’s values-driven partnerships with female athletes, including a yearlong co-designed collection with Lucy Bronze. Ginny shares fantastic and valuable advice for founders. 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 My Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias Locker Links: Locker Follow Ginny: IG: @ginny_h_seymour Follow Aligne: IG: @aligne Shop HERE Follow Arame: IG: @aramecare Shop HERE Founder: @brittany.arnett Thanks for listening!

    37 min
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4.8
out of 5
23 Ratings

About

Fashion and Founders The Podcast: Circularity, Tech, & Innovation. Conversations with founders and innovators working in different sectors of the fashion industry, offering an opportunity to get involved in this growing space. Hear directly from the people building the future of fashion about entrepreneurship, job opportunities, fashion tech, circularity, biomaterials, and more.Learn from incredible guests across the industry, from rental, resale, nonprofit, PR, policy, start ups, including Gab Waller, Pickle, Locker, Erika Veurink, Fashion Revolution, Eco-Age, Colorifix, and more. 

Information

  • Creator
    Victoria Smith
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    77
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Fashion & Founders The Podcast
  • Show Website
    Fashion & Founders The Podcast

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