Fashion & Founders The Podcast

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Kate March, founder and designer of Undone by Kate. She shares how a pandemic project became a made-in-New-York bespoke, bridal, and special occasion brand. Kate shares her path from celebrity styling to teaching herself how to sew on YouTube, creating her first upcycled tees that sparked demand, and the influencer moment that drove $10K in Shopify sales in one day. They talk bootstrapping on unemployment checks, learning pricing the hard way, building a local contractor network, and why made-to-measure is both the new luxury and true size inclusivity. Plus: a last-minute Selena Gomez VMAs dress pivot, bridal trends, and Kate’s best advice for breaking into fashion.

Follow Fashion & Founders:
Podcast IG: @fashionandfounders
Podcast Substack: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com
Podcast TikTok: @fashionandfounders
Podcast LinkedIn: Fashion and Founders
Podcast YouTube: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Links: Shop My
Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias

Follow Undone by Kate:
IG: @undonebykate
Shop Custom Looks HERE

Fashion Career Playbook HERE

Brand Spotlight: Aven Atelier 

Rent the Runway:
Use code: RTRXVSMITH50 and get 50% off your first month!

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In this episode, Victoria sits down with Marina Larroude, founder of Larroudé, to unpack how she built one of fashion’s fastest-growing footwear brands by rewriting the rules. Marina shares her journey from interning at Condé Nast to leading fashion at Barneys, and how those experiences revealed the white space that inspired Larroudé. They dive into why footwear is one of the hardest categories in fashion, how vertical integration and pre-orders became a growth engine, and why the brand chose profitability over “growth at all costs.” Marina also offers sharp career advice for early builders, the truth behind “good taste,” what fashion school doesn’t teach, and why progress done daily compounds over time.

Follow Fashion & Founders:
Podcast IG: @fashionandfounders
Podcast Substack: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com
Podcast TikTok: @fashionandfounders
Podcast LinkedIn: Fashion and Founders
Podcast YouTube: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Links: Shop My
Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias

Follow Larroude:
IG: @marinalarroude
IG: @larroude
Website

Fashion Job Board HERE

Rent the Runway:
Use code: RTRXVSMITH50 and get 50% off your first month!

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Victoria sits down with designer and founder Rebecca Minkoff to break down what it really takes to build a fashion brand and keep it alive through industry curveballs. Rebecca shares how an  internship led to her first break, the celebrity moment that helped launch her label, and why success is a slow build of momentum over time. They dive into the business realities fashion school doesn’t teach like costing, pricing, profitability, and why she believes founders should bootstrap before raising money. Rebecca also pulls back the curtain on the true cost of Fashion Week, navigating fast fashion copycats, using AI to pitch and work smarter, and the resilience required to play the long game.

Follow Fashion & Founders:
Podcast IG: @fashionandfounders
Podcast Substack: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com
Podcast TikTok: @fashionandfounders
Podcast LinkedIn: Fashion and Founders
Podcast YouTube: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Links: Shop My
Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias

Follow Rebecca Minkoff:
IG: @rebeccaminkoff
IG: @beckyminkoff
Female Founder Collective
Superwoman Podcast
Her book Fearless

Fashion Career Playbook HERE

Rent the Runway:
Use code: RTRXVSMITH50 and get 50% off your first month!

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Cynthia Rowley, CFDA award winning designer, to talk about building a fashion career the scrappy way. Cynthia shares how she got started making clothes, her accidental path to New York, and what it really takes to sustain a long-term career in fashion. She breaks down the realities behind runway shows, navigating changes in the global fashion industry, and why small wins, consistency, and risk-taking matter more than chasing instant success. Cynthia also offers advice for breaking into the fashion industry without a traditional background, moving to New York, and balancing creativity with the business side of fashion.

Follow Fashion & Founders:
Podcast IG: @fashionandfounders
Podcast Substack: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com
Podcast TikTok: @fashionandfounders
Podcast LinkedIn: Fashion and Founders
Podcast YouTube: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Links: Shop My
Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias

Follow Cynthia Rowley:
IG: @cynthiarowley
Website HERE

Fashion Career Playbook HERE

Rent the Runway:
Use code: RTRXVSMITH50 and get 50% off your first month!

Thanks for listening!

Fashion Career Playbook to break into fashion in 2026. How to break into the fashion industry in 2026. Part One out now on Substack.
Link Here: https://fashionandfounders.substack.com/p/the-fashion-career-playbook-part

Follow Fashion & Founders:
Podcast IG: @fashionandfounders
Podcast Substack: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com
Podcast TikTok: @fashionandfounders
Podcast LinkedIn: Fashion and Founders
Podcast YouTube: Fashion and Founders
Podcast Links: Shop My

Thanks for listening!