Fashion & Founders The Podcast

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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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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Job Board opportunities in fashion, tech, and more.

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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

Follow Fashion & Founders:
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Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com
Podcast TikTok: @fashionandfounders
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:
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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

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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!