Fashion & Founders The Podcast

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 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! 

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-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!

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: @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! 

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: @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! 

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: @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! 

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: @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! 

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: @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! 

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: @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! 

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: @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! 

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: @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 Ginny:IG: @ginny_h_seymourFollow Aligne:IG: @aligneShop HEREFollow Arame:IG: @aramecareShop HEREFounder: @brittany.arnettThanks for listening!