Tech Powered Luxury

Mary Furtas is the Ukrainian entrepreneur and former fashion photographer behind the fashion-favourite party wear brand: Cultnaked. In this episode of Tech Powered Luxury we hear from Mary about her mission to meet American supermodels at Paris Fashion Week - the ultimate muses of her brand, the Californian girls - in 2018, with a suitcase full of samples, how she connected with Bella Hadid in Hot...

Shana Chu started her fashion career in a division we don't see on the runway: protective garments. Nonetheless, the challenges she faced as a garment technologist are the same we see across the high street all the way to haute couture: sizing inconsistency. The challenge of having cohesive and aligned sizing within a single brand, nevermind across the entire fashion industry, seems to be an e...

Bijan Ghorbani is a master storyteller with an unwavering passion for enabling and empowering others. His Storytelling Masterclass has ignited the potential of over 9,000 of Googlers across the globe and within the tech industry worldwide, enabling them to elevate their leadership, negotiation, and influencing abilities. Tech Powered Luxury's host Ashley McDonnell first met Bijan while they bo...

Lauren Ingram is the Founder of Women of Web3, a community helping women make the leap into the world of Web 3.0 through job opportunities, learning resources and connections. She is a marketing leader with experience in agencies and tech companies including Meta, where she was responsible for Meta’s multimillion-dollar program for female entrepreneurs, #SheMeansBusiness. As a consultant and found...

Mario Maher and Joe Wilkinson are the co-founders and creative geniuses from Sheffield, England, behind the mystery box that's shaking up the luxury industry and tapping into the Male GenZ Market: Heat. Heat launched in 2019 with a simple goal: to provide 3 luxury items to their customers through exclusive drops. From low-tech beginnings to a high-tech expansion, Heat has evolved from an origi...

Michaela O’Shaughnessy grew up in County Galway, Ireland. When her dream of becoming a doctor shifted towards embarking on a summer adventure in New York, the biomedical scientist found a city and new career that captured her attention: the world of social media and entertainment. Michaela has carved out a killer career at the crossroads of culture, entertainment, and tech, with globally recognize...

In this bonus episode of Tech Powered Luxury, Ashley McDonnell talks us through her first month since moving back to Paris, France. Ashley started her first day back in the city for the Ireland vs. South Africa, Rugby World Cup match in Stade de France with Emirates, followed by Paris Fashion Week. During a week of attending shows and meeting designers in their showrooms across the city, Ashley ha...

IrelandsEye is an Irish knitwear brand that embraces technology, tradition, sustainability, and style. Founded over 35 years ago, the brand remains family-owned and creates premium knitwear at their production site in County Dublin, Ireland. Paul O’Sullivan, who is the Managing Director and one of the family founders of the brand, along with IrelandsEye Head of Design, Maria-Christina McPadden, sh...

Pavan Ahluwalia-Dhanjal is a world-renowned henna artist, bringing an Indian beauty ritual to the globe with a luxury and digital-first approach. With two Guinness World Records for being the fastest henna artist on the planet, Pavan was also awarded the British Empire Medal in 2018. Pavan has collaborated with major celebrities, including Alesha Dixon, Rudimental, Ellie Goulding, Perrie Edwards,...

From initially studying finance to pivoting to luxury fashion, Laurent Piffaut - Co-Founder and Co-CEO of luxury careers platform Dweet - has embraced the power of AI to empower a global network of luxury experts looking to match talent with opportunity. Laurent established himself as a leader within luxury, starting with a foundation in finance, entering L'Oreal Group as a Financial Controller be...

Carlota Rodben, a Zillennial global nomad and former prima ballerina based between London and Paris, has distinguished herself as a two-time author before the age of thirty, and an innovation specialist in the luxury industry. This week, Carlota's second book " Beyond Luxury " was published, reaching #1 on Amazon within Retailing Industry. Rodben began her career at the House of Chanel, where she...

Journalist and fashion-tech thought leader Niamh O’Donoghue has been navigating between the realms of offline and online luxury fashion for the last decade. From her role as the acting social media editor at British Vogue, to her involvement with the fashion styling app Drest, and now in her current position as Head of Editorial and Social for the one and only Victoria Beckham - I’m asking Niamh a...

From the realm of fear to the trenches of economic hardship, and amidst the fragile walls of immigration, Paboy Bojang unfurls his kaleidoscopic dreams and cheerful visions within his designs. Born in Gambia, Paboy embarked on his journey into the art of tailoring at the tender age of 13, under the guidance of his uncle in their atelier. Faced with limited resources, Paboy made the difficult choic...

FarmHouse Fresh is a brand cherished by millions: from Hollywood stars to the world's best estheticians and makeup artists, top-tier hotel spas, and millions of customers around the globe. But it's more than skincare; it's a testament to the beauty and power of nature, the celebration of life, and, above all, rescuing animals in need. Shannon McLinden founded FarmHouse Fresh 19 years ago with a si...

Ayurveda's alternative perspective on beauty propels the spiritual path of wellness for the creative and conscious beauty entrepreneur, Nikita Mehta. From studying languages to completing a Computer Science and Business degree, Nikita's trajectory to beauty and haircare collided with many turns, reflection, and learnings from eight years of working at pioneering houses of fine fragrance: from Pato...

This episode is brought to you by myself, Ashley McDonnell, host of Tech Powered Luxury. After two seasons of delving into the cutting edge of technology and modern luxury, it's time to turn the mic and share a glimpse of my own journey. This episode was recorded during my last few days in Geneva, where I relocated to take on the role of Global Digital Media and E-Commerce Director at luxury group...

The Season 2 Finale of Tech Powered Luxury dives deep into the role of education within the luxury industry, with a particular focus on luxury watches and fine diamond jewellery, with Ireland's Paul Sheeran, renowned fine diamond jeweller with over 33 years in business. Paul Sheeran is a trained jeweller and watch maker, but most importantly, he is an entrepreneur and a storyteller. Leaving school...

Irish makeup artist turned beauty entrepreneur, Aideen Kate, is a creative genius who embodies a unique blend of skills and passions. With an unwavering love for expressing herself through makeup, she fearlessly explores the realms of creativity, daring to be different and embracing her untamed spirit. Aideen's journey in the world of makeup has become a true passion, leading her down a path where...

From being a custodian of beauty for Qatari women, to front lining in business, Haneen Al Saify is a visionary trailblazer who has redefined the codes of modest fashion and built a thriving business empire. As a leading influencer in the world of luxury fashion, Haneen has brought unparalleled representation for Arab women onto the global stage, partnering with luxury brands to cater to clients in...

Una McGurk has dedicated her career to the intersection of science and beauty, creating innovative products that distill the best of both worlds. With over 2 decades of experience in consumer goods and the wellness industry, Una's expertise in salon-quality beauty treatments has allowed her to launch her own beauty brand, Seoulista Beauty, which is rooted in science and backed by her passion for w...

Thuy-Anh Nguyen’s journey gets bigger and better. At the redolent of times of culture and conversations, Thuy's rich corporate experiences and her learning at business school empowered her journey. From the pharmaceuticals world to the world of luxury goods, Thuy leads a league of her own. Before the worlds of culture and luxury had collided on Instagram, Thuy was blending fashion, music and...

Personality driven and sustainability plastered all over the collections, Nicki epitomises the art of leading your own league. From Irish Kilkenny to London, Nicki candidly celebrates her spirit of being different, charting her own course. A larger than classroom student with affinity for magic, business driven Nicki took a deep learning curve with her entrepreneurship course after completing thea...

This week, the podcast is graced with the presence of the talented Julie Bogaert, Head of Talent Partnerships for Snap EMEA, who has spent 14 years advising and guiding renowned celebrities, music artists, athletes and notable figures on their social media strategies. Julie shares her invaluable insights on the power of Snapchat and Augmented Reality in building a strong community and sustainable...

From Tel Aviv, Israel, Talia Zoref, a titan of fashion starts a poetic conversation between art and web3, business and fashion, veering to find the beauty in digital world. Talia's metaverse fashion community, goes by the name 'Eyes on Fashion' is an NFT collection curated by Talia, where independent artists nurture and transport their designs from Web2 to Web3. Collateral to her charged love for...

A rebrand to the face of fashion, Matthew Drinkwater's digital disruption enforces exhibition of an array of new in the digital landscape: from retail to fashion and technology. A digital vanguard, Matthew started ten years back at London College of Fashion, at the Digital Innovation Lab. From rearranging 3D assets and augmented reality, to manufacturing immersive experiences, Matthew has establis...