Shows / How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fits
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fits
How Fitting® is the podcast that explores how slow fashion brands make clothes – and businesses – that fit. In each monthly episode, meet a relatable fashion designer or entrepreneur (the kind of indie brands who run their businesses from kitchen tables and cutting tables, not boardroom tables) and hear how the people, performance, purpose, and production shaped the fit of one of their garments. Because fit is relational before it is technical. Host Alison Hoenes (a fit expert & women’s apparel…
Episodes
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsAdding Color (and A Twist) to Midwestern Basics with Joie LaFrentz of Jola
In episode 80, Joie LaFrentz shares all the thoughtful decisions that go into designing for Jola, her line of colorful basics with a twist . Learn how she…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsThoughtful Style that Petite Women Want to Wear with Jenna Loyal of Pro Hac Vice
In episode 79, hear how Jenna Loyal, the founder of Pro Hac Vice, has created a fashion-forward brand that petite women actually want to wear - all while…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsUniversal Design for All Abilities with Stephanie and Mary Cayten Brakefield of Brakefields
In episode 78, mother-daughter duo Stephanie and Mary Cayten Brakefield share their passion for universal design that is fun, comfortable, and accessible…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsThe Fat Success of Comfort and Good Fit with Marina Hayes of Peridot Robes
In episode 77, hear how Marina Hayes has grown her successful robe and lounge brand and a community of “fat activists” to provide more comfortable and…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsSetting a New Standard for Short-Stature (under 4’11”) Fashion with Chamiah Dewey of Chamiah Dewey Fashion
In episode 76, Chamiah Dewey shares how she has built the UK’s first brand for short-statured (under 4’11”) people with empathy, diversity, inclusivity, and…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsOutshining Skin Cancer in Style with Erica Sullivan Feggeler of Low Ultraviolet
In episode 75, Erica Sullivan Feggeler dives into how the sun-protective apparel brand idea she put together for a university business pitch competition her…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsIdentifying and Connecting with Your Ideal Customers with Jane Hamill of Fashion Brain Academy
In episode 74, drawing from decades of running her own successful fashion and retail business and coaching other fashion product brands to do the same, Jane…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsSEO For Fashion Brand Websites with Glynis Tao
In episode 73 - the second episode in our summer fashion business series - apparel business consultant and SEO expert Glynis Tao of Chase Your Dreams…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsSelling Your Products Without Selling Your Soul with Elizabeth Stiles
This week we kick of a summer mini-series diving into the business side of fashion! In episode 72, fashion brand consultant Elizabeth Stiles shares her…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsReal Style (And Happiness) Has No Size with Patricia Luiza Blaj of Loud Bodies
In episode 71, Patricia Luiza Blaj shares how her own relatable struggle to find clothing in her size led her to start Loud Bodies - an ethical, sustainable…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsScaling a Lifestyle Brand for Millennial Moms with Leah Longueville of Polished Prints
In episode 70, hear how Leah Longueville grew the onesie screen printing hobby she started in her spare bedroom when her daughter was a newborn into a thriving…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsWhen Fitting Your Lifestyle And Values Means Closing Your Apparel Brand with Crystal Cave formerly of Poppy Row
In episode 69, Crystal Cave gets real and honest about her decision to close Poppy Row - the inclusive and sustainable apparel brand she started in 2018. She…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsSustainable Underwear To Wear Slow, Compost Fast with Stacy Grace of KENT
In episode 68, Stacy Grace shares how being frustrated with the overabundance of synthetic underwear options available, she set out with her husband and…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsExperiencing Fashion As Art And Creativity with Emma Rubinson
In episode 67, Emma Rubinson takes us behind the scenes of her namesake label and shares how she designs artful fashion and experiences that encourage people…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsThe Raw Truth Behind Fuller-Busted Sports Bras with Lizzie Gordon of B.X.M.
In episode 66, hear how Lizzie Gordon started a fashion brand making sports bras for bigger boobs after years of thinking “some bigger brand will be the one to…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsThe Impact Of An African-Inspired Brand with Kahindo Mateene of Kahindo
In episode 65, Kahindo Mateene shares the inspiration, ethics, and inside entrepreneurial journey of her namesake label Kahindo. With a focus on African…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsWorthiness, Inclusivity, and Sustainable Fashion with Amanda Toy of Nicole & Rose
In episode 64, Amanda shares how she started a sustainable fashion brand, Nicole & Rose, with the goal of making all women feel worthy, powerful, and included…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsBeing Called To Create “Decidedly Elegant” Workwear For Petite Women with Tigist Ketema of Tigist Petites
In episode 63, Tigist Ketema recalls the demoralizing fitting room experiences trying to find workwear that fit her curvy, petite frame and shares how she felt…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsGrowing Sustainably From Designer to Business Owner with Bianca Bellantoni of BELLANTONI
In episode 62, hear how Bianca Bellantoni has built her sustainable fashion brand, Bellantoni, to be kind to animals and the planet - and how she’s grown as a…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsAchieving Big Dreams with Danny Burke and Brandon Winslow of MADE FOR ALL
In episode 61, longtime friends and Co-Founders Danny Burke and Brandon Winslow talk about how they dream big and work to achieve it. They share the story of…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsMaking Launching A Sustainable Fashion Brand Easier with Shannon Lohr of Factory45
In episode 60, sustainable fashion business school founder & CEO Shannon Lohr shares insights, practical tips, and marketing and mindset wisdom for starting a…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsExploring Dreamy Fashion For Everyday Moments with Natalia Pavanelli of Wandwoods
In episode 59, Natalia Pavanelli brings us into her poetic exploration of the whimsy of little moments through her romantic, cottagecore brand Wandwoods. Her…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsPerfecting The Craft of High-End Tailoring with Keti McKenna of Ketivani
In episode 58, master clothing craftsman Keti McKenna tells the story of her fashion career from recently-immigrated geophysicist in NYC in the 1990s, to…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsFocusing On The Basics, But Adding Flair with Allison Kittle of Betty x Bow
In episode 57, the owner of Canadian slow fashion brand Betty x Bow, Allison Kittle, shares how she combines comfort, versatility, and feminine flair to create…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsFinding Belonging In A Wool Coat with Anna Dougherty of Anna Gray Collection
In episode 56, Anna Dougherty shares her story of belonging as she developed - and recently launched - her NYC-locally made wool outerwear collection - Anna…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsSlowing Down To “Revive All Clothing and Materials” with Laura Fisher of Revivall
In episode 55, Laura Fisher of Revivall Clothing encourages us to slow down and get in touch with our values, our clothes, and the land around us. She shares…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsMerging Fashion And Tech To Build A Custom-Made Fashion Marketplace with Dana Todd of Balodana
In episode 54, Dana Todd, the founder of custom-made fashion marketplace Balodana, shares how she started the business after a successful career as CMO and…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsMaking Slow Fashion From Recycled Flowers with Melissa Hargus Pierce of Soul Studio
You’ve heard of fashion made with recycled polyester, but have you heard of fashion made with recycled flowers? In episode 53, Melissa Hargus Pierce gives us a…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsTelling an Imaginative Story Through Specialty Childrenswear with Claire Thomas-Morgan of Vivi Design Studio
In episode 52, discover how Claire Thomas-Morgan weaves exploration and imagination into her high-end childrenswear line Vivi Design Studio and how her…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsSewing Clothes to Keep Short Women From Being Overlooked with Miranda Sam of Shortlisted
In episode 51, Miranda Sam walks us through her decision to discover a new side of fashion by learning industrial sewing before starting her fashion brand made…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsDeveloping Fashion That Fits Your Customer, Lifestyle, and Values with Ellie Wilcox, Xochil Herrera Scheer, Connie Bourgeois, and Alison Hoenes
Join me for this special episode 50 as I chat with three of my fellow patternmaker and product developer friends about how you can develop fashion that fits…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsConnecting Culture, Creativity, and Community with Erika Neumayer Ehrat of Rare Dirndl
In episode 49, Erika Neumayer Ehrat shares how she’s built a niche business - Rare Dirndl - creating fashion-forward styles that still honor traditions to help…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsThe Power of Getting Dressed with Ashley Alt of Valt
In episode 48, Ashley Alt shares her story of how getting dressed helped her feel more like herself after a time of difficult mental health, and how she’s now…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsElevating Casual Classics with Morgan Shapero of Shapero
In episode 47, Morgan Shapero shares how after over 20 years working as a designer in NYC, she relaunched her own brand Shapero in 2021 - and how that…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsDesigning with Compassion and Empathy with Sharae Averhart of MoraRae
In episode 46, Sharae Averhart, the designer and business owner behind the plus-size petite fashion brand MoraRae, shares the role fashion has played in her…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsConnecting Women To The Tailor-Made Wardrobe of Their Dreams with Nathalie of Dressarte Paris
In episode 45, Nathalie, the founder of Dressarte Paris, shares how a busy lifestyle and an appreciation for custom-made clothes sparked the idea for a virtual…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsAfter 5 Years In Business, Here’s What I’ve Learned About Working In Fashion
In this special solo episode, I (Alison Hoenes) share five things I've learned about running a fashion business on the 5th anniversary of Alison Hoenes Design…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsDesigning for Function and Form with Olivia Mason of Olly Designs
In episode 43, Olivia Mason of Olly Designs talks about how her background as a ballerina and her love of fashion combine to create functional yet beautiful…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsCrafting A New Industry Future Through Artisan Fashion with Nazia Siddiqui of Transcend
In episode 42, Nazia Siddiqui of Transcend shares her vision for a new normal for the fashion industry focused on ethical, sustainable, and artisan crafted…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsLearning to Be Yourself and Make Sustainable Fashion with Lucy Murray of Luluna
In episode 41, Lucy Murray of the streetwear brand Luluna shares how a stressful job and complete hair loss led her to start sewing - and then start her own…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsBringing Vintage Beauty to Modern Peculiar Souls with Victoria Cates of Potion23
In episode 40, Victoria Cates gives us a peek into the creative dollhouse of her whimsical, vintage-inspired slow fashion brand: Potion23. Victoria Cates…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsKeeping It Cute, Comfortable, And Socially Conscious For Teen Girls with Rachel Thebault and Neda Talebian Funk of Woodley + Lowe
In episode 39, Rachel Thebault and Neda Talebian Funk, the co-founders of Woodley + Lowe, talk about how they keep it cute, comfortable, and socially conscious…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsUsing Your Gifts To Create A Brand Image with Marquita Chanel L’Vena Collection
In episode 38, Marquita Chanel of L’Vena Collection shares how she curates her brand image and makes a statement with her handmade jewelry and refashioned…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsThe Fun & The Reality of Fashion Entrepreneurship with Laura Briggs of The Shortlist
In episode 37, Laura Briggs talks about the fun, work, challenges, and rewards of starting her petite fashion brand, The Shortlist, without any fashion…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsFor The Love Of Design and Custom Bridal with Janna Volmert of JM Couturière
In episode 36, Janna Volmert of JM Couturière walks us through her journey in custom bridal and how the experience is special and significant for both her and…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsCreating Meaning As A Mission-Based Small-Batch Factory with Terri Stipanovich of The Collective Thread
In episode 35, Terri Stipanovich, founder and CEO of small-batch manufacturing factory The Collective Thread, shares how her background in the non-profit world…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsGrowing a Slow Fashion Brand in an Online World with 22yr Old Designer Natalia Trevino Amaro of NTA
In episode 34, Natalia Trevino Amaro shares how she’s grown her slow fashion namesake label from a side project out of her parent’s midwest home to her…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsWorkwear Designed for Community with KaLeena Thomas of J. Margaret Weaver
In episode 33, KaLeena Thomas talks about what was missing in her career wardrobe, how entrepreneurship and community go hand in hand, and the meaning behind…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsLessons Learned as a NYC Sleepwear Startup with Elizabeth Frenchman of Fichu Bedwear
In episode 32, Elizabeth Frenchman shares what worked and what didn't about starting a sleepwear brand in her home town of NYC after retiring from a career in…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsEmbracing the Bodies of Strong-Shouldered Women with Daron Linton of Broads the Label
In episode 31, Broads the Label founder Daron Linton shares how she turned a life-long clothing struggle into a fashion business. Daron Linton spent most of…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsAdjusting Your Swimsuit Not Your Body with Alexa McNeal of Cedar & Sand Swim
In episode 30, Alexa McNeal of Cedar & Sand Swimwear (now Bold Beach Swim) shares why and how she launched a swimwear brand in October 2020 where every suit is…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsEquality, Power, and Functional Pockets For All with Kimberly Borges and Miriam McDonald of PWR WMN
In episode 29, best friends and PWR WMN co-founders Kimberly Borges and Miriam McDonald share how they started a blazer company to “decorate the confidence” of…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsHow Tee-shirts Can Change Lives with Meghan Forest Farmer of The Bright Factory
In Episode 28, Meghan Forest Farmer shares her journey as a stylist turned ethical factory owner and how she founded The Bright Factory to restore dignity to…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsWearing Clothes (and Running a Business) Out Loud with Julia Navarro of wear cOLor
In Episode 27, I talk with Julia Navarro of Wear Color about the life motto that inspired her brand and how she’s created a business that fits her creativity…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsInspiring Wanderlust for the Petite Romantic with Nics Asawasudsakorn of Lovanie
In episode 26, Nics Asawasudsakorn shares about launching her petite-focused brand Lovanie and what inspired her to start a slow fashion brand inspired by…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsMaking Loved Clothes Last with Alexis Giger of Little Cliff
In episode 25, Alexis Giger talks about her career in fashion from design school, to working for fashion brands big and small, to starting her own mending…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsEmbracing Your Unique Heritage and Creativity with Bhavana Jain of BHAV
In episode 24, Bhavana Jain shares about her entrepreneurial journey and how she celebrates and shares her cultural heritage through her women's fashion brand…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsCreating Reciprocal Relationships As A Vertically Integrated Brand with Rachel Faller of tonlé
Episode 23 is an honest and insightful conversation with Rachel Faller, co-creator and Creative Director of tonlé, about changing the incentives of the…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsConstructing Fashion From Costumes To Coats with Elizabeth Williams of Coat Check Chicago
In episode 22, I talk with Elizabeth Williams - founder, designer, and patternmaker behind the outerwear brand Coat Check Chicago. Elizabeth shares her journey…
How Fitting: design a slow fashion business that fitsVersatile, Camera-Ready Clothing You Could Sleep In with Xi Chen of Sonderlier
In episode 21, Xi Chen, the founder and designer of Sonderlier, shares how she started her fashion brand on the idea that comfortable clothes should still be…