Fashion & Founders The Podcast

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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Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com
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Podcast YouTube: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Links: Shop My

Job Board opportunities in fashion, tech, and more.

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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.

Follow Fashion & Founders:
Podcast IG: @fashionandfounders
Podcast Substack: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com
Podcast TikTok: @fashionandfounders
Podcast YouTube: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Links: Shop My

Job Board opportunities in fashion, tech, and more.

Follow Ganni:
IG: @ganni
Website HERE
The Ganni Playbook HERE

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

Glamsquad:
Code: FASHIONANDFOUNDERS for $20 off

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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.

Follow Fashion & Founders:
Podcast IG: @fashionandfounders
Podcast Substack: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com
Podcast TikTok: @fashionandfounders
Podcast YouTube: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Links: Shop My

Job Board opportunities in fashion, tech, and more.

Follow WGSN:
IG: @WGSN
Website HERE
Create Tomorrow Podcast HERE

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

Glamsquad:
Code: FASHIONANDFOUNDERS for $20 off

Thanks for listening!

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

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

Follow Pauline Brown:
IG: @paulinegarrisbrown
Book HERE

Brunello: The Gracious Visionary
Watch the documentary film HERE
IG: @brunelloilvisionariogarbato
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

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

Follow Hervé Léger:
IG: @herveleger
Rihanna’s Iconic Dress

Follow Michelle:
IG: @ochsmichelle
TikTok: @mrsmichelleochs

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

Glamsquad:
Code: FASHIONANDFOUNDERS for $20 off

Thanks for listening!