Tom Smarte was a family-run hatmaker founded in the late 18th century in Devon, England. Yet after the fourth Thomas Smarte died in the First World War, the brand lay silent until 2013 when Allon Zloof decided to revive it. As a designer hatmaker himself, he knew what needed to be done to bring the brand back.

Lululemon, Ralph Lauren, Levi’s – Gary Lenett has worked with the largest brands in the industry but 6 years ago, after three decades in the denim business, he wanted something different. That was the start of DUER, a fast-growing “adventure-ready apparel” brand based in Vancouver, Canada.

It’s an often-overlooked segment of the market. But the silent majority, in the words of our guest Jennifer Mackey-Mary, can represent a good opportunity for certain fashion brands willing to make the effort to serve them.

An overheard comment prompted artist and sculptor Rosemary Goodenough to print 150 copies of her work onto silk scarves. That simple act launched a luxury brand that has become something of a hidden gem for consumers who want something you can’t find in every luxury retailer.

Gender diversity often makes people uncomfortable. But it’s important both from a societal viewpoint as well as in strictly business terms. To help us better understand this topic, we welcome Joshua Williams, assistant professor at Parsons and a founder of QueerCut, a marketplace for queer shoppers.

Maurice Mullen has spent more than 30 years in the media business, working on titles including Elle, Red and the Evening Standard where today, he’s the Head of Luxury…

Sustainability is a hot topic in the fashion business. Major brands have promised to become “more sustainable”. Yet most players aren’t always sure what that means or how to…

I first saw them on Dragon’s Den (the Canadian version of Shark Tank) back in 2007. They didn’t get funded but, since then, SAXX has gone on to dominate…

She’s been a model, art director, CEO and worked in retail. She’s produced fashion films and is a media personality and lifestyle contributor. In fact, there are few things…

With 17 years experience, Elaine Mensah uses her expertise in the worlds of communications, fashion, tech and entrepreneurship to help her clients elevate their presence and position in the…