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Fashion & Founders The Podcast

Fashion & Founders The Podcast

Victoria Smith 94 Episodes Aug 17, 2026

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.

Episodes

Inside Copenhagen Fashion Week: Invites, PR, Events
Inside Copenhagen Fashion Week: Invites, PR, Events Aug 17, 2026 1781 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 ev
How Ganni Became a Global Brand
How Ganni Became a Global Brand Aug 10, 2026 2046 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 Reffs
How Fashion is Forecasted with WGSN Head of Consumer Forecasting
How Fashion is Forecasted with WGSN Head of Consumer Forecasting Jul 26, 2026 3394 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 C
Luxury Business Secrets with LVMH Chairwoman
Luxury Business Secrets with LVMH Chairwoman Jul 19, 2026 3483 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, fro
Hervé Léger Creative Director Michelle Ochs: How She's Bringing the Brand Into a New Era
Hervé Léger Creative Director Michelle Ochs: How She's Bringing the Brand Into a New Era Jul 12, 2026 3086 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
Morgan Riddle and Cherry Beagles: The Female Fan Economy and 400 Club
Morgan Riddle and Cherry Beagles: The Female Fan Economy and 400 Club Jun 28, 2026 3547 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
Make a Career out of Taste with VP of Partnerships at ShopMy
Make a Career out of Taste with VP of Partnerships at ShopMy Jun 21, 2026 3427 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 th
Answering Your Biggest Fashion Career Questions: Solo Episode
Answering Your Biggest Fashion Career Questions: Solo Episode Jun 14, 2026 1408 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, an
LoveShackFancy: Fashion Editor to Empire with Rebecca Hessel Cohen
LoveShackFancy: Fashion Editor to Empire with Rebecca Hessel Cohen May 24, 2026 2514 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
The Brand Behind Acquired Style’s Viral Bachelorette Trip: Swan Beauty
The Brand Behind Acquired Style’s Viral Bachelorette Trip: Swan Beauty May 10, 2026 1450 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
The Future of Beauty with Glamsquad founder Giovanni Vaccaro
The Future of Beauty with Glamsquad founder Giovanni Vaccaro May 3, 2026 2681 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
Building a Brand That Means Something: Sali Christeson Founder of Argent
Building a Brand That Means Something: Sali Christeson Founder of Argent Apr 26, 2026 2773 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 gr

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