Clothing Coulture

Caroline Vazzana is referred to as the modern-day Carrie Bradshaw. She is a fashion editor, stylist and author who is known for pairing bold colors and prints.   In this episode, Caroline shares how she worked her way up the ranks of fashion magazines, earned a seat at NYFW runway shows and why she decided to share her inside knowledge of the fashion industry with others in her book .   She also C...

Tina Lee (@ofleatherandlace) quit her job as a lingerie designer to put all her efforts into becoming an influencer.   Tina taught herself photography, video and social media skills, growing her following to 10-thousand in six months. Now she trains others on her techniques through her Full Time Influencer program.   In this episode Tina discusses the vision for her INSPR capsule collection, how C...

In this episode of Clothing Coulture, hosts Bret Schnitker and Emily Lane discuss Fashion's Digital Future with Alvanon CEO, Janice Wang and MOTIF CEO, Cathy Cole.   The conversation centers around the findings of 3D TECH Fest, which featured 3D tech leaders from around the world, discussing and debating digital transformation in the fashion industry. Download the executive report or watch 3D Tech...

Consumer behavior and expectations have shifted drastically over the past few years, creating challenges and opportunities for brands and retailers.  In this episode of Clothing Coulture, host Bret Schnitker and Emily Lane speak with customer experience expert Ruth Crowley about the urgency to move in a different direction to elevate the customer experience now.  "One of the biggest things we all...

Season 1 of Clothing Coulture was full of fashion industry innovators in technology, design, and social enterprise. The move to digital and shifting business models during this interesting era created many insightful moments. In this episode, we explore the highlights from our deep-dive conversations that continue to connect our global community.

The fashion industry is constantly changing, recent downsizing and developments in technology have caused larger disruption. In order to remain competitive, it may be necessary for brands to access an outside perspective.  In this episode, Bret Schnitker and Emily Lane discuss the viability of consulting to grow a business. Learn why it's important to hire a consultant that fits company values, th...

The concept of 3D design technology is not new to the fashion world. It has been around for nearly 20 years, yet it wasn't until recently that the fashion industry started adopting the technology. In this episode of Clothing Coulture host Bret Schnitker and Emily Lane speak with Sharon Lim, CEO & Co-Founder of Browzwear, about how fashion technology is changing the apparel industry.

The apparel industry is a global economy. Protecting workers' rights and safety is of the utmost importance. This is a complicated landscape as social compliance shifts from country to country, and region to region. In this episode of Clothing Coulture, host Bret Schnitker and Emily Lane explore how to navigate the process of social compliance in manufacturing and the impact on the welfare of a co...

Sustainability is an ongoing, core topic of interest around the world. With the apparel industry known as one of the most polluting contributors, it is critical to examine this conversation. In this episode of Clothing Coulture hosts Bret Schnitker and Emily Lane explore the fundamentals of sustainability and the realistic challenges to overcome to protect our planet Earth.

Apparel manufacturing in the United States began declining in the early '80s as America began abdicating manufacturing, moving production overseas. Today, it is making a comeback in the states, alongside the technical foundations. Evolution St. Louis is paving the way to bring innovation and manufacturing back to the U. S. as the premier whole garment, high-tech knitting facility.  In this episode...

Innovation in the workplace is important to a company and its future. Creating space for employees to share ideas and adopting a spirit of evolution creates a positive atmosphere while generating a better understanding of where the company is going. In this episode of Clothing Coulture, host Bret Schnitker and Emily Lane discuss the difference between a brand-driven economy vs. a consumer-driven e...

As a designer who uses her creativity as an agent of social change, guest Lula Mena talks about her journey into the fashion world and the five principles she lives by. In this episode of Clothing Coulture, host Bret Schnitker and Emily Lane learn how Lula Mena transformed the culture around being a working mother in El Salvador by creating sustainable home/fashion pieces.

Limitless to what they create, fashion designers are in many cases the hidden gems within the fashion industry. United Coulture, a fashion design community, was created to provide a face and opportunities to designers worldwide. In this episode of Clothing Coulture, host Bret Schnitker and Emily Lane welcome Alexandre Nicaud, fashion designer, founder of KSRT Studio, and member of United Coulure....

The future of fashion is going digital. We talk with guest Valentin Karabanov, founder of digital fashion brand VALENTINS, on topics such as the unlimited creative freedom that comes with using 3D technology, to protecting your art and designs. In this episode of Clothing Coulture hosts, Bret Schnitker and Emily Lane learn how Valentin Karabanov became a pioneer in 3D design, his point of view on...

For many, starting a brand sounds like a dream come true. Yet, that dream will slip away if the right steps aren't taken during the early stages of creating your brand. In this episode of Clothing Coulture, Bret Schnitker and Emily Lane walk through the fundamental facts of what it takes to start your brand, and the core concepts business owners should know prior to starting their journey in the a...

Motivating and empowering a team to achieve a common goal is the foundation of a company's culture and ultimate success. Good leaders do it naturally.  Leadership in the fashion industry is a bit more complex, requiring skills to manage both creative and analytical personalities, and also navigate the multi-cultural dynamics that comprise a global supply chain workforce.  In this episode Bret Schn...

In the year 2021, a lot has changed. With the desire to drive sales, in the fashion industry, the role of the Fast Turn model has grabbed the attention of many brands and retailers. Companies like Zara have shifted the paradigm with their approach to fast turn. With preparation, dedication, planning, and intention it can be done.  In this episode of Clothing Coulture, host Bret Schnitker and Emily...

Fashion is a global industry, when policies like tariffs and trade agreements enter the picture it can have great implications.   U.S. tariffs placed on other countries largely return to the U.S. companies who then raise prices, passing the costs on to consumers.    In this episode, Bret and Emily discuss the damaging effects a rise of nationalism can have on U.S. brands, the benefits of a free tr...

The apparel industry employs nearly 11,000,000 people, with approximately 349,000 factories globally. With day-to-day challenges, navigating this space can be complicated enough, yet adding further stresses such as COVID and dynamic shifts in consumer behavior create a staggering impact on this industry at all levels of the supply chain. In this episode, we explore what it means to embrace respons...

The rise of boutique brands has taken the fashion industry by storm. In this episode, Bret and Emily walk through what boutique brands have to offer, the common misconceptions start-up brands have, and the importance of understanding your vision and plan in the beginning stages.

Welcome to the world of marketing and advertising. In this episode, the CSO of Stars Design Group, Emily Lane, dives into the beauty of how brands and companies can stay relevant and break through the noise by embracing the fundamentals of marketing. She hits topics such as the importance of authenticity in the market space, the truth behind SEO, influencer marketing, the evolution and science of...

In flawless, mindful manufacturing, proper vetting of factory partners is essential as the success of your business in apparel depends on it. From navigating cultural differences to evaluating lines, equipment, and skill levels, to understanding what makes a factory "hum" in all the right ways, this episode dives deep into the process of evaluating factories for production. 

There are many challenges in the fashion industry, but with challenges comes opportunity. In this episode, we touch base on topics such as 3D design & technology, bringing science to fit, and the core challenges of the fast fashion model. 

This inaugural episode sets the foundation of Clothing Coulture and the podcast mission to provide an expert resource to those in the fashion industry. In this introduction, we learn about our hosts, Emily Lane, CSO of Stars Design Group, and Bret Schnitker, President/ CEO of Stars Design Group. Bret, an expert having been in the apparel industry for 30 years, shares his personal story. From being...

Welcome to Clothing Coulture, a new podcast series sharing insights on the fashion industry with experts in all realms from the technical aspect of the design to manufacturing. In this series, you will hear professionals in the industry dig deep and share their thoughts and knowledge on many topics that shape the fashion world.