How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fits

In episode 36, Janna Volmert of JM Couturière walks us through her journey in custom bridal and how the experience is special and significant for both her and her clients.  JM Couturière is a bridal and formalwear design service offering custom gown design, re-design, and intense alterations. Utilizing couture and commercial techniques, JM Couturière can make your dream gown a reality or perf...

In episode 35, Terri Stipanovich, founder and CEO of small-batch manufacturing factory The Collective Thread, shares how her background in the non-profit world and mission to empower women to earn a living wage led her to start The Collective Thread as a resource for emerging designers, training ground for industrial sewing, and a place for all to find meaning in creating something beautiful. In 2...

In episode 34, Natalia Trevino Amaro shares how she’s grown her slow fashion namesake label from a side project out of her parent’s midwest home to her full-time job since graduating from FIT in 2020.  Natalia is a 22 year old fashion designer & content creator focusing on slow fashion and sustainability. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Natalia got interested in sustainable and ethical...

In episode 33, KaLeena Thomas talks about what was missing in her career wardrobe, how entrepreneurship and community go hand in hand, and the meaning behind her brand J. Margaret Weaver. After more than a decade of struggling to find classic, high quality, and easy-to-care for professional work clothing and accessories, KaLeena Thomas decided to stop shopping and start the solution. In January 20...

In episode 32, Elizabeth Frenchman shares what worked and what didn't about starting a sleepwear brand in her home town of NYC after retiring from a career in graphic design. Elizabeth Frenchman is an apparel designer who adheres to the “less is more” philosophy as well as G-d being in the details. She was born and raised in Ohio but escaped to earn a BA in printmaking from Rutgers in New Jersey....

In episode 31, Broads the Label founder Daron Linton shares how she turned a life-long clothing struggle into a fashion business. Daron Linton spent most of her life thinking that sleeves are bullshit. A sleeved shirt, dress, or jacket has meant a day of tugging, puckering, and restriction all because genetics (and a love for being active) handed her a pair of wider-than-average shoulders.  H...

In episode 30, Alexa McNeal of Cedar & Sand Swimwear (now Bold Beach Swim) shares why and how she launched a swimwear brand in October 2020 where every suit is made to adjust to your body - not the other way around. Alexa has been designing adjustable swimwear for every body type since October 2020 when she launched her brand Cedar & Sand Swimwear. In this episode, you’ll learn: The frustr...

In episode 29, best friends and PWR WMN co-founders Kimberly Borges and Miriam McDonald share how they started a blazer company to “decorate the confidence” of working women - no matter what that work looks like - and to encourage women to wear their femininity with power and, of course, plenty of pockets. PWR WMN was created by two best friends who wanted a simple thing: pockets in our blazers. W...

In Episode 28, Meghan Forest Farmer shares her journey as a stylist turned ethical factory owner and how she founded The Bright Factory to restore dignity to formerly incarcerated women. Meghan Forest Farmer has woven her way through the fashion pipeline over the past 10 years, but currently works as a fashion stylist, both on photo shoot sets, and in the wardrobes of her personal styling closet....

In Episode 27, I talk with Julia Navarro of Wear Color about the life motto that inspired her brand and how she’s created a business that fits her creativity, strengths, and values. Starting in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, wear cOLor is a clothing brand that allows for everyone to break the fashion rules. Wear white after Labor Day, black with brown, neon in the winter, pastels in the fall....

In episode 26, Nics Asawasudsakorn shares about launching her petite-focused brand Lovanie and what inspired her to start a slow fashion brand inspired by wanderlust.  Nics is the founder of LOVANIE, a slow fashion brand for petite women. Lovanie pieces are designed to fit women 5'4" and under and are made locally in Seattle from eco-friendly materials. In this episode, you’ll learn: Nics’ jo...

In episode 25, Alexis Giger talks about her career in fashion from design school, to working for fashion brands big and small, to starting her own mending business during the pandemic in order to make loved clothes last. Alexis Giger is a fashion designer and textile mender based in St. Louis, MO. She graduated in 2013 from Washington University in St. Louis with a BFA in Fashion Design. She gaine...

In episode 24, Bhavana Jain shares about her entrepreneurial journey and how she celebrates and shares her cultural heritage through her women's fashion brand BHAV. Bhavana Jain is CEO and lead designer of BHAV. BHAV is a women's contemporary clothing brand based in Chicago, IL. The line is inspired by the rich diversity of South Asian heritage fabrics, and features sophisticated and flattering re...

Episode 23 is an honest and insightful conversation with Rachel Faller, co-creator and Creative Director of tonlé, about changing the incentives of the traditional fashion system, zero-waste design, and building reciprocal relationships that are equitable for all involved. Rachel Faller is an entrepreneur by trade and a creative at heart. She dedicates most of her time to rectifying harm within th...

In episode 22, I talk with Elizabeth Williams - founder, designer, and patternmaker behind the outerwear brand Coat Check Chicago. Elizabeth shares her journey from costume seamstress to New York fashion designer, to fashion professor and how the skills she gained through all these experiences now help her run her own brand. Elizabeth Williams resides in Chicago with her husband and three children...

In episode 21, Xi Chen, the founder and designer of Sonderlier, shares how she started her fashion brand on the idea that comfortable clothes should still be cute. She's not alone in that belief as shown by the Kickstarter campaign for her first collection that reached 212% funding. Xi Chen is the Founder and Designer of Sonderlier, a sustainable clothing brand offering women camera-ready clothing...

Ashley Klein, the founder of sustainable brand Akala, joins me for episode 20 to talk about how and why she started her own brand after working in the fashion industry across varying roles from design to e-commerce. Ashley lives in Seattle with her husband, with baby on-the-way! Akala is currently her side hustle, as she works full time in addition to being an entrepreneur, in hopes of growing Aka...

Bria Evans, the owner and designer of 31|25 THE LABEL, joins me in episode 19 to share what she’s learned about running a fashion business, staying grounded in her purpose, and how she’s giving herself grace in the process. 31|25–THE LABEL is a Women’s clothing brand where all garments are made-to-order. Bria's been designing since the age of 10 and went on to pursue an educational career at the A...

Sheri Turnbow, the entrepreneur behind Bespoke Southerly, joins me in episode 18 to talk about how she built the women's made-to-order special occasion brand to provide women with the personalized experience, quality finishes, and investment pieces that they’ll want to wear to countless events. Sheri Turnbow is the Founder of Bespoke Southerly, a collection of customizable cocktail and special occ...

In episode 17, Alessandra Corona, founder and designer behind the sustainable sleepwear brand River Left, shares how her personal search for the perfect nightgown snowballed into a full-fledged fashion brand and how that sometimes-messy process has stretched her knowledge, grown her network, and even landed her in major publications less than half a year after the brand launched. Alessandra founde...

In episode 16, Krystle Marks, the founder of Lev Apparel, shares about how she started her clothing brand as part of her mission to empower women and restore dignified work to women most at risk for human trafficking. Krystle Marks is a fashion stylist turned clothing designer. She became passionate about fighting human trafficking and saw the direct link between poverty and exploitation. The ethi...

In episode 15, Magda Lasota Morales - mom of two and founder of MLM brand - shares her story of starting a fashion brand and designing the "Little Breastfeeding Dress" after failing to find breastfeeding-friendly clothing that met her standards and worked for her lifestyle as a modern mom. "I live in Los Angeles with my husband and our two boys — Adrian and Julian. My husband and I met in college...

In this episode, Vanessa Acosta - the Bolivian-American business woman behind Wasi Clothing shares about why representation in fashion matters, the importance of some underappreciated aspects in the industry, and how she’s overcome challenges and grown Wasi dramatically in the past year. Vanessa is the founder of the clothing brand Wasi Clothing. She is a Bolivian American designer living in Los A...

Audrey and Mary are sisters and co-founders of Paris Bloom (now Betty Hannah)- a dress brand that they started without prior fashion industry experience in order to create the classic styles they couldn't find elsewhere. "Paris Bloom is inspired by our French great-grandmother, Mary Hanna. Mary Hanna grew up in the 1920s in the Michigan Upper Peninsula with big city taste and a small town budget....

Before ending her first career 14 years ago as an award winning journalist, Phyllis Brasch Librach became inspired to trade deadlines for hemlines. She wanted to take the tears out of shopping for her daughter and all daughters, mothers, sisters, aunts and friends with real curves. In a world where thin is too in, Librach found it unfair that millions of teens and women were fashion-starved for st...