Ryan's Rants & Raves

Send us Fan Mail This week, Ryan speaks with two native Québécoises who are experts in their fields – Sarah Moreau & Chloe Crane Leroux . They both share their advice on the importance of creating sincere and meaningful content within the luxury space. The conversation also makes note to compare both sides of the conversation as Sarah works for a wine & luxury agency and Chloe is a content...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Ryan speaks with Nancy Zhang at BorderXLab a platform that allows brands and retailers to enter the APAC market. In this episode they discuss the Chinese consumer, beauty, revenge buying, and key trends currently in the market.  Ryan’s Rants & Raves is a podcast series on fashion, design and all things Québec produced by the Québec Government Office in New York and...

Send us Fan Mail This week, our host speaks with Alex Caruso, Vice President of International of La vie en Rose . They discuss how the retailer was able to keep their stores open and also expand during the pandemic, the positive effects of the pandemic on the business, and Montreal's influence on La vie en rose and on the global retail/fashion industry as a whole.  Ryan’s Rants & Raves is...

Send us Fan Mail This week, our host speaks with Brandon Svaric who is the founder of Naked & Famous . On this week's episode they discuss the international success of the brand and what really makes denim. It is also discussed how freebies can be to a brand's detriment. Ryan’s Rants & Raves is a podcast series on fashion, design and all things Québec produced by the Québec Gover...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Ryan speaks with Sébastien Brunelle-Jestin, co-founder of OFF THE GRID , a company with the specific objective of reducing the ecological footprint of every workout. Hear how the company is pushing the boundaries of technology while advocating the daily use of renewable energy. Ryan’s Rants & Raves is a podcast series on fashion, design and all things Québec produce...

Send us Fan Mail Ryan speaks with fashion arbiter and New York institution Nick Wooster. They discuss his inspirations, people watching as a hobby and his past collaboration with Montreal-based brand Want Les Essentiels .  Hear how the formerly at Bergdorf Goodman & Barney’s transitioned from the corporate world to become a successful entrepreneur.  Ryan’s Rants & Raves is a podcast series...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Ryan speaks with Annie Cyr, founder of Tengiva , the first online marketplace for ready-to-ship textiles around the world. They discuss  democratizing the industry  as a way to make it more accessible and sustainable.   Ryan’s Rants & Raves is a podcast series on fashion, design and all things Québec produced by the Québec Government Office in New York and hosted by...

Send us Fan Mail This week Ryan speaks with  Canadian-born serial entrepreneur Marcia Kilgore, whose latest brainchild is Beauty Pie, a disruptive, direct-to-consumer luxury beauty brand.  In 1996, Kilgore launched Bliss Spa in New York City, which quickly became a success  with a celebrity clientele.  She went on to start four more thriving companies including FitFlop, the hugely popular ergonomi...

Send us Fan Mail Ryan speaks with Dustin Jones, co-founder and CEO of Unified Commerce Group , a retail company that recently acquired the sustainable Montreal-based fashion brand Frank And Oak.  They discuss what it means for retailers to be purpose-driven and why it is so essential today. Jones shares lessons from the Chinese markets and why we need to look at the post-Covid years with tremendou...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Ryan speaks with David Jaffe, head curator at Bespoke Post , the high-quality men’s monthly subscription box service.  Launched in 2011, Bespoke Post has more than 250,000 club members.  Hear Jaffe on how he finds new products as well as his love of hot sauces including Montreal's Mark hot sauce .  He describes the city as “foreign and familiar at the same time” an...

Send us Fan Mail This week,  Ryan speaks with Ayal Twik, co-CEO of Moose Knuckles , a global leader in the manufacturing of lean, tough and luxurious winter sportswear.  In 2019, he and his partner, Noah Stern, were named Quebec’s EY Entrepreneur of The Year.  From a modest start ten years ago, Moose Knuckles now employs over 200 people in Montréal, Toronto, Milan and Shanghai and is sold by top r...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Ryan speaks with Gabrielle Korn,  former editor-in-chief of Nylon  magazine. She speaks about her experience of the industry and the launch of her new book Everybody (else) Is Perfect: How I Survived Hypocrisy, Beauty, Clicks, And Likes, an intimate collection of essays on topics such as internet feminism, beauty standards in social media and shifting ideals about sexua...

Send us Fan Mail Tune in this week as guest host Aurelie Brown chats with Kimberly Carney, founder of the global marketplace Fashwire that has received recognition from Oprah. Learn how she utilized her experience in retail to create a platform that greatly benefits brands and the industry. Keep an eye as they launch their beauty app Barzzé Beauty.   in the coming weeks. Find these Quebec fashion...

Send us Fan Mail To kick off 2021,  guest host Aurélie Brown speaks with Alexandre Desabrais,  cofounder of  Solios ,  a Montreal-based company that offers  environmentally-friendly, solar powered timepieces. Hear how each watch is ethically produced and made with durable and sustainable materials.  Did you know that if all quartz watches were solar, it would save 300  million batteries from being...

Send us Fan Mail This week Ryan speaks with Annye Grande, the founder of Étoile Star . The designer who is originally from Quebec received recognition from the Accessories Council as well as the CFDA. Tune is as Annye Grande discusses how Quebec influenced her and the importance of maintaining a clear brand message.  Ryan’s Rants & Raves is a podcast series on fashion, design and all things Qu...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Ryan speaks with Haviv Zahav,  founding partner of Showfields, the self-described " Most Interesting Store in the World" as it celebrates its 2 year anniversary. Hear how the NoHo store challenges the retail status quo by merging  Art + Commerce and reimagines shopping using immersive experiences and great service. Ryan’s Rants & Raves is a podcast series...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Ryan speaks with retail industry expert Tim Ceci who has held senior leadership positions at Nordstrom, Celine and Barney's. Tim shares insights gained over the course of his career, including four indisputable truths, his perspectives on the future of retail and more. Ryan’s Rants & Raves is a podcast series on fashion, design and all things Québec produ...

Send us Fan Mail This week Ryan speaks with Erik Ulin, VP at NuOrder. They discuss the partnership that NuOrder has undertaken with several trade shows such as Informa. Erik also shares his insights on the importance of data and tips for brands to pivot during these challenging times. Ryan’s Rants & Raves is a podcast series on fashion, design and all things Québec produced by the Québec Gover...

Send us Fan Mail This week cohost Aurelie Brown from LA speaks with John Starke from Zulily on the advantages of using Off Price Channels such as their platform. The importance of technology in the industry is also discussed. Ryan’s Rants & Raves is a podcast series on fashion, design and all things Québec produced by the Québec Government Office in New York and hosted by Fashion Attaché Ryan...

Send us Fan Mail Tune in this week as Ryan chats with Josh Peskowitz , fashion director, creator and  menswear industry insider. Topics  include what makes a brand, The Trench Coat Chronicles and the importance of being a stand up guy.  Montreal's fashion leaders such as Jack Victor , Eden Power Corp , Kanuk , JJJJOUND and DIME MTL are also highlighted. Ryan’s Rants & Raves is a podcast s...

Send us Fan Mail This week Ryan speaks with Tom Ott and Shawn Pean, former executives at Saks Fifth Avenue who created the new online specialty store with a New York perspective. Shawn and Tom share their experience as buyers and what they look for in new brands. Ryan’s Rants & Raves is a podcast series on fashion, design and all things Québec produced by the Québec Government Office in New Yo...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Ryan speaks with Katie Liu and Michael Kreiman who founded Black Dog 8 , a top tier menswear showroom located in New York City.  Hear them discuss how to successfully enter the  U.S. market and mistakes to avoid. Ryan’s Rants & Raves is a podcast series on fashion, design and all things Québec produced by the Québec Government Office in New York and hosted by Fashio...

Send us Fan Mail This week,  Aurelie Brown,  attachée at the Quebec Government Office in Los Angeles leads the conversation. Join her for an exchange with Alisa Gould-Simon, VP of Global Strategy and Business Development at Zozo USA. You will hear about  Zozo, its founder as well as Japan as a potential future destination for your brand. Ryan’s Rants & Raves is a podcast series on fashion, des...

Send us Fan Mail Ryan chats with Lisa Green, EVP at The Yes, a smart shopping app launched last May. Working directly with over 150 brands and powered by algorithms specially designed for fashion, The Yes creates a dream store for each client, based on simple “yes” or “no” answers.  Interactive and community-focused, the app also has the capability to get smarter over time. Hear the discussion abo...

Send us Fan Mail What are the advantages of working with a factoring company during Covid-19 rather than with a traditional bank?  This week, Ryan speaks with Tim Moore, EVP at Hilldun , a factoring and finance company for fashion and consumer product companies.  Over the years, Hilldun has worked with iconic brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Betsy Johnson, Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang and many others...