Loose Threads — Consumer, retail, fashion and commerce

On the 40th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the new consumer economy, I talk with Moshe Laniado, the founder of Swimsuits for All, the first company to focus on swimwear for women of all different sizes. Moshe started the business after selling off some inventory from his family’s business, and realized that there was something to build on. We had a great talk about Moshe’s journey building Swimsuits for All, how the company approached marketing in its own way, how the internet has affected seasonal businesses and what it’s like going through an acquisition. I really enjoyed talking with Moshe about yet another market that most companies have ignored. Capital is anything but rational, and there are plenty more markets out there with little competition and lots of eager customers. Entrepreneurs should go out and find these, and investors should fund them, rather than more schemes that just deliver a product for half as much money. — Show Notes — Swimsuits For All https://www.swimsuitsforall.com/ Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the new consumer economy. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest about their founding story and how it fits into the current state of the industry. Guests come from all different backgrounds, spanning the consumer goods, fashion, retail and technology industries. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on LooseThreads.com.

On the 39th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce, I talk with Jeff Johnson, a co-founder of The Arrivals, an outerwear-focused brand inspired by the form and function of architecture. Jeff founded the brand along with Kal Vepuri, who was an early investor in a range of direct to consumer brands. The Arrivals aesthetic takes strong cues from Jeff’s architecture background, which comes to fruition in the brand’s product, overall aesthetic, and most recently, its retail footprint. We had a great talk about the brand’s founding story, it’s deliberate approach, and where it’s headed as it tackles the offline world. I really enjoyed talking with Jeff about what it’s like building a brand with a specific point of view while balancing accessibility and versatility. People often talk about the power of being specific, but it can also cause harm if it goes too far. The Arrivals’ aesthetic is recognizable—you know their leather jackets when you see them—but also open-ended enough to morph with the company as it grows. — Show Notes — The Arrivals http://thearrivals.com/ Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest about their founding story and how it fits into the current state of the industry. Guests come from all different backgrounds, spanning the consumer goods, fashion, retail and technology industries. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on LooseThreads.com.

On the 38th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce, I talk with Eric Varady, the founder of Topology Eyewear. Eric founded the company after struggling to find a pair of glasses that worked for him, realizing that stock eyewear no longer cut it. He set out to reinvent the entire manufacturing process in order to make entirely custom eyewear a reality. I was lucky enough to visit their office and factory when I was out in San Francisco and the sophistication and end product was really exciting to see. I find supply chains and manufacturing processes really fascinating, especially when it comes to custom, which has often been little more than a dream for most categories. But Eric and the Topology team meticulously rebuilt the entire experience, which makes custom eyewear a reality. They have a great app where you can try on sizes and colors and shapes, and then order them in two weeks. I would definitely check it out. — Show Notes — Topology Eyewear https://www.topologyeyewear.com/ Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest about their founding story and how it fits into the current state of the industry. Guests come from all different backgrounds, spanning the consumer goods, fashion, retail and technology industries. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on LooseThreads.com.

On the 37th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce, I talk with Melissa Duren Conner, a partner at JBC, a PR and communications firm helping modern brands tell their stories. Melissa started the firm along with Jennifer Bett, after realizing that a new generation of brands needed a new type of communications approach. JBC works with a diverse slate of companies, some of which have been on the podcast previously, as they figure out how to cultivate influence in a rapidly shifting landscape. It was fun talking with Melissa about the shifting PR landscape and how brands need to navigate it in a time of maximum competition. Standing out is increasingly challenging, but those can that do it have more staying power relative to the old days. This is definitely something to keep an eye on. — Show Notes — JBC http://www.jenniferbett.com/ Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest about their founding story and how it fits into the current state of the industry. Guests come from all different backgrounds, spanning the consumer goods, fashion, retail and technology industries. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on LooseThreads.com.

On the 36th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce, I talk with Alexa Buckley, a co-founder of Margaux, a brand making modern shoes for modern women. Margaux is home to a really interesting made to measure business, as Alexa and her team found that many people were wearing the wrong size shoe. But with made to measure, Margaux is helping women find their right size and then ensuring they can stick with it across all of their styles. Alexa and I had a great talk about the brand’s founding story, how it balances a domestic and international supply chain, and how moving into pop ups has created a whole new channel to the brand to reach customers. I really enjoyed talking with Alexa about Margaux’s approach, which takes the digital DNA of the brand and applies it both online and offline. The move towards specific sizing and customization is also interesting, as this has always been a dream for the industry that is increasingly accessible. — Show Notes — Margaux https://margauxny.com/ Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest about their founding story and how it fits into the current state of the industry. Guests come from all different backgrounds, spanning the consumer goods, fashion, retail and technology industries. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on LooseThreads.com.

On the 35th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce, I talk with Brian Berger, a co-founder of Mack Weldon, a company reinventing men's basics with a modern shopping experience and technical fabrics. Although there is a lot of activity in the basics space right now, most of it is incremental. Mack Weldon wanted to rebuild the entire shopping experience, as well as the materials that men rely on every day. Brian and I had a great talk about the founding story, how it’s incentivizing men to buy more from the brand, and how the brand landscape is rapidly shifting. I enjoyed talking with Brian about his time building Mack Weldon and how sometimes building things the hard way is the right way. His pragmatism about the potential of brands like Mack Weldon was also refreshing, and it seems that he’s architected the company to take advantage of that potential while also managing expectations. — Show Notes — Mack Weldon https://www.mackweldon.com/ Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest about their founding story and how it fits into the current state of the industry. Guests come from all different backgrounds, spanning the consumer goods, fashion, retail and technology industries. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on LooseThreads.com.

On the 34th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce, I talk with James Ingram, the CEO of Splashlight, a company at the forefront of ecommerce photography and video. Every time someone goes shopping, they’re looking at dozens of images. Some have models in them, some are just product shots, and others are from people in the wild all over social media. Someone has to produce these images, and given the increasing speed of the industry, companies need more images than ever before. That’s where Splashlight comes in, acting as a near-vertically integrated company that provides the infrastructure, resources and expertise needed to photograph at scale. This is an industry that is invisibly yet highly visible, since people see their work every day but don’t know it. I find companies like Splashlight, which are doing crucial work that most outside the industry don’t know about, incredibly interesting. This is how real businesses get built. the plan to spin out the core technology behind Splashlight, which James talked about at the end, will be fascinating to watch. — Show Notes — Splashlight http://splashlight.com/ Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest about their founding story and how it fits into the current state of the industry. Guests come from all different backgrounds, spanning the consumer goods, fashion, retail and technology industries. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on LooseThreads.com.

On the 33rd episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce, I talk with Nik Bando, a co-founder of Bogeybox Golf Club, a company that helps golfers modernize their style. For many, golf apparel is one of the sleepiest verticals in the industry, known for the baggiest clothing and the blandest aesthetics. But there is a new crop of golfers coming up that want to maintain their style to seamlessly both on and off the green. This is where Bogeybox comes in, acting as a vertical specific version Stitch Fix. I really enjoyed talking with Nik about everything from the company’s inception up to how virtual reality might fundamentally change the sport. It’s interested to see more companies go after very specific audiences. I won’t use the word niche because tens of millions of people is not a niche, but the focus brands like that can instill is powerful. This was the first episode exploring the intersection of consumer goods and sports, but it won’t be the last. It was great to branch out and see how these seemingly separate industries are deeply connected. — Show Notes — Bogeybox https://www.bogeyboxgolfclub.com/ Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest about their founding story and how it fits into the current state of the industry. Guests come from all different backgrounds, spanning the consumer goods, fashion, retail and technology industries. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on LooseThreads.com.

On the 32nd episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce, I talk with Nadia Boujarwah, a co-founder of Dia&Co, a company built with an exacting focus on serving the plus size market, which remains one of the largest growth opportunities in apparel today. Nadia founded the company as plus-size shopper herself, as few players were taking the category seriously and delivering the experience that its shoppers wanted and deserved. Dia&Co has made significant progress in the last few years, rebuilding the shopping experience from the ground up, launching labels in house, and working with a new crop of influencers that are highly relevant to the market. As I’m sure you can tell, Dia & Co is a very rare company in that its authenticity is on par with the size of the market. Also, persistence matters. I’m really excited to see where this company goes as it brings a new approach to a market desperately in need of it. — Show Notes — Dia&Co http://dia.com Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest about their founding story and how it fits into the current state of the industry. Guests come from all different backgrounds, spanning the consumer goods, fashion, retail and technology industries. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on LooseThreads.com.

On the 31st episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce, I talk with Evan Fript, a co-founder of Paul Evans, a brand bringing the best luxury Italian footwear for men to the states at a contemporary price point. Evan founded the company after questioning why luxury footwear was so expensive. This sent him down a rabbit hole as he tried to reverse engineer high quality footwear at a more affordable price. Evan and I had a good talk about the journey of building the brand, the early results from the brand’s first retail store, and where Paul Evans fits into a booming market of direct to consumer brands. I really enjoyed talking with Evan about his time building the brand and all of the ups and downs it took to get it to this point. The discussion about working capital is especially pertinent, as it’s one of the biggest struggles for physical goods brands today, which leads brands to use mechanisms such as pre orders to fuel growth. Even so, it seems that Evan continues to navigate the waters with a solid dose of pragmatism. — Show Notes — Paul Evans https://www.paulevansny.com/ Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest about their founding story and how it fits into the current state of the industry. Guests come from all different backgrounds, spanning the consumer goods, fashion, retail and technology industries. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on LooseThreads.com.

On the 30th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce, I talk with Lona Alia, the founder of Style Lend, a company pioneering peer to peer fashion rentals. Many people know of Rent The Runway, the industry’s biggest rental company, which allows shoppers to rent clothing instead of buying it. Style Lend is a more decentralized version, where the company holds no inventory and takes advantage of the clothing people have in their closets. Think of it as Airbnb for clothing. On a macro level, the internet is starting to move towards more decentralization and renting, and Style Lend fits right into this evolution. I really enjoyed talking with Lona about her journey and how Style Lend is building out its platform to support its mission. The idea of cost per wear is alluring and it will have important effects for the industry, especially around sustainability. I’m excited to watch the company grow. — Show Notes — Style Lend https://www.stylelend.com/ Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest about their founding story and how it fits into the current state of the industry. Guests come from all different backgrounds, spanning the consumer goods, fashion, retail and technology industries. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on LooseThreads.com.

On the 29th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce, I talk with Jannett Martinez, the CEO of Loomia, a company building the components and experience to make our clothing smart. Most clothing today is dumb, meaning it’s nothing more than fabric on our bodies. But Loomia is inventing a litany of technologies, conductive inks, and sensors that bring heating, lighting and touch to everyday apparel. There’s a lot of noise in the wearable space right now, but Loomia is building foundational technology that could usher in a new era for clothing that does more than nothing. I really enjoyed talking with Janett about Loomia’s journey and how the company is balancing innovation and ease of installation to bring a product to market that actually makes a difference. Most fashion/tech falls shorts here, and it’s great to see Loomia’s pragmatism, especially around what are the best applications for its technology. — Show Notes — Loomia http://Loomia.co Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest about their founding story and how it fits into the current state of the industry. Guests come from all different backgrounds, spanning the consumer goods, fashion, retail and technology industries. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on LooseThreads.com.

On the 28th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce, I talk with Dave Kahng, the founder of Davek, a luxury utility brand focused on making the best umbrellas in the world. Dave had been mesmerized by the mechanics of umbrellas almost a decade before starting Davek, as he designed, built and rebuilt them in every conceivable way. Dave and I had a great talk about the founding story behind Davek, the emergence of luxury utility companies across the consumer goods space, and how Dave pivoted from a business driven by wholesale to driven by ecommerce. I really enjoyed talking with Dave about his journey as an umbrella maker and how he has evolved his business as the fundamental dynamics of the marketplace continue to shift. It’s always fun to talk to people who are obsessed with that they do and Dave definitely fits that description. — Show Notes — Davek https://davekny.com/ Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest about their founding story and how it fits into the current state of the industry. Guests come from all different backgrounds, spanning the consumer goods, fashion, retail and technology industries. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on LooseThreads.com.

On the 27th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce, I talk with Carrie Hammer, the founder of her namesake brand and the movement Role Models Not Runway Models. Carrie has been working to create clothes for women in the workplace, while changing the expectations and dynamics of fashion runway shows and women’s beauty more broadly. Carrie and I had a great talk about the founding story behind both her brand and runway movement, how she’s challenging the embedded biases of the fashion and beauty industry, and how her movement has grown globally. It’s a bold task but given the tools available today, one person has never had a better chance at making a massive, global impact. — Show Notes — Carrie Hammer http://rolemodelsnotrunwaymodels.com Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of consumer, retail and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, the founder of Loose Threads, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest about their founding story and how it fits into the current state of the industry. Guests come from all different backgrounds, spanning the consumer goods, fashion, retail and technology industries. The unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on LooseThreads.com.

On the 26th episode of the Loose Threads Podcast, a show about the intersection of fashion, technology and commerce, I talk with Alana Branston, a co-founder of Bulletin, a company known as the WeWork for retail that gives brands flexible options for showcasing their products. As legacy retail continues to struggle in the U.S., Bulletin is taking this space and repurposing it. Alana and her team believe that retail is far from dead, but it's fundamentally changing, and everyone from brand to landlords to technology companies need to rethink the experience from the ground up. Alana and I had a great talk about the non linear founding story behind Bulletin, the benefits of going through two different Y Combinator programs, how retail is turning into a marketing, not just a sales game, and where the company is headed after raising its first big round of funding. There are endless opportunities in the offline world for brands of all sizes. People often forget that retail sales still make up over 90% of all commerce sales, so there is plenty to work with and improve on in this space. Bulletin is still young but they will be fun to watch. — Show Notes — Bulletin https://bulletin.co/ Edited by George Drake Jr. — About Loose Threads — http://LooseThreads.com Join the newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buLQY9 Twitter: http://twitter.com/loosethreadscom The Loose Threads Podcast explores the intersection of fashion, technology and commerce. Hosted by Richie Siegel, an entrepreneur and writer, each episode features an in-depth conversation with one guest that spans a range of topics. The guests range from being fashion-focused to technology-focused to somewhere in between, but the unifying thread is always the rapid change facing the industry and how entrepreneurs are responding. You can listen to the podcast on any player of your choice, in addition to on http://LooseThreads.com