The co-lab career stories

Rachel Swanson is the founder of Method + Mode, a consultancy delivering primary research for product innovation, audience development, and brand building across beauty, fashion, wellness, tech, CPG, and media. With over 20 years of experience, she has worked with early-stage startups and global brands, previously holding senior strategy and insights roles at Condé Nast (Glamour, W, Corporate) and...

Lexie is a creative project manager and producer with twelve years of experience, over 500 completed shoots, and published content that has reached more than 16 billion people worldwide. She has overseen tens of millions in annual production budgets and led high-visibility 360 campaigns, including years in-house at CHANEL for the US Market, with work spanning VOGUE, NIKE, and some of the most icon...

Lindsay Denninger is an award-winning writer, editorial director, celebrity interviewer, two-time Jeopardy! contestant, and storyteller who magically turned a love for nostalgic pop culture into a job. She's worked with brands like Kate Spade New York, Ann Taylor, UNIQLO, and Amazon, and she's currently the Copy Director at SPANX. She lives on Long Island with her family. In this episode,...

Suzi West has built her career at the intersection of commerce and creativity — translating brand identity into physical space, and experiences that drive sales. From the halls of L Brands and Knitwell Group to founding her own boutique, Collier West, she has lived every side of the industry. A former director with a rare combination of corporate leadership, entrepreneurial experience, and boutiqu...

Jelena Beliard is the founder of BELLE CHASSE, a brand transformation consultancy based in New York and Paris. She has one core obsession: clarity. After 25 years working with fashion and retail's most iconic brands — Victoria's Secret PINK, Vanessa Bruno, Maurices — she has learned that most brand problems are not creative problems, they are clarity problems. She finds what's off, wha...

Tanya believes women should be able to enjoy the journey of building and that the right environment makes all the difference. She is the founder of joi, a membership community for women in NYC actively bringing their vision to life, and a 1:1 advisor supporting women through pivotal moments. Through her consultancy Windy&Co., she brings that same human-centered lens to membership clubs, hospit...

Laura Konitzer is a founder building AI-powered decision tools for fashion and retail teams. She also works with brands on AI strategy and practical adoption. Previously, she spent nearly a decade at BCG advising global fashion and consumer brands. In this episode, Svenja Hofe interviews Laura, who brings nearly a decade of experience advising fashion and luxury brands. Laura shares her transition...

Jessica Mayfield is a stylist and creative director working at the intersection of story and aesthetics. With a background in writing, her work is grounded in narrative and intention. Over the past sixteen years, she has collaborated with clients including Adidas, the OKC Thunder, West Elm, Crate & Barrel, and STATE, with projects recognized by Marriott’s Design Hotels collection and Oklahoma’...

Reut Ringel is the founder and creative director of Reut New York, a fine jewelry house based in New York City that blends art, innovation, and sustainability into every piece. A graduate of Parsons The New School of Design, she is known for pioneering the world’s first permanent Black Gold through a patent-pending process that reimagines traditional luxury. Reut’s sculptural designs, inspired by...

Lindy Fox is the founder of LindyFox.com a California-based clothing line of matching family sets for photoshoots.  The brand calls upon the expertise of artisans to create truly unique pieces. Observing a sustainable, process-focused practice, the brand operates in a Made-On-Demand model.  Each piece is created only after the customer purchases it, then lovingly made in the Dominican Republic, en...

Anna Kimelman is a sustainability strategist and award-winning designer who pioneered sustainable fashion before it became mainstream. After building brands for Puma, AEO and Bloomingdales, she founded an acclaimed womenswear brand that launched with Shopbop and attracted celebrity fans including Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber. Now, she leads Loopline, a WBENC-certified consultancy, helping fash...

Julie Coin is founder of Midnighties, a luxury bamboo sleepwear brand for woman that features built-in padded support (launched in 2025). Julie is also a Fractional COO and Operating Advisor to a VC fund that invests in health and sustainability-focused technology companies. Previously Julie spent the majority of her career in global strategy, COO and President roles in Wall Street, blockchain and...

Rebecca Murphy has 20 years of experience in textile design, fabric R&D, and product development across the U.S. and Turkey. She founded RPM Consultancy to help product-focused founders scale through operational, financial, and supply-chain strategy, and is currently launching a wellness venture with a former coworker. In this episode, Julie Coin interviews Rebecca “Bec” for a candid conversat...

Mackenzie Perna has spent over a decade shaping how global brands tell their stories online. A community-first marketer and strategist, she built her career at Red Bull and TikTok, where she launched social strategies, amplified world-renowned athletes, and led initiatives spotlighting underrepresented creators and cultures. She's collaborated with brands including Roc Nation, Sony Latin, and...

Nancy Herrmann is the Founder and Creative Director of Jane & Co Design, a boutique studio crafting strategic, sensory brands for female founders in beauty, fashion, and hospitality. Her career spans fashion, architecture, editorial, and brand strategy—bringing a multidisciplinary lens to every project. In recent years, she’s led creative work for beauty brands from L’Oréal and Bobbi Brown to...

Marisa brings 15+ years of UX design experience to Amazon, where she helps shoppers leverage Prime benefits across thousands of sites. She co-chairs the Luxury Education Foundation's Alumni Executive Council, supporting 1,500 Columbia Business School and Parsons alumni. She holds an MFA from Parsons, won the 2013 Nokia Design Challenge, completed a fellowship at Nokia's London Design Studi...

Advika is a marketing and e-commerce leader who drives growth and builds brands across the full product lifecycle from concept to global scale spanning travel, fashion, and lifestyle. She’s shaped experiences at iconic American houses including Coach and Gap, and most recently served as Senior Director of Marketing and E-Commerce at Paravel, where she helped define the brand’s modern luxury identi...

From luxury goods to longevity, Kabir has spent 15 years shaping culture at the intersection of fashion, film, wellness, and health innovation. After early stints at VOGUE and ELLE , he spent nearly a decade in fashion PR with brands like Maiyet, Nili Lotan, Monique Péan, and Milk Studios. He later brought that storytelling expertise to healthcare—helping position concierge medicine as a post-pand...

Anne Whiting works across communications and brand marketing, copywriting, journalism, sustainable fashion design, ethical fashion activism, supply chain and product development expertise, anti-greenwashing consulting, and textile waste management. She also serves on the board of an arts education nonprofit, working with students of all ages in their pursuit of a career in the visual sector and me...

Marijo Mena has 20 years of experience in sourcing, product development, and merchandising, from Blue Man Group and entertainment products for LOST and Grey's Anatomy to 15 years in corporate retail with Williams-Sonoma, Big Lots, Anthropologie Home, and QVC. With global experience spanning Guatemala to Vietnam, she recently earned a Master's in Sustainability and Social Impact and now foc...

Natalie Marten brings 25 years of fashion industry experience across luxury brands and mass retailers. She served as Brand President for Tumi Apparel and Kashwere Apparel at David Peyser Sportswear, leading brands within a $1+ billion portfolio. Recognized as one of the Top Women in Retail, she now runs her own consultancy helping emerging brands refine positioning and expand market presence. Mari...

Sarah is the founder of SCLARANDIS, a sustainable, high-quality footwear brand. Her passion began in childhood in Torino, Italy, and led her to study shoe design in the UK and train with master shoemakers in Varese. She later moved to the U.S., designing for top fashion brands, leading creative teams as VP, and building global partnerships across Italy, Spain, Brazil, and China. In this interview,...

Abbey Rachel Garay (Liebman) is a New York-based shoe designer and developer with a background in both concept and craft. A Cornell Textiles graduate, she’s held design and development roles across startups and major brands, and completed Arsutoria’s intensive pattern-making program in 2018. Through her consultancy, Abbey and Aster Ltd., she brings footwear ideas from sketch to production. In this...

I’m a New-York–based digital product strategist who loves turning loosely defined ideas into engaging, high-impact experiences. Over the years I’ve worked across healthtech, digital media, and wellness, guiding products from first sketch to market launch while keeping users—and measurable value—at the center. In this episode, Temi Agbede talks with Julia about her winding path from aspiring vet to...

Temi is a seasoned marketing and eCommerce leader with 15+ years of experience driving growth for DTC brands from $10M to $100M+. Now a Fractional Marketing Executive & Advisor, she helps brands scale through holistic strategies, brand building, and customer journey optimization. In this episode, Julia Schulhof chats with Temi about her path from Maryland to New York City, her career at Lord &...