Fashion and the Free – Details, episodes & analysis

In this week's episode I will be talking to Womenswear Designer Hannah Blurton to discuss whether Fashion Interview Projects are necessary to the interview process or just an excuse for fashion brands to receive free designs. As well as hearing her personal story on the topic...

Hannah is a highly successful Brazilian-American designer based in Los Angeles and has been in the fashion industry for over a decade working for many well known retailers. She sat down with me to tell her story which has negatively impacted the way she feels about the industry. She believes her work was stolen from a large corporate fashion brand after she submitted her designs in 2020 as part of the interview process. 

We will not be naming the brand in this episode as the goal of this discussion is not about naming and shaming. It's about bringing taboo topics from within the fashion industry to the surface, to encourage conversations with the hope of bringing change.

This is a subject I personally feel extremely passionate about so I couldn’t wait to hear Hannah’s story and discuss her feelings on the topic…

Useful links:

• Visit Hannah's ⁠Website ⁠ to find out more and get yourself on her waitlist for her upcoming courses!
• Follow and get in touch with Hannah on Linkedin
• Ad: Visit ⁠Fashion and the Free Studio⁠ to find out more on how we can help with your fashion brand
• Visit our website ⁠⁠Fashion and the Free⁠⁠ for all the latest fashion articles, stories and advice
• Read the article 'Endless hours and stolen work, is it time to put an end to fashion interview projects?'
• Remember to hit the like and follow button so you never miss an episode!
• Please kindly consider leaving us a 5 star rating and review, it helps other fashionistas to find us!

British fashion consultant and expert Elizabeth Stiles joins me to reveal the secrets to selling your fashion product- along with some incredibly useful tips for showing up on social media. Elizabeth has worked in the fashion retail industry for over 15 years across buying and selling departments for some of the biggest names and suppliers in the industry. Several years ago, she decided to leave the corporate world to start her own business working with small independent brands, passing on her industry insider knowledge to help them scale with success. With the vast increase of independent fashion brands in the past few years combined with Elizabeth’s friendly and personable approach it’s no wonder she has seen her business grow from strength to strength. Her success story on social media is definitely a lesson we can all learn from. I couldn’t wait to hear all her incredible advice and industry insider secrets!

We did this interview back in April so I am so glad to finally be sharing this with you!

Useful links:

• Visit Elizabeth's Website to find out more and get yourself on her waitlist for her upcoming courses!
• Follow Elizabeth on Instagram
• Ad: Visit Fashion and the Free Studio to find out more on how we can help with your fashion brand
• Visit our website ⁠Fashion and the Free⁠ for all the latest fashion articles, stories and advice
• Remember to hit the like and follow button so you never miss an episode!
• Please kindly consider leaving us a 5 star rating and review, it helps other fashionistas to find us!

Have you ever wondered why you didn't get that job offer you thought you were perfect for? Or how to craft the perfect resume?

I caught up with the Founder of Fashion job site Style Careers to find out what fashion recruiters & brands are currently looking for, how the job market has changed in the past few years and what steps you can take to ace your applications and interviews.

Style careers has been one of the biggest fashion specific job sites for the past 2 decades, if you're interested in creating a profile and signing up to their email list (it's free), you can do so via the link below. You can also keep up to date with their blog which is packed full of useful information for fashion job seekers.

• Visit the Style Careers Website
• Visit the Style Careers Blog- Style Dispatch
• Upload your portfolio to Style Portfolios
• Check out our website Fashion and the Free
• Remember to hit the like and follow button so you never miss an episode!
• Please kindly consider leaving us a 5 star rating and review

Does the Freelance or Entrepreneur life appeal to you? Perhaps you're thinking of making a career move or starting your own brand...

In this episode, Founder of Beyond The Ceremony and Freelance Designer Janice Lee joins Emma to talk about the challenges and rewards that come with being an entrepreneur in fashion. From launching your own label to being your own boss as a freelance designer.

Based in Los Angeles, Janice has been working in the fashion industry for over a decade for brands that may seem familiar to you- Victoria's Secret, Monique Lhuillier, Madewell and an internship at Oscar de la Renta to name a few. In 2021 Janice decided to do the thing many fashion industry professionals dare to dream of doing- launching her own label. Since then she has juggled running her bridal wear brand with working as a freelance designer.

I can’t wait for you to listen to our conversation so sit back and enjoy as we get into our chat..

• Check out Janice's Bridal wear label Beyond the Ceremony here.
• Get in touch with Janice Via Linkedin
• Remember to hit the like and follow button so you never miss an episode!
• Please kindly consider leaving us a 5 star rating and review

Have you ever stopped to think about the lengthy process your clothing goes through and all the people involved before you see it on a shop floor? Or who is responsible for perfecting the fit of your favorite wardrobe items?

In this episode, Emma talks to Senior Technical Designer Damaris Barajas on her role in fashion as well as the process from a designer's first sketch to the finished product. 

Damaris has had quite a career to date, most recently working for Reformation, one of the biggest brands to come out of LA in recent years. Based in California, Damaris has worked in fashion for over 10 years. Her experience to date is one of the reasons I felt she was a perfect guest for this episode. Not only is she highly skilled at what she does, she’s also real and honest about her experiences in the industry. Not to mention she has tons of great advice for anyone wanting to break into fashion. So sit back and enjoy as we get into our chat.

• You can get in touch with Damaris via Linkedin
• Read our article with Damaris Here.
• Remember to hit the like and subscribe button so you never miss an episode!
• Please kindly consider leaving us a 5 star rating and review.

Welcome to another episode of the Fashion and the Free podcast. In today's episode I am going to be talking about the History of Fashion week as well as providing you with a Spring Summer 2023 round up so you know what will be trending next year!

For all the latest fashion stories, career advice and news, head to the Fashion and the Free Instagram and our website.

Remember to hit the like and subscribe button so you never miss an episode!

5 star reviews are always welcome!

Welcome to another episode of the Fashion and the Free podcast. In this episode I am joined by the winner of Making the Cut Season 3, Yannik Zamboni, to talk about sustainable fashion, how his life has changed since winning the show and his journey in fashion. 

Yannik stood out for his non-binary, sustainable designs in white hues which remained a firm favorite with the judges throughout the show. Not only was Yannik a fan favorite for his designs, his sense of humor and sensitivity shone throughout the show which made him even more endearing. Since winning the show, Yannik has released his first collection with Amazon: Rare/Self, a genderless, size inclusive range, as well as continuing with his own label Maison Blanche. He also recently debuted Maison Blanche’s SS23 collection at New York fashion week. 

Yannik has really been on quite a journey. From growing up in a small village in Switzerland, craving the opportunity to pursue his creativity - to winning the biggest competitive fashion reality show that's aired across the globe. We discuss all of the above and more in this episode.

• You can visit the Maison Blanche website
• Check out Yannik's Co-Branded collection with Amazon Rare/Self
• Follow Yannik on IG
• Read our article with Yannik Here.
• Remember to hit the like and subscribe button so you never miss an episode!

Welcome to another episode of the Fashion and the Free podcast. In today's episode I am going to be interviewing Elena Brook-Hart Rodriguez, Founder of Handmade Stories, an ethical slow fashion brand.

Elena has achieved so much with no former fashion education or training, but her passion to work with Peruvian communities and tell their stories through her collections has transformed lives as well as setting an incredible example to others wanting to follow her lead.

This interview was part of a series of webinars I did in 2021, we will be speaking to Elena again later this year to see how far she has come since.

• You can visit the Handmade Stories Website and follow them on IG.
• For all the latest fashion and catwalk news, head to the Fashion and the Free Instagram and our website.
• Read our article with Elena Here.
• Remember to hit the like and subscribe button so you never miss an episode!

Welcome to another episode of the Fashion and the Free podcast. In today's episode I am going to be talking about what we’ve seen so far from the New York Fashion week shows as well as touching upon the sad recent events of the Queens passing and celebrating her style through the decades.

For all the latest fashion and catwalk news, head to the Fashion and the Free Instagram and our website.

Remember to hit the like and subscribe button so you never miss an episode!

Welcome to another episode of the Fashion and the Free Podcast. In today's episode I interview my very first guest- Sean Cabezas, a designer from California who has been in the fashion industry for 11 years, working in LA and New York for the likes of Gap, BCBG and Lisa Perry.

We discuss how to stay true to yourself within the fashion industry and knowing when to stick to your gut. We'll be sharing some of our industry insights, advice and stories, so sit back and enjoy!

Remember to like and hit the subscribe button so you don't miss an episode!

Read my first article with Sean back in 2020 via the Fashion and the Free website.