Fashion & Founders The Podcast

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.

Fashion & Founders The Podcast is a arts podcast hosted by Victoria Smith, with 101 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Victoria Smith hosts Fashion & Founders The Podcast, a arts show with 101 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Fashion & Founders The Podcast

  Inside Copenhagen Fashion Week: Invites, PR, Events

  Aug 17, 202630 min

  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 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. Thanks for listening!

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  Fashion & Founders The Podcast

  How Ganni Became a Global Brand

  Aug 10, 202634 min

  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 Thanks for listening!

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  Fashion & Founders The Podcast

  How Fashion is Forecasted with WGSN Head of Consumer Forecasting

  Jul 26, 202657 min

  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!

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  Fashion & Founders The Podcast

  Luxury Business Secrets with LVMH Chairwoman

  Jul 19, 202658 min

  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! Thanks for listening!

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  Fashion & Founders The Podcast

  Hervé Léger Creative Director Michelle Ochs: How She's Bringing the Brand Into a New Era

  Jul 12, 202651 min

  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!

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