Stay ConnectedFashion & 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.
Copyright: © 2024 Interwoven Stories
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, plus how niche creators from florists to bakerscan land brand collaborations. Finally, Nicole opens up about her career journey in fashion marketing, what it takes to build a long-term career at a leading brand, and where she sees influencer marketing heading next.
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IG: @nicolereisman
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IG: @dolcevita
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IG: @elliegsicecream
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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 database of millions of products already available. They have 10 million users worldwide and instead of using AI for style combinations, other users and sometimes professional stylists can be the ones helping you come up with new outfits, using items that you already own. We cover a lot of different topics in this episode, like career advice, navigating entrepreneurship, user acquisition and retention, as well as the role of tech in fashion. Bianca is also currently in the middle of fundraising, and she was on Dragons Den, which is the UK version of Shark Tank. I really loved this conversation and I hope you do too. So let's get into the episode.
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Follow Whering:
IG: @whering__
Download the app HERE
TikTok: @whering
Bianca IG: @biancarangecroft
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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, they began working on a strategic partnership. We talk about what makes a partnership valuable for both parties, steps to take if you want to partner with a company, whether you're a founder, creator, or in another area of the industry. We also explore the question of, as a brand, do you add in multiple features that isn't your core MVP, or do you collaborate with someone who already offers that feature and is the expert in that thing? Learn more about how collaboration like this works in fashion tech, and really just in general I’ll let Kathleen and Claire. Take it from here. So let's get into the episode.
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Follow Tote:
IG: @toteapp.ai
IG: @trytoteapp
Download the app HERE
TikTok: @toteapp
Kathleen’s TikTok: @katsheppard1
Follow Future Reference:
IG: @futurereference.xyz
Download the app HERE
Substack HERE
TikTok: @futurereference.xyz
Follow Any Lifetime:
IG: @shopanylifetime
Website HERE
TikTok: @anylifetime
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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 the potential you have as an entrepreneur. Although fashion focused, I think the advice she shares could be applied to whatever you are doing. She talks about the two books and beliefs that helped take her from making $10,000 a month to $50,000 a month in the matter of three months, and that she now believes that she can make this a million dollar business. I really wanted to have more conversations about money this season, especially around working for yourself and working in fashion. I just made a TikTok about this, but there's really this belief and narrative that you can't make money in fashion. And I think Nik is an amazing example of proving that wrong. She is so successful, and I'm so excited to share this episode. I felt really inspired after this conversation, and I hope you do too. I'll let Nik take it from here, so let's get into the episode.
Follow Fashion & Founders:
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Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com
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Podcast Links: Shop My
Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias
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Follow Nik Pollina:
IG: @nikpollina_
TikTok: @nikpollina
Follow Thx its Thrifted:
IG: @thxitsthrifted.nyc
Follow Seven Moods
IG: @sevenmoodsnyc
Website: https://sevenmoods.nyc/
Follow Marmalade Gardens:
IG: @marmaladegardens
Website: https://www.marmaladegardens.com/
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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.
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Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com
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Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias
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Follow GFA:
IG: @globalfashionagenda
Website: https://globalfashionsummit.com/
Companies & People Mentioned
Refiberd HERE
Vogue Article HERE
Mary G Scully HERE
Future Fabrics Expo HERE
Biodegradable Sneaker HERE
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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 that really sets them apart is their social strategy. On TikTok alone, last year they had 250 million views. A favorite London influencer of mine also has a social media marketing agency and works with Sellier, Isobel Lorna. If you are someone who wants to be in the resale business and learn how to actually gain traction with these products and make it as desirable as something new - Sellier is a great example of how to do this and do it well. There is so much to learn from Hanushka, so let's get into the episode.
Follow Fashion & Founders:
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Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com
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Podcast Links: Shop My
Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias
Locker Links: Locker
Follow Sellier:
IG: @sellierknightsbridge
IG: @selliermonaco
TikTok: @sellierluxurybags
Website: https://www.sellierknightsbridge.com/
Follow Hauteline:
IG: @haute__line
Website: https://hauteline.com/
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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 since. Zoe has styled many celebrities and influencers like Hannah Berner, Serena Kerrigan, Shaina Shake, Kit Keenan, and many more.
If you're the friend that has an eye for style and are always kind of helping out your friend's style wise, but think, it could never be your career or something you can make money from - think again and listen to this episode.
Zoe also styled me for this episode as well as the ones with Erika Veurink, Lexi of Shop Nou, Ariel LaFond, and Nik Pollina. It was an insanely fun experience to work with Zoe, and learn about what goes on behind the scenes.
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Podcast Links: Shop My
Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias
Locker Links: Locker
Follow Zoe:
IG: @zoegofman
TikTok: @zoegofman
Website: https://www.zoegofman.com/
Follow Marby:
IG: @marbyclub
Website: https://marbyclub.com/
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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 opportunities, and so much more.
Kate’s solo episode HERE
Mary’s solo episode HERE
Download Beni HERE
All Things Fashion Tech HERE
Fashion & Founders Job Board HERE
Follow Mary Korlin-Downs
Magazine HERE
Follow Beni
IG HERE
Website HERE
Follow Fashion & Founders:
Podcast IG: @fashionandfounders
Podcast Substack: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com
Podcast TikTok: @fashionandfounders
Podcast LinkedIn: Fashion and Founders
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Podcast Links: Shop My
Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias
Locker Links: Locker
Thanks for listening!
Hello and welcome back to Fashion Founders The Podcast. My name is Victoria Smith, and this week I'm joined with Lexi, The founder of Shop Nou and now Nou Shoes. She is a vintage sourcer and seller, and now a shoe designer with her very first shoe launching this Tuesday, May 20th. In this episode, she talks about not only her experience sourcing vintage and being one of the first in this space, selling on Instagram. But also the changing landscape like has the vintage market reached its peak? Will tariffs bring prices even higher? Is it too saturated? How can you differentiate, and more. As well as the founding story of her brand, all the nos and challenges that she faced, and how she really used this as motivation to launch her future vintage shoe brand. I had so much fun recording with Lexi. I'll let her take it from here, so let's get into the episode.
Follow Fashion & Founders:
Podcast IG: @fashionandfounders
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Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com
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Podcast LinkedIn: Fashion and Founders
Podcast YouTube: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Links: Shop My
Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias
Locker Links: Locker
Follow Lexi and Shop Nou:
Lexi IG: @bohochicken
Shop Nou IG: @shopnou_
Nou Shoes: https://noushoes.com/
Follow Fashion Routes:
Fashion Routes IG: @thefashionroutes
Fashion Routes Info: https://fashionroutes.com/
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Hello and welcome back to Fashion Founders The Podcast. My name is Victoria Smith, and this week I'm joined with Ariel LaFond. She is an CPA, a fractional CFO for small businesses, and the writer of Dumb Rich on Substack. She is the coolest accountant I think I will ever talk to or meet, she offers a concierge financial service especially those who are self-employed influencers, founders. Ariel here has really tangible tips and starts from the foundations that you need on being smart and knowledgeable about your money. We also talk about we a money mindset, abundance, and manifesting money. If you are self employed this is full of answers to some most frequently asked questions on business expenses, retirement funds, taxes, budgeting, credit cards - we cover so many topics. I loved talking to her because she had such an approachable, judgment-free way of answering all these questions. And she has so much knowledge, but really speaks the average person's language because sometimes financial stuff can get way over complicated and then people get really intimidated by it. I'm gonna let Ariel take it from here. So let's get into the episode!
*Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Please consult with your financial advisor or tax professional before making any financial decisions.
Follow Fashion & Founders:
Podcast IG: @fashionandfounders
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Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com
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Podcast YouTube: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Links: Shop My
Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias
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Follow Ariel:
Ariel IG: @ArielLaFond
Substack: Dumb Rich
Website: https://www.ariellafond.com/
Follow Rêves Jewelry:
Rêves IG: @revesjewelry
Website: https://www.revesjewels.com/
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