Fashion & Founders The Podcast

Behind buzziest influencer brands like the Bar and Phe Phe. What really goes into building a successful fashion brand?

Ashley Leo is the woman behind some of fashion's buzziest brands, including The Bar and Phe Phe, founded by Bridget and Danielle Pheloung (Acquired Style). After spending over 20 years in the fashion industry building brands like ALC, Rag & Bone, Theory, and Fleur du Mal, Ashley saw an opportunity to rethink how fashion brands are built. She went on to co-found The Bar and launch The Leo Group (TLG), where she partners with creators to turn their audiences and ideas into successful businesses. In this episode of Fashion & Founders, Ashley takes us behind the scenes of the influencer brand business model, from product development and manufacturing to marketing, inventory, and financing. We get into some of the biggest questions and misconceptions surrounding influencer brands: Are sellouts intentional? How involved are influencers in actually designing their collections? Does follower count determine whether a brand will succeed? And can an influencer-founded brand eventually stand on its own? Ashley also shares her career journey, why she left traditional fashion retail, what she looks for in business partners, and her advice for anyone hoping to break into the fashion industry or launch a brand of their own.

This episode is brought to you by Roller Rabbit.

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IG: @⁠ashley__leo⁠

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IG: @⁠theleogroup_⁠

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How do you build a career where opportunities come to you instead of constantly applying for jobs? And how did Quince become a $10.1 billion company selling $50 cashmere sweaters?

This week on Fashion and Founders, I'm joined by Dakota Kate Isaacs, Head of Brand Strategy and Narrative at Quince, to talk about building a career in fashion, taking risks, and the technology changing the fashion industry. Dakota has never applied for a job she's held. After completing 12 internships in college, she took a chance on a little-known beauty startup called Deciem, the parent company of The Ordinary, where she helped build the brand in the US. Today, she's shaping the narrative behind Quince, one of fashion's most talked-about companies. We get into the career moves that helped her get here, from building relationships and making yourself invaluable at work. Get an inside look at Quince's business model. Dakota breaks down how the company uses technology to rethink traditional retail, why luxury products cost what they do, how Quince approaches quality and manufacturing, and the debate around dupes, sustainability, and fast fashion. Whether you're looking to break into fashion, take the next step in your career, or build a breakthrough business, this episode is packed with lessons from someone who has helped shape two of the industry's most disruptive brands.

This episode is brought to you by Swap Commerce.

Learn more about Swap and join their private fashion community HERE.

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IG: @onequince

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How to start a jewelry business. Engagement ring trends. Lab-grown vs. natural diamonds. Acquired Style Wedding.

Ring Concierge founder Nicole Wegman joins Fashion and Founders to talk about scaling to a $100 Million Business. Nicole shares advice for anyone who wants to become an entrepreneur, leave corporate and work for themselves, or eventually start their own brand. She explains why she believes you should gain work experience before starting a company, what aspiring founders should learn while working for someone else, how she built Ring Concierge without an industry network, and what it takes to grow from founder to CEO. We talk engagement ring trends, the bridal economy, and how social media is changing the market. Plus, we talk hiring, leadership, outside investment, natural vs. lab-grown diamonds, the biggest misconceptions in the jewelry industry, and what today’s brides are actually looking for.

This episode is brought to you by Roller Rabbit.

Take 20% off your order of $150 with code VICTORIA20 atrollerrabbit.com

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Job Board opportunities in fashion, tech, and more.

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How to work with luxury fashion brands. How to get invited to fashion week. Top 1% of fashion creators.

Kate Bartlett has built one of the most recognizable careers in fashion content going from an FIT student posting day-in-the-life videos to working with some of the biggest luxury brands in the world. In this episode of Fashion and Founders, Kate breaks down how she turned content creation into a real business, what it actually takes to build relationships with fashion brands, and the behind-the-scenes realities of being a full-time creator. We talk about the TikTok that changed her career, gaining 100,000 followers overnight, getting signed by management, making money as a creator, and why reaching one million followers changed the way luxury brands viewed her. Kate also shares the unspoken rules of working with luxury fashion houses, how creators actually get invited to Fashion Week, and what brands are really looking for beyond follower count. We also get into the business side of influencing brand deal negotiations, exclusivity, whitelisting, production costs, working with photographers and glam teams, and why a 15-second sponsored video can take weeks of work behind the scenes. Plus, Kate talks about going back to school for her MBA at NYU, how she thinks about the future of her career beyond influencing, and her advice for anyone trying to build a career in fashion today. If you want to work in fashion, grow as a creator, work with luxury brands, or understand the business behind the influencer industry, this episode is for you.

This episode is brought to you by Swap Commerce.

Learn more about Swap and join their private fashion community HERE.

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September Reset Guide. Fall Reset. How to become a founder. Why Aureum stopped selling jewelry.

Cass Dimicco joins Victoria Smith, host Fashion and Founders to break down how she went from fashion buyer to creator to founder of Aureum. Cass gives listeners a “founder playbook,” even if you’re not about to start a company this is a great September reset guide. We go into changing your habits, building confidence, and betting on yourself. Her company recently went through a big pivot too. Cass shares why the brand ultimately stopped selling the jewelry it became known for. We talk about knowing when to pivot, finding and building relationships with manufacturers, pricing luxury products, why your brand doesn't need to be for everyone, and how Aureum is intentionally separating itself from the traditional “influencer brand” model. Cass also shares how she thinks about creator gifting, what actually gets her attention when hiring, why women should have more audacity when charging for their work, and how she turned her relationship with ShopMy into an opportunity to become an investor. If you're building a fashion brand, growing as a creator, or figuring out when it's time to bet on yourself, this episode is full of tangible advice you can actually use.

This episode is brought to you by Swap Commerce.

Learn more about Swap and join their private fashion community ⁠⁠HERE.⁠⁠

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What does the future of fashion tech actually look like and which companies will survive it? What is fashion tech? How to work in fashion tech? What companies get investment?

This week, Victoria sits down with Juan Pellerano, Chief Marketing Officer at Swap Commerce, a fast-growing fashion tech company that raised a $100 million Series C in 2026. Juan breaks down what agentic commerce actually means, how AI could change the way we shop online, and why the next generation of e-commerce may look far more personalized than the traditional dot com experience. Juan shares lessons from helping scale Swap: how the company landed its earliest customers, why community has become one of its most effective growth strategies, what makes a fashion tech startup attractive to investors, and why founders need to ask whether they're building a true company or simply a feature. Whether you are a founder, investor, marketer, or simply interested in fashion tech there is something to takeaway from this episode.

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Website HERE

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How to build a personal brand, make money as a content creator, and turn an online audience into a real business.

In this episode of Fashion and Founders, host Victoria Smith is joined by Alexis Barber. Alexis is the founder and host of Too Smart For This and has built a portfolio career spanning content, consulting, speaking, entrepreneurship, and publishing. In this episode, she shares why she believes content creation is a skill, not a career and how creators can use content as a distribution channel for something much bigger. We discuss the shift from the “relatability economy” to the “credibility economy,” influencer vs. thought leader, finding your zone of genius, building multiple revenue streams, and why long-form content can be more valuable than going viral. Alexis also shares what working at YouTube taught her about the creator business, her first $30K brand deal, and how she’s approaching her next level with a focus on excellence and authority. If you're building a personal brand, growing as a creator, or trying to turn your expertise and audience into a sustainable business, this episode is for you.

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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 events and how to make the most of them.

Ganni Founder Podcast

Ganni Chief Sustainability Officer Podcast

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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 Reffstrup, built GANNI. He also reflects on the rise of the “GANNI Girl,” taking on outside investment, expanding internationally, and what happens when a brand becomes bigger than its founders.

The conversation explores why GANNI has never called itself a sustainable fashion brand, the business decisions behind its responsibility strategy, and why the company once walked away from bestselling products because of their environmental impact. Nicolaj also shares what he looks for when investing in founders, where he sees opportunity in materials and AI, and why he believes the future could become increasingly difficult for mid-market fashion brands.

Nicolaj answers audience questions on what he would do if he were starting his career again today, his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, and what actually makes someone stand out when applying to work at GANNI.

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Website HERE

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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 Consumer Forecasting at WGSN, where she helps brands understand how consumers think, feel, shop, and behave years before those shifts reach the mainstream. From AI and Gen Z to nostalgia, retail innovation, and the creator economy, Cassandra shares the frameworks WGSN uses to help companies future-proof their businesses and make better long-term decisions. We discuss how trend forecasting actually works, whether trends are really moving faster than ever, how AI is changing consumer behavior, and more. Whether you're building a fashion brand, working in marketing, launching a startup, or simply curious about what's shaping the future of consumer culture, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at how some of the world's biggest brands prepare for what's next.

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Website HERE

Create Tomorrow Podcast HERE

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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, from why climbing the corporate ladder doesn't always bring more freedom, to the mistake most people make when planning their careers, and why she believes taste will become one of the most valuable skills in the future of work. We also dive into what luxury brands understand about consumer psychology, how Dior and Chanel think differently from startups, what it really takes to break into companies like LVMH, and why Pauline convinced Harvard Business School to create a course on The Business of Aesthetics. Whether you're building a brand, growing your career, or simply trying to develop better taste, this episode is packed with frameworks you'll think about long after listening.

In this episode, we cover:

• Navigating a career pivot
• How she transitioned from consulting to fashion and beauty
• The biggest career mistakes young professionals make
• Why taste matters more in the age of AI
• How to stand out when applying to luxury brands
• The psychology behind iconic brands like Dior and Chanel
• Why attention doesn't always lead to sales
• Three questions to ask before starting your own company

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Brunello: The Gracious Visionary

Watch the documentary film HERE

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Thank you to this episodes's sponsor Blue Fox Entertainment!

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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-founding Cushnie et Ochs and spending more than a decade building the brand, Michelle made the decision to close that chapter of her career. Today, she's the Creative Director of Hervé Léger, where she's reimagining one of fashion's most recognizable brands for a new generation. Michelle also shares the strategy behind Hervé Léger's resurgence, why runway shows aren't always worth the investment, how Gen Z is rediscovering the brand, what she actually looks for when hiring designers, and why she still wants candidates to bring a printed portfolio to interviews. Whether you're hoping to work in fashion, build your own brand, or simply love hearing the stories behind iconic fashion houses, this episode is full of practical advice and an honest look at what it takes to evolve throughout your career.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What fashion school is really like
• Getting her first fashion internship
• Navigating the fashion hiring landscape
• Starting a fashion brand
• Becoming a creative director
• Fashion marketing
• Rebuilding an iconic fashion brand for a new generation
• What fashion hiring managers actually want to see in interviews

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IG: @herveleger

Rihanna’s Iconic Dress

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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 community reimagining what sports fandom looks like for women, gaining recognition and named Forbes 30 Under 30. Together, they're building one of the most exciting brands at the intersection of fashion, sports, culture, and community. We discuss their experiences at F1, Wimbledon, the US Open, the Super Bowl and more. At The 400 Club they’re brining women together for the biggest live sporting event watch parties and industry events.

We talk about why women's sports is far bigger than a trend, how social media has transformed the fan experience, why brands are still missing the mark with female consumers, and the enormous opportunity at the intersection of sports, fashion, and community. If you've ever wondered where the future of sports is headed or why fashion brands, founders, and creators are paying so much attention this episode is for you. Female sports fans aren't new. They're finally being seen.

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IG: @moorrgs

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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 the new retailers, how affiliate marketing is reshaping the industry, and why follower count matters far less than most people think. Caley shares what brands are actually looking for, how creators can turn recommendations into recurring revenue, and why human taste may become even more valuable in an AI-driven world. Consider this your ShopMy Success Guide and Masterclass in Influencer Marketing.

We cover:

• How creators are making millions through affiliate revenue
• The shift from attention to influence
• What brands really want from creator partnerships
• Why authenticity still wins
• The future of shopping, discovery, and personal brands

Whether you're a creator, founder, marketer, or simply curious about where commerce is headed next, this episode is packed with insights.

Follow Fashion & Founders:

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IG: @⁠shopmy⁠

Join ShopMy as a creator ⁠HERE⁠

Join ShopMy as a shopper ⁠HERE

⁠

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IG: @⁠heycayrae⁠

Caley’s ⁠ShopMy⁠

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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, and the fashion tech companies and trends I'm watching closely right now. Whether you're trying to land your first fashion job, grow your platform, or simply understand where the industry is headed, I hope this episode gives you a few practical takeaways you can use immediately.

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Links for mentioned items in the episode:

• ⁠Fashion Career Playbook⁠
• ⁠Copenhagen Fashion Brands⁠

Dressing Professionally on a Budget

• ⁠Flatter Blazer
• No Blister Flats
• Earrings

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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 a niche aesthetic into a full lifestyle universe. They also discuss the viral ruffle skirt that became one of the most copied fashion pieces online, navigating dupes and copycats, scaling without diluting the brand, building immersive retail experiences, and what makes collaborations actually work. Plus Rebecca’s advice for standing out in fashion, building a recognizable point of view, and turning aspiration into community.

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Shop

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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, and the journey to building Swan Beauty. If the bachelorette trip content left you wondering what is Swan Beauty, listen here and learn what’s next for them after their viral moment.

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IG: @swanbeauty_us

Swan Beauty Website

Try the app

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IG: @colbytmitchell

Family Office Episode Mentioned HERE

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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 actually use in their everyday lives. They discuss the rise of convenience-driven services, the connection between beauty and confidence, and how platforms like GlamSquad are redefining both access and the way creatives work. If you’ve ever wondered how people always have glam for events, shoots, or fashion week this is how.

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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 growth, and why most brands don’t make it past the early years. Sally also shares how Argent went from strong growth to zero revenue during COVID and the unexpected moment that turned things around. The conversation covers hiring, trusting your instincts as a founder, evolving workwear culture, and why there’s no shortcut to building a brand that lasts.

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Brand Highlight: Alexandra Madison

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In this episode, Victoria sits down with the Chief Business Officer of Vestiaire Collective, Klemen Drole. They discuss how the company evolved from a niche resale platform into a global leader in secondhand luxury. He was previously the Chief Technology Officer and shares the tech innovations Vestiaire is implanting to keep up with demand. They break down the realities of building a fashion resale company over 15+ years, from overcoming early stigma around secondhand to reaching profitability and scaling globally. The conversation explores how Vestiaire balances supply and demand, pricing millions of unique items, and the keys to their growth. They also dive into how trends emerge in real time on resale platforms, the role of AI in authentication and curation, and how luxury brands are increasingly partnering with resale platforms.

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IG: @vestiaireco

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Brand Highlight: Melisse

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Rent the Runway:

Use code: RTRXVSMITH50 and get 50% off your first month!

Thanks for listening!