Fashioncast – Details, episodes & analysis

Fashioncast®

Episode #55, August 1, 2025

Amy Leverton, Founder Denim Dudes, Fashion’s Diva of Denim

On this episode, you will meet Amy Leverton, the fashion industry’s foremost expert on denim. Born and raised in England, Amy attended the London College of Fashion, then spent years searching for her place in fashion.  After a series of jobs, she followed her passion into denim style, design, and trend forecasting.  Her company, Denim Dudes, is the byproduct of two street-style books published in 2015 and 2019.  With twenty years of experience in design and trend forecasting, Amy has catapulted Denim Dudes into a unique niche within fashion as the go-to consultant on the denim market and culture.

We are certain you’ll love listening to Amy’s extensive knowledge of the denim ecosystem as she regularly consults with leading denim brands including Levi, Wrangler, Esprit, Guess Jeans, American Rag, Target, GAP, Old Navy, and H&M.  It’s breath taking to hear Amy casually mention and detail assignments she has collaborated on around the globe.  Few people possess such extensive knowledge about denim, the world’s most popular and best-selling fabric. 

The feisty Leverton also delves deep into the Los Angeles denim manufacturing culture, the global denim supply chain, historic, current, and near-term denim trends, the Sidney Sweeny American Eagle ad controversy, and start-up denim brands using interesting, and at times, amusing anecdotes about each topic.  Whether your role in fashion includes denim or not, this episode is a masterclass on understanding the complexities of bringing an idea from design to retail while paying strict attention to some of the most competitive market forces in fashion.

Please enjoy the beautiful personality of Amy Leverton, and all the knowledge she brings to the fashion industry!

https://denimdudes.com/

dudette@denimdudes.com

@denimdudes

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Fashioncast®

Episode #54, February 4, 2025

Isabel De Sousa, Founder Akalia and Business Brand Consultant

On this episode, you will meet the energetic and brilliant Isabel De Sousa, Founder of Akalia, and business brand consultant. De Sousa, based in Miami, Florida, has walked the walk in building her brand the old fashion way—with grit and determination.

Launched in 2021, Akalia was scaled with amazing speed, and is now found in major retailers including Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, Macy’s, Hudson Bay, and countless boutiques across the globe. 

Be prepared to hear how this young fashionprenuer bootstrapped her way into global boutiques and notable retailers.  Her experience was so enlightening, she now assists other business startups complete their journey regardless of the industry. 

It’s fun and compelling listening to De Sousa passionately explain her process including the high highs of entrepreneurship and inevitable low lows.  Through it all, Akalia was born and has thrived making inroads and connections usually left for major brands.

Please enjoy another interview with an up and comer in the world-of-fashion.

Akaliaofficial.com

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Fashioncast®

Episode #45, October 30, 2023

Jennifer Knoepfle, LilaPants

Hey Fashioncast fashionistas, on this episode you’ll learn about the amazing startup LilaPants (www.lilapants.com), and the company’s innovative apparel made for the tween market.  Born from the innocent question, “What would you like to do when you grow?”, the LilaPants journey is full of the trials and tribulations of a fashion startup.  What is uniquely compelling about LilaPants is the fact it’s a family affair.  The company was co-founded by spouse/mother, Jennifer (Jenny) Knoepfle, her husband Matt, and their two daughters Lila and Georgia.  In fact, Lila and Georgia may be the youngest fashion entrepreneurs in the U.S.!

It’s motivating to hear the lively and articulate Jenny as she describes the genesis of the LilaPants brand including confirmation of the idea via a Mom’s Facebook group, the fits and starts of fabric selection, the use of a fashion incubator, building a family-oriented company, and the go-to-market strategy to employ for trending apparel.  The result, sporting 68 SKUs, is LilaPants, a pant suit dress alternative for the tween market that preserves the style and sophistication to allow attending any function fashionable.  It was especially endearing listening to Jenny describe to roles Lila and Georgia have taken within the company.  The sister entrepreneurs are heavily involved in everything from product design and sizing to marketing and modeling.

While all startups face significant challenges, fortunately for LilaPants, a unique market niche may have given them an important survival advantage.  We were surprised to learn U.S. children’s fashion accounts for $52.9 billion in revenue and is one of the most lucrative sectors within apparel.  Entering a verified white space, the tween dress alternative market, unmatched LilaPants is poised to capture its share of the revenue pie.

Lastly, we love several other aspects of the LilaPants brand including their long-term commitment to sustainability.  While the apparel items offered are currently not sustainable, the packaging is, and a plan to incorporate affordable sustainable fabrics is in the works. In addition, LilaPants donates a portion of its profits to Darthmouth Health’s Gastrointestinal Behavioral Health Program (https://www.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/gi/gi-behavioral-health), an important cause to the family and anyone suffering chronic GI conditions.

Please enjoy the wit and wisdom of Jenny Knoepfle on your tour of the formation and launch of LilaPants!

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Fashioncast®

Episode #44, August 29, 2023

Graham Stewart, EVP, FIBRE52

Whoa! Fashioncast listeners, on this episode you’ll learn about the most innovative sustainable product for cotton bleaching and dying since the 12th century! International sustainable textile innovator and FIBRE52 Executive, Graham Stewart, joins the show and shares his vision for the company and the textile industry.  Stewart, a veteran of the textile industry since 1976, has held a variety of positions, but perhaps his most important contribution to the fashion industry has been his patent pending cotton bleaching and dying discovery FIBRE52.

A textile and chemistry enthusiast from childhood, Graham grew up in the heart of textile manufacturing in northern England.  While the textile mills have moved offshore, the toxic caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) laden recipes remain in use around the globe.  This is where FIBRE52 enters the scene.  The process, invented by Stewart, is an environmentally friendly and inexpensive method designed to replace the traditional cotton bleaching and dying process on a global scale! 

FIBRE52 is a brilliant invention that utilizes natural products instead of conventional chemical heavy compounds while using less energy, less water, and less time—the perfect sustainable recipe!  In terms of circular fashion, FIBRE52 demonstrably helps lengthen and strengthen the life of garments for recycling/upcycling.

While Stewart extols the virtues of the FIBRE52 for key user groups such as manufacturers, brands, and consumers, he does an equally masterful job of explaining the “inside baseball” of the global textile market.  Who leads the world in cotton production?What other companies are leading in sustainable textile manufacturing?  Is FIBRE52 open to collaboration?  Stewart answers these questions and still has time to gift invaluable advice to newcomers to the fashion industry! 

If we were handing out awards, FIBRE52 would easily win the Fashion Innovation Award of the Year!  Listen and judge for yourself.  Enjoy!

www.fibre52.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/grahamrstewart

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Fashioncast

Episode #43, June 27, 2023

Jamie Koff, Founder & President, Fabric To Finish, Inc.

Fashioncast listeners, please meet Jamie Koff, the brilliant and multi-talented fashion entrepreneur from New York City who founded Fabric To Finish, Inc., a fashion incubator, in 2006 and hasn’t looked back. 

You’ll learn about Jamie’s unconventional journey into the world of fashion and the big-name designers and industry insiders that impacted her career.  Koff’s story is a tale beyond fashion and entrepreneurship, it is a lesson in determination, innovation, intelligence, self-worth, and sheer grit.

From Diane von Furstenberg to Tommy Hilfiger, Koff has gathered insights into the business of fashion few in the industry can replicate. And those lessons have been invaluable to her company.  Fabric To Finish has been evolving for 17 years and now follows a unique business collective model to serve the independent and emerging designer.  The objective is to provide critical sourcing, design and technical tasks that are out-of-reach for most new apparel companies. The company is also retained by established brands that seek new areas for growth and creativity.

Listening to the experienced, established, confident and articulate Koff is the equivalent to enjoying a perfectly prepared ten course meal.  In the heart of America’s fashion capital, New York City, Koff has access to a wealth of fashion resources, but has also vetted international suppliers and manufacturers, and is solidly connected around the globe.  It is the realization of a viable business hatched from a simple idea in 2006. 

Spoken like a true entrepreneur, Koff notes anyone who is decisive, has a fashion vision, and more importantly, the ability to meet budget demands can hire Fabric To Finish .But it’s obvious Koff is serious about her craft and the industry.  Typically, clients consult for three years, proof outstanding results are  regularly delivered.

Lastly, Koff gives personal advice to any would be fashion entrepreneurs, “hang on for the ride!” Jamie Koff has been more than hanging on in an industry she loves and entered 30 years ago, an amazing ride indeed! Enjoy!

www.fabric2finish.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-koff-7ab934

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Fashioncast

Episode #42, June 8, 2023

Kristian Hansen, Founder & CEO, Slo Jean Company

Fashioncast community, meet the indelible Kristian Hansen, Founder & CEO, Slo Jean Company, one of the fastest growing jean companies on the planet!  Kristian’s story is so compelling and inspirational you may want to listen to it more than once!

In an effort to disrupt the women’s jean market by providing a solution for skimpy pockets, Hansen has created a juggernaut. It’s mesmerizing to hear how the Canadian fashion upstart found his niche in the most unconventional way, built a 700,000-follower Tik Tok community for the Slo Jeans brand, successfully raised capital through crowdfunding, and is planning the design and build of a jean factory in India!  It’s a true story of intelligence, grit, and motivation with a 100,000-person waiting list as confirmation of his success. 

After two minutes into the interview, it was obvious that Kristian has the right mindset to lead a sustainable jean company seeking to push back on the fast fashion culture. Armed with a Climate Science degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Kristian clearly understands the environmental and human impact of fast fashion, but equally as important, he knows how to address it. Slo Jean Company is much more than another fashion brand out to sell denim.  It’s a sustainable brand with a mission to treat both workers and the environment with the utmost respect, and it’s refreshing!

Hansen encompasses a no holds barred attitude, and it’s apparent that spirit is part of his DNA. You’ll appreciate his thought process on sourcing labor and textiles, the “do everything different” business model, and a much-needed messaging reboot on the environmental misery inflicted by fast fashion.

Lastly, Hansen explains his new sizing technology and his offer to make it available free to the industry without restrictions. The technology is revolutionary in the accuracy of measurement for all body types, reduces the return rate, and not surprisingly, boosts profits.

So impressed with Kristian, we’ve already invited him back for a follow-up interview next year! Enjoy!

www.slojeans.co

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Fashioncast

Episode #41, May 25, 2023

Leyla Uysal, Founder & CEO, Bajer

Fashioncast listeners, you’re going to love meeting the always smiling, upbeat, and positive Leyla Uysal, she’s one of the most inspiring guests we’ve ever interviewed.  Leyla’s story is much more than overcoming the typical startup challenges that face every business, it’s about personal courage, risk, persistence, and endurance. 

Born and raised in the Kurdish region of Turkey, you’ll hear how Leyla, through happenstance, determination, and what seems like Devine guidance, made her way to the United States, and began her journey into the world of fashion.  Leyla’s story is one of fits and starts, peaks and valleys, joy, and sorrow, as she presses on in her quest for a better life.  In a ten-year time span, Leyla learns English, is accepted to and graduates from MIT’s Sloan School of Business and Management, finds love and marries, bears two children, launches two businesses, and is accepted into Harvard’s School of Design!

This is a multi-dimensional podcast as the first part covers Leyla’s migration from Turkey to the U.S., and the second part covers Bajer, her luxury accessory watch business.  Both are fascinating and filled with feminine and cultural anecdotes of the obstacles facing Kurdish women.  For example, after working for a Turkish employer for 18 months, once Leyla’s Kurdish heritage is discovered, she is immediately fired. Unfortunately, this is only one of many instances of blatant discrimination  that took place in both Turkey and the United States.

“Persistence pays off.”  The phrase is no truer for anyone than Leyla Uysal. Her obvious intellect, mixed with pure determination, eventually attracts the right people to her cause, and Bajer is born. Again, it’s an amazing adventure to hear Leyla explain how she literally circles the globe to find the right designers and manufacturer for her watches.  And, since a portion of Bajer proceeds are donated to two NGOs assisting Kurdish women and children, she made an equal effort vetting key organizations in the region.

We hope you come away as inspired as we were by Leyla Uysal. You can learn more, and support Leyla at the links below. Enjoy the show!

https://www.thebajer.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mehtap-leyla-turanalp-uysal

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Fashioncast®

Episode #40, April 11, 2023

Dr. Lucy E. Dunne, The Rise of Wearable Technology and Smart Clothing

Fashioncast® listeners, get ready to be schooled as Dr. Lucy Dunne, Professor of Apparel Design and Wearable Technology, University of Minnesota, joins the show for an in-depth discussion about the current state of wearable technology and smart clothing. 

In the first part of the interview, you’ll hear the articulate and confident Dr. Dunne as she methodically traces the genesis of wearable technology back to electronic clothing pioneer Diana Dew, a 1960s New York fashion designer.  But that’s just the beginning.  Dunne, an accomplished author, researcher, and consummate fashion academic, goes in-depth to define wearable technology, smart clothing, and the appropriate textiles most suitable for practical apparel.  Moreover, she does a remarkable job explaining the microchip technology integrated into the textile including conductivity, chip materials, and placement within the garment. 

Dunne knows her field. She’s more than comfortable opining about what works and what doesn’t.  It’s fascinating to gain insight into the most notable practical uses for wearable technology such as athletics, healthcare, the military, and space. 

Oddly, everyday fashion is NOT at the top of the wearable technology list.  As Dunne explains, technology demands extraordinary research, and few fashion companies can manage the costs. In fact, as NASA plans a lunar space mission for late 2024, the agency will spend nearly $100 million on redesigned high-tech space suits.  Regarding NASA, Dr. Dunne was the recipient of NASA’s Silver Achievement Medal in 2013 and remains connected with the Johnson Space Center through annual student visits.   

Lastly, as a premier thought leader in wearable technology, surely Dr. Dunne has embraced the technology herself.  However, that’s not the case, she remains uncertain about its practicality and accuracy, but you can be confident, she’s working on it!  Enjoy! 

https://twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/expert/lucy-dunne

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-dunne-a60a3b5

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Fashioncast

Episode #39, February 14, 2023

Samir Balwani, Founder & CEO, QRY: The Master of D2C Digital Marketing

Fashioncast listeners, in this episode, you’ll meet the brilliant, articulate, and veteran digital branding and marketing guru Samir Balwani.  Samir has been at the forefront of the digital marketing industry for two decades and has amassed a wealth of knowledge and insight.  Now, he imparts his wisdom to the Fashioncast  audience. 

Given hundreds of thousands of brands, and millions of ads across dozens of platforms, competition for consumer attention is at an all-time high.  So, just how does a fashion brand differentiate itself without going broke?  The simple answer is—don’t go it alone!  Fashioncast was stunned at the degree of variation and intricate knowledge demanded by buyers of D2C digital marketing.  The costs can be high, but the cost of not executing can be even higher.

Fortunately, Balwani’s vast experience at D2C companies embedded in the digital advertising industry, including StyleCaster and American Express, make him the perfect “go-to” guest for fashion branding.  It’s especially educational, and entertaining, to hear Balwani explain the digital marketing ecosystem with the nuance and familiarity of a proven warrior. You’ll learn which digital platforms are most successful and why, how experimentation and testing are conducted, and important digital marketing KPIs. You’ll also hear Balwani unravel the advertising budgeting process in order to fund and utilize the all-important digital marketing tool.

From his cache of long-time clients and experience in the digital terrain, Balwani, a master communicator, walks listeners through case studies explaining digital marketing dos and don’ts, when to commit to ad spend, and exactly how to scale a D2C business through digital marketing.

Lastly, Balwani briefly discusses what lies ahead in the digital marketing space and the eventual use of AI technology such as ChatGPT. Get ready to learn with another outstanding guest!  Enjoy!

WeAreQRY.com

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Fashioncast

Episode #38, October 25, 2022

Alison Bruhn and Delia Folk--How A Mother-Daughter Duo Built a NYC Styling Powerhouse

It’s all about style Fashioncast listeners, “fashion over comfort” prevails!  So, if your style needs a total makeover or you simply need an upgrade, you’ve landed at the right episode.  Mother-daughter owners Alison Bruhn and Delia Folk of The Style That Binds Us join the show to explain all things styling and how the professional fashion stylists are making their presence felt in New York City, the heart of fashion.  Born and raised in Alabama, the duo has brought their unique blend of individual fashion experience and familial confidence to one of the most competitive specialties in fashion. 

It’s a joy to listen to the two opine about style.  They love and respect each other but offer differing views that somehow always seem to converge and create amazing outcomes. The interview explores the creative and often psychological dance in advising an array of clients with multifaceted backgrounds and styling needs. It’s especially interesting to hear about client expectations and the continuous back and forth between stylist advice and client responses.

You’ll especially enjoy short riffs about why individuals seek styling counsel, styling women versus men, the use and/or misuse of color, important style elements, the “dos and don’ts” of styling, how international cultures influence American style, key international “style hubs,” and even the personal styles favored by each guest. 

The styling challenges Bruhn and Folk have conquered and continue to face are fascinating, but so too are the everyday challenges of running a business.  While stylists at heart, the entrepreneurs talk openly about the realities of a running a fashion business in the 21st century. Fortunately, Bruhn and Folk are equally as witty as they are smart and articulate. 

Lastly, the mother-daughter veteran styling team entertains a serious discussion about fashion technology and the impact the metaverse may have on the industry as they contemplate authoring a book on styling (maybe)! Enjoy this power-packed styling experience!

To find more about The Style That Binds Us see below:

Website: https://thestylethatbindsus.com/

Instagram:@thestylethatbindsus

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