Fashion & Founders The Podcast
Fashion & Founders is a media platform exploring how fashion is actually built. Hosted by Victoria Smith, the show sits at the intersection of fashion, technology, and capital spotlighting the founders, investors, and operators shaping the industry’s next era.
Through long-form conversations, we go beyond trends to unpack fundraising, manufacturing, resale, AI, sustainability, career, and the evolving business of fashion. This is where fashion’s builders speak, share, and connect.
Fashion & Founders The Podcast
Cynthia Rowley: How to Make it in Fashion in NYC
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In this episode, Victoria sits down with Cynthia Rowley, CFDA award winning designer, to talk about building a fashion career the scrappy way. Cynthia shares how she got started making clothes, her accidental path to New York, and what it really takes to sustain a long-term career in fashion. She breaks down the realities behind runway shows, navigating changes in the global fashion industry, and why small wins, consistency, and risk-taking matter more than chasing instant success. Cynthia also offers advice for breaking into the fashion industry without a traditional background, moving to New York, and balancing creativity with the business side of fashion.
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Follow Cynthia Rowley:
IG: @cynthiarowley
Website HERE
Fashion Career Playbook HERE
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