Caitlin Forbes hosts Jeff Karly as part of our special summer series, “Independent Thinkers: The Rise of Generation Z.” Caitlin is currently a MPS Fashion Management graduate student at Parsons School of Design. Jeff is also an MPS Fashion Management student and the founder/designer at Unique Expozzure.

Natalie Zfat advises fashion brands to be people-first and value-driven, especially on social media. She recommends that brands and influencers create content that is either funny, beautiful or valuable, as a means to authentically engage, rather than focusing too much on the analytics.

John Matthews shares his journey in building AVRIO Footwear, a sustainable and transparent footwear brand that uses algae and other organic components. He discusses the need to build business communities that share ideas, technologies and innovations to build a more sustainable future.

Miloni Kothari hosts Prachi Gor as part of our special summer series, “Independent Thinkers: The Rise of Generation Z.” Miloni is currently a MPS Fashion Management graduate student at Parsons School of Design. Prachi is also a MPS Fashion Management student and is a designer and social media content creator.

Miloni Kothari hosts Megan Picurro as part of our special summer series, “Independent Thinkers: The Rise of Generation Z.” Miloni is currently a MPS Fashion Management graduate student at Parsons School of Design. Megan is also a MPS Fashion Management student and is the Product Development Manager for Londontown, Inc. a cosmetics company.

Miloni Kothari hosts Mrudula Joshi as part of our special summer series, “Independent Thinkers: The Rise of Generation Z.” Miloni is currently a MPS Fashion Management graduate student at Parsons School of Design. Mrudula is the founder of Ullisu and is focused on living a zero-waste lifestyle.

Cheryl Stallworth shares her vast experience on developing international brands. She challenges business leaders to “get out of their bubbles,” beyond their own communities, and strive to engage more benevolently and authentically with customers.

Valerie Mayén discusses her ongoing work to create a more sustainable fashion company that puts her employees, customers and the environment at the forefront of all her business decisions. She also shares her insights as a Latina entrepreneur.

Jordana Guimarães makes a second appearance on the podcast, this time focusing on the opportunity the fashion and retail industries have to build community. She advocates for cross-discipline collaboration to to find innovative ways to solve current social issues.

Milton Springut shares his vast knowledge of intellectual property law and its intrinsic relationship with fashion. He provides advice for entrepreneurs to consider as they begin their businesses, and offers perspective on the legal situation, specifically leases, most retailers are facing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Meghan Houle shares her insights into the fashion industry recruiting and hiring process, especially within the context of the current Covid-19 pandemic. She provides tips on how to executive a successful job search, including advice on setting up a LinkedIn profile, creating your resume, preparing for an interview and following-up post-interview.

Timo Rissanen challenges listeners with innovative ways to think more sustainability about the fashion system, including design and retail. He focuses on the role that consumers play in this complex system and discusses the intrinsic connection between sustainability and social justice.

Vasumathi Soundararajan describes her role and ethos as a service and interaction designer, focused on how customers experience brands digitally and physically. She shares insight, as an entrepreneur, on growing a customer-centric business.

Donald Rattner discusses the science behind space design with a focus on how retailers can connect more organically and successfully with customers. He coins a new term, “retidential” design, a mash-up of retail and residential, to describe a movement towards more intimate, home-like retail spaces.

Dr. Guido Lang shares his insights on developing new ideas and bringing them to the market, especially in the technology space. He reinforces the idea that staying focused on solving one particular problem first, before trying to scale, is key to a successful new business. And he discusses the need for a more inclusive education in digital skills.

Producer Joshua Williams joins host Christopher Lacy to share in a special conversation with Sabrina Lynch, an integrated marketing and communication specialist about the issue of race and fashion, specifically as it relates to black people. This episode includes frank discussion about the systemic racism inherent in fashion, the commoditization of black culture and the lack of black voices in the industry, and concludes with a challenge for fashion brands to listen, reflect and act for equity and inclusion.

Sam Cotton shares insight on the fashion design process within the context of the full supply chain, from sourcing materials and production to retailing and end use. He discusses the fashion industry within the wider lens of philosophic and economic models and shares his ideas for a more sustainable future.

MPS Fashion Management students Emily Wiens and Jessica Tsai share their retail strategies for Net-a-Porter and Muji, as part of their “Retailing and Service Design” final projects. They also provide insight on youth culture, consumer engagement and post-pandemic retailing.

MPS Fashion Management students Jeanette Gong and Glenda Garcia Widjaja share their retail strategies for Aimé Leon Dore and Urban Outfitters, as part of their “Retailing and Service Design” final projects. They also provide insight on Gen Z customers and how brands can better engage them.

Jon Harari shares his insight about the digitization of fashion and the work WindowsWear is doing to aggregate the creativity of store designers, visual merchandisers and packaging specialists. He equates information as power in a digital economy.