Electric Runway Podcast

EP 151: The Beauty of Success with Kendra Bracken-Ferguson

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 14:00:00 -0400

In this episode, fashion and beauty futurist Amanda Cosco speaks with record-breaking entrepreneur, founder, and CEO Kendra Bracken-Ferguson. Kendra is a thought leader, founder, venture capitalist and the CEO of BrainTrust Founders Studio. She is someone who has witnessed—and been a part of—the changing landscape of digital media over the past decade. Her recent book “The Beauty of Success: Start, Grow, and Accelerate Your Brand” is a tell-all about how she built her business from scratch as well as a workbook for those who want to make things happen for themselves in the beauty industry and beyond. Kendra also has a podcast called The Business of the Beat Podcast.

This episode is sponsored by U.S. Soy. To learn more about how soy is showing up in fashion, beauty, and beyond, visit ussoy.org.

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Guest Links:

Kendra Bracken-Ferguson: https://kendrabracken-ferguson.com/

Kendra's Book, The Beauty of Success: https://kendrabracken-ferguson.com/beauty-of-success

Sponsor Links:
Visit U.S. Soy: https://ussoy.org/

EP 150: How Soy Shows up in Fashion, Beauty and Beyond

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 12:00:00 -0400

When we think of soy, we often think of candles or an alternative to milk, but what about the role the crop plays in the business of fashion and beauty? In the US, soy is second only to corn in crop size, and it's playing a significant role in transforming many industries.

My guest today is Carla Schultz. She's a soy farmer from Michigan and a United Soybean Board Director, and she's here to tell us all about the links between soy, fashion, beauty, and beyond.

This episode is sponsored by US Soy. To learn more about how the organization is growing solutions for every life, every day, visit: https://ussoy.org/

Links:

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Guest Links:

U.S. Soy: https://ussoy.org/
Connect with Carla Schultz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-schultz-a92754243/

EP 149: Biotechnology is the New Design Tool

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 09:00:00 -0500

Biotechnology is an exciting frontier in fashion and beauty because it presents a new way forward. Most products on the market today rely on extraction for their ingredients, whether that's from plants, animals, or petrochemicals. Each of these options has a footprint. With biotechnology, there's the opportunity to create new sustainable supply chains with new levels of performance for consumers.

Today on the show I'm speaking with a scientist and creative who is inspired by biology and biotechnology to create advanced, sustainable innovations for wellness and beauty. Alison Cutlan is the VP of Innovation at The Rootist, a new biology-based haircare brand that's changing the game when it comes to haircare by treating the hair like the living organism it is.

Full disclosure: The Rootist did send me a free sample of their haircare kit as a basis for this conversation. This episode is not sponsored, but as you'll hear, I ended up really loving the products as well as the ethos behind the biology-based brand.

Our conversation covers the products under the Rootist haircare system, what makes them different, and how biotechnology is the new design tool of the future.

Electric Runway:

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Amanda Cosco Social Links:

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Guest Links:

The Rootist: https://therootist.com/
Alison Cutlan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-cutlan-1aba368/

EP 148: This Startup is Spinning Seaweed into Fibre for the Fashion Industry

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 10:00:00 -0500

From leather grown from mushrooms to sequins made from plants, biomaterials is an exciting area of innovation that is projected to reach almost $50 billion by 2025. Briefly put, biomaterials combine science and technology to engineer new ways of producing materials. Biomaterials are rapidly gaining popularity with brands and consumers alike due to their ability to address the fashion industry’s urgent environmental and ethical challenges.

Our guest today is Laura Hayes. She’s the Senior Brand Partnerships Manager at Keep Labs, a company that describes itself as a platform for innovation. They believe the ocean has the potential to accelerate our planet’s development to a more sustainable future. The company’s flagship product, Kelsun fiber, has a significantly lower environmental footprint than conventional fibers.

Links

Electric Runway:

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Social Links:

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Amanda Cosco Social Links:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandacosco

Guest Links:

Keel Labs website: https://www.keellabs.com/

Keel Labs LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauramariahayes/?locale=fr_FR

Keel Labs Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/keel.labs/

EP 147: Turning the Living Room into a Fitting room with Augmented Reality

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode fashion and beauty futurist Amanda Cosco sits down with Heather Lipner, the Head of Product Design + Creative and Geenee AR. Geenee enables high-quality web AR virtual try-on for eCommerce and In-feed Ad experiences to increase sales conversions, reduce return rates and drive return on ad spend performance.

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Social Links:

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Amanda Cosco Social Links:

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanda_cosco/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandacosco

Guest Links:

Geenee AR: https://geenee.ar/
Heather Lipner: https://www.heatherlipner.com/

EP 146: AI on the Runway, Prada in Space & Beauty for All

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0400

Recently, black beauty influencers have taken to TikTok and other social media channels to call out brands that don't have inclusive shades. Today's podcast features a conversation with Balanda Atis, a L'Oréal chemist, and their Chief Scientific Communications Officer. We spoke with her in May in Toronto at the launch of L'Oréal's True Match Foundation to understand how she has been advocating for shade inclusivity for years as a black woman in STEM.

This episode contains audio from Imran Chaudhri's TED talk: https://youtu.be/gMsQO5u7-NQ?si=15ZJcdV-M9LrdT0j

As well as from golloria on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@golloria?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

And @yoursisbillie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoursisbillie/

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EP 145: Snap's Snapback: From Puking Rainbows to Enterprise Evolution

Mon, 15 May 2023 23:00:00 -0400

Snap has come a long way from puking rainbows. The company has been steadily developing its artificial intelligence and augmented reality technologies for years, and is now rolling out a B2B SaaS offering for retailers and merchants. ARES, or Augmented Reality Enterprise Services, enables clients to leverage Snap's 3D viewer, virtual try-on, and fit-finder solutions into their brand-owned apps and platforms. This suite of services is already reducing return rates, decreasing cart abandonment, and increasing purchases.

In this episode, Fashion Innovation Journalist Amanda Cosco takes audiences to Snap's Partner Summit in Santa Monica, California for intimate conversations with some of the key people at Snap working on apparel, retail, and digital identity.

In this episode:
Carolina Arguelles Navas - Head of Global AR Product Strategy & Product Marketing at Snap
Rajni Jacques - Global Head of Fashion & Beauty at Snap
David Rosenberg - Director of Strategy for Bitmoji

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Show Links

Visit Electric Runway: http://electricrunway.com/

More podcast episodes: https://electricrunway.com/the-podcast/

Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15F6eMSFReREEp8fVgNA0L?si=62e6b01855c643ac

Subscribe to the Electric Runway podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/electric-runway-podcast/id1064514329

Social Links:

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Amanda Cosco Social Links:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandacosco

Guest Links:

Snap: https://www.snapchat.com/
ARES: https://ares.snap.com/

EP 144: In a World of Greenwashing, Modern Meadow is the Real Deal

Tue, 02 May 2023 15:00:00 -0400

Advancements in science have opened up new possibilities for fashion manufacturing. One promising application of biotechnology in the textile industry is the development of lab-grown or "cultured" materials such as leather and silk. These materials are created by growing cells in a lab, without the need for animal agriculture or the use of harmful chemicals. By doing so, they offer a more sustainable alternative to traditional textile production methods, which often have significant environmental impacts. And, if you can grow proteins for making alternative leather, turns out there's other use cases too, including producing collagen for beauty products and supplements.

Our guest today in this episode is Catherine Roggero-Lovisi, the CEO of Modern Meadow, a company that is revolutionizing the fashion industry by creating sustainable, biofabricated materials. With Modern Meadow’s drop-in green technology platforms, companies in the textiles, materials, and personal care industries no longer have to compromise between sustainability and performance. At a time when greenwashing is at its peak, Modern Meadow is making a difference, and they have the data to prove it.

Electric Runway Links:

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More podcast episodes: https://electricrunway.com/the-podcast/

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Amanda Cosco Links:

Follow Amanda Cosco on Twitter: https://twitter.com/amanda_cosco

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanda_cosco/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandacosco

Guest Links:

Modern Meadow: https://www.modernmeadow.com

EP 143: Smart Solutions For Sun Protection: Innovating Fabrics for the Future

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 20:00:00 -0400

When we think of smart fabrics, we often think of fabrics with sensors inside them meant to monitor our body's activity or temperature, but not all innovations in fabrication are digital. In fact, most of the time they're chemical. Today's guest on the Electric Runway Podcast is Fi Paziana, a Milan-based ex-investment banker-turned fashion designer who is launching her debut collection featuring a patented, lab-verified smart fabric. This fabric acts as a filter, protecting the sun from harmful UV rays while still allowing UVB rays through in order for the body to produce Vitamin D. This fabric is a breakthrough when you consider that one billion people worldwide suffer from a deficiency of Vitamin D. Fi is on a mission via social media, with her 2.5 million views on TikTok, to help correct it, starting in the realm of modest fashion.

Links
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More podcast episodes: https://electricrunway.com/the-podcast/

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Subscribe to the Electric Runway podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/electric-runway-podcast/id1064514329

Follow Electric Runway on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/

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Amanda Cosco Social Links:

Follow Amanda Cosco on Twitter: https://twitter.com/amanda_cosco

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanda_cosco/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandacosco

Guest Links:

Fi Milano on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fi.milano

EP 142: Fashion Beyond the Boarders of Reality: In Conversation with The Fabricant's Amber Jae Slooten

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 16:00:00 -0400

By now, we're all a little weary of talking about digital fashion, and the trend has certainly seen its peak in the hype cycle of emerging technology. By digital fashion, we're talking about fashion that exists only digitally and not physically, and is meant to be worn on social media, on platforms like Zoom, and inside games.

Our guest today is Amber Jae Slooten, the co-founder and creative director of the Fabricant. The Fabricant is a fashion studio that collaborates with brands and communities to design digital-only items that can be worn on avatars and in augmented reality.

If The Fabricant sounds familiar that's because we had Kerry Murphy, the company's founder and CEO, on the show, on back in 2021 at the peak of the digital fashion and NFT hype cycle. Our conversation with Amber touches on where the market is today and how The Fabricant is engaging with brands and consumers to build a lasting business model for digital wearables. We connect on their new project, Wholeland, how their business model differs from competitors like DressX, and how AI will play a role in scaling digital fashion.

Show Links
Visit Electric Runway: http://electricrunway.com/

More podcast episodes: https://electricrunway.com/the-podcast/

Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15F6eMSFReREEp8fVgNA0L?si=62e6b01855c643ac

Subscribe to the Electric Runway podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/electric-runway-podcast/id1064514329

Social Links:

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Amanda Cosco Social Links:

Follow Amanda Cosco on Twitter: https://twitter.com/amanda_cosco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanda_cosco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandacosco

Guest Links:

The Fabricant: https://www.thefabricant.com/
Amber Jae Slooten on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-jae-slooten-103a8978/?originalSubdomain=nl
Amber Jae Slooten on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amberjaeslooten/?hl=en

EP 141: Virtual Showrooms for Fashion | In Conversation with Emperia VR

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 22:00:00 -0500

During the pandemic, retailers and brands had to transition quickly to digital to continue to do business, and the fashion industry was no exception. A number of brands like Puma and retailers like Selfridges experimented with virtual showrooms—which are defined by Shopify as:

an innovative solution that lets brands and retail buyers engage and sell products through an online platform. It replaces physical showrooms and trade shows, eliminating the need for a physical location and physical samples to show new collections.

It's important to note that virtual showrooms aren't just about virtual reality, they're also changing the eCommerce and online shopping experience. Here to talk more about it is Olga Dogadkina, she's the founder and CEO of Emperia VR, a company that's bringing the qualities of online gaming to shopping. In today's episode, we'll talk about what it's like to build online spaces for fashion, and she'll tell us more about her company's recent $10 million raise.

Electric Runway:

Visit Electric Runway: http://electricrunway.com/

More podcast episodes: https://electricrunway.com/the-podcast/

Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15F6eMSFReREEp8fVgNA0L?si=62e6b01855c643ac

Subscribe to the Electric Runway podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/electric-runway-podcast/id1064514329

Social Links:

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Amanda Cosco Social Links:

Follow Amanda Cosco on Twitter: https://twitter.com/amanda_cosco

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanda_cosco/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandacosco

Guest Links:

Emperia VR: https://emperiavr.com/

We're Taking a Break

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 20:00:00 -0400

The Electric Runway podcast is taking a break for the summer. We'll be back in the fall with more episodes covering the future of fashion.

Have an idea for an episode, or know someone who would make a great guest? Email amanda@electricrunway.com and follow us on social media @Electric_Runway.

Creating a New Reality for Fashion: The Dematerialised and Web3 Virtual Goods

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 11:00:00 -0400

If you’ve been following fashion innovation for the past year, it seems you can’t open up Instagram or read an article without hearing about The Dematerialised. And probably for good reason.

The brand is on a mission to create a new reality for fashion through experimentational collaborations and campaigns involving digital lifestyle assets, including digital outfits, accessories and footwear.

Recently, the company teamed up with contemporary designer Rebecca Minkoff to offer a number of fashion NFTs. They also partnered with Twig, a FinTech platform and Certified B Corporation to allow people to exchange fashion goods for credits that can be used to shop digital assets.

Our guest in this episode is Adriana Goldenberg, the head of Growth and Metaverse Partnerships for The Dematerialized. Our conversation touches on some of the brand's recent activations that make up the gray space between digital and physical.

The Electric Runway Podcast is brought to you by Threedium
Learn more about our sponsor, Threedium: https://unlimited3d.com/

Electric Runway:
Visit Electric Runway: http://electricrunway.com/
More podcast episodes: https://electricrunway.com/the-podcast/
Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15F6eMSFReREEp8fVgNA0L?si=62e6b01855c643ac
Subscribe to the Electric Runway podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/electric-runway-podcast/id1064514329

Social Links:
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Amanda Cosco Social Links:
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandacosco

Guest Links:
The Dematerialised: https://thedematerialised.com/

How a Festival Fashion Brand Turned to Digital Wearables and NFTs to Stay Relevant During the Pandemic

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 23:00:00 -0400

They say that necessity is the mother of invention, which may explain why a crop of emerging fashion designers who were just starting out at the onset of the pandemic were able to innovate the way they reach their community in a Web 3 environment.

My guest today says that her brand is not about the clothes, but that the clothes are an entry point into the brand, which is all about harnessing the imagination. Other entry points include augmented reality filters, digital wearables, and collectables that share the same aesthetic sensibility.

Anya Ayoung-Chee is the founder and director of WYLD FLWR, a festival fashion apparel brand inspired by carnival culture and burning man. Anya is also the winner of Project Runway Season 9, as well as a former Miss Universe representing Trinidad and Tobago, so someone who is no stranger to entertainment.

Our conversation takes you through how she entered the world of NFTs and crypto out of necessity after WYLD FLWR’s launch was overshadowed by COVID-19. Anya also shares how she’s bringing her community together through a shared vision of global women’s empowerment through fashion.

Can eCommerce be a Metaverse Experience?

Tue, 24 May 2022 13:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Christine Marzano, a fashion-tech entrepreneur who just raised $5.6 million in funding for her startup BODS. She counts celebrities and activists like Karlie Kloss as investors. BODS is on a mission to transform online shopping into a personalized and immersive experience that's inclusive and fun. She shares how her background as a model and working in the film industry in Los Angeles led her to bridge visual effects with image processing to create an eCommerce experience that feels like magic.

The Electric Runway Podcast is brought to you by Threedium
Learn more about our sponsor, Threedium.

Electric Runway:
Visit Electric Runway
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Social Links:
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Amanda Cosco Social Links:
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Guest Links:
BODS website
BODS Instagram
BODS Linkedin
Christine Marzano LinkedIn

This Rihanna-Backed Startup is using Machine Learning to Innovate Fit

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 22:00:00 -0400

There is no shortage of software trying to serve the fashion industry, but few products really understand the industry itself. A crop of startups throughout the world are all trying to solve the problem of fit when it comes to shopping for apparel. If you’re a regular listener to this podcast, you know the challenge of fit is something we’ve talked about again and again and will likely continue to talk about until one company dominates this category.

Fit matching tools—that is, tools that help shoppers find their size in apparel items when shopping in-store or online—vary in their approach, but they have one thing in common; they’re all jockeying to become the standard for shopping.

My guest on the show today is Haniff Brown. He’s the Founder and CEO of FIT:MATCH, a startup that uses machine learning technology to eliminate friction in the shopping experience for hard-to-fit categories like intimates and swimwear. As you’ll hear in our conversation, they’ve caught the attention of business billionaire Rihanna, and the brand has since launched in Savage Fenty stores across the USA and are planning on rolling out the experience online.

Learn more about our sponsor, Threedium: https://unlimited3d.com/

Electric Runway:
Visit Electric Runway: http://electricrunway.com/
More podcast episodes: https://electricrunway.com/the-podcast/
Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15F6eMSFReREEp8fVgNA0L?si=62e6b01855c643ac
Subscribe to the Electric Runway podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/electric-runway-podcast/id1064514329

Social Links:
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Amanda Cosco Social Links:
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanda_cosco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandacosco

Guest Links:
Fit:Match Website: https://www.fitmatch.ai/
Fit:Match LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fit-match/
Haniff Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haniff-brown-09802289/

Merging Style and Science to Optimize Tailoring for the Modern World

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 12:00:00 -0400

Here’s a question for apparel retailers: how do you close more sales with shoppers and ensure they don’t return the items they purchase from your store? Answer: make sure they’re happy with the experience and the product they ended up with. For a long time, an easy way luxury department stores and some high-end retailers ensured customer satisfaction was by offering free tailoring. But with more people shopping at different locations and even shopping online, how can tailoring be optimized for the modern world? Enter Hemster, a tailoring business that merges style and science to bring traditional customization to today’s consumers. They work with apparel retailers who sell in-store and online to capture and store a customer’s perfect measurements and ensure that customer is always ordering the right size and receiving an item that’s made to fit them. Our guest today is Allison Lee, the CEO & Founder of Hemster. In today’s episode, you’ll learn how her B2B2C business ends up creating a better experience for the end-user of the apparel product, i.e. customers like me, by providing the last mile of customization-as-a-service. It’s an interesting business model, which makes for an interesting conversation.

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Guest Links:

Hemster website: hemster.co

Hemster LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hemster/

Allison Lee LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonhyeinlee/

Disabled AF: How to Build Inclusivity into the Internet of Tomorrow

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 15:00:00 -0400

The metaverse continues to present narratives of transcendence, where people can be whoever they want to be despite their physical limitations. But as we continue to build the internet of tomorrow, it’s important to pause and ask, who is being afforded these narratives of transcendence, and who isn’t? And perhaps more importantly when it comes to disability, how can we incorporate disability instead of trying to ascend it?

My guest today is Natalie Trevonne, a disability advocate and consultant for media and fashion. She shares her story of blindness and blackness, and what the fashion industry needs to know about accessibility. Natalie designed a dress for the upcoming Metaverse Fashion Week, which will take place this week in Decentraland.

So how exactly does a blind person design a dress? Tune in to find out.

The Electric Runway Podcast is brought to you by Threedium

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Guest Links:

Natalie Trevonne IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9661346/
Natalie Trevonne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natalietrevonne/?hl=en
Fashionably Tardy Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1149473
Fashionably Tardy Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ftonthescene/?hl=en

A Metaverse just for Fashion: Inside Semblance World

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0400

Lately, it seems conversations everywhere end up at the metaverse and web 3. And while fashion is definitely playing in this space, we’re starting to see metaverses emerge that are specifically for fashion.

My guest today is Badrriya Henry, the co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Semblance World. Semblance World is a 3D world built in Unreal Engine. It aims to be the premier destination for fashion runway shows, networking events, and luxury retail. Badrriya makes the case for a fashion-focused metaverse and shares some of the opportunities for how brands can reach consumers in this nascent space.

The Electric Runway Podcast is brought to you by Threedium

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Electric Runway:

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Guest Links:

Semblance World: https://semblance.world/semblance/

How 3D will Transform Commerce

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 10:00:00 -0500

We've been hearing about 3D in digital fashion, in creating the metaverse, and even in augmented reality. 3D is defined as photorealistic representations of real-world objects that can be used for a variety of purposes, including retailing, merchandising, assisting sales, and of course entering the metaverse. According to Shopify, merchants who add 3D content to their online stores see a 94% conversion lift, on average.

Our guest today is Lode Groosman, the co-founder of Threedium. Threedium is the fastest and most affordable way to create high-quality 3D assets. We’re going to get into the different use-cases and opportunities in just a moment. But for those of you who have been listening, you may have heard of Threedium because they're our new sponsor for the podcast.

The Electric Runway Podcast is brought to you by Threedium
Learn more about our sponsor, Threedium: https://unlimited3d.com/

Electric Runway:

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Guest Links:

Threedium's website: https://unlimited3d.com/
Connect with Threedium on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/threedium
Connect with Lode Groosman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lodegroosman/

What to Expect from Digital Fashion Week New York

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 16:00:00 -0500

As the metaverse takes up more cultural capital than ever before, several upcoming events will explore the implications on the fashion industry. Most prominent among them is Digital Fashion Week New York, a three-day part digital, part physical experience that will include educational seminars, digital screenings, and even an augmented reality art walk. On this week's episode of the Electric Runway podcast, host and Fashion Futurist Amanda Cosco speaks with Claire Tattersall, the Founder and Director of Digital Fashion Week New York to find out what makes this event more than just a webinar.

Learn more about Digital Fashion Week NYC here

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Ep 131: Building the Wordpress of Fashion Development

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

The global pandemic has disrupted supply chains all over the world and the fashion industry is of course no exception. Global manufacturing and distribution is a much bigger challenge than ever before. Our guest today is Tricia Hoke, the founder and CEO of Modern Brands. Modern Brands is a membership program for apparel companies that helps streamline the production process using a variety of tools, widgets, and plug-ins that bring the open-source mentality of the internet to fashion design.

Visit Modern Brands: https://modernbrands.com/
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EP:130 How will Virtual Fashion Impact our Digital Identities?

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 12:00:00 -0500

Virtual fashion, NFTs, and crypto clothing have all become hot topics during the pandemic, with brands such as Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci, and Karl Lagerfeld stepping into the space. But how will digital clothing impact the way we present ourselves online? Just as face filters have transformed the way we (especially women) see ourselves, so too will digital fashion.

In episode 130 of the Electric Runway podcast, fashion futurist Amanda Cosco continues her exploration of virtual dressing and digital fashion with Emily Rosa Shahaj, the co-founder and CEO of Gravity The Studio. Gravity the Studio is a virtual fashion house designing 3D clothes for digitized identities. Emily's research focuses on expanding cross-platform interoperability of digital assets using blockchain technology and open-source formats, improving real-time virtual fit techniques, and framing the implications of technologically-mediated human interactions.

This episode touches on fashion's long-standing relationship with gaming, virtual dressing as a pandemic trend, and the new frontiers of augmented reality and artificial intelligence for digital fashion.

Visit Gravity the Studio's website

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EP 129: Designing Virtual Stores and Showrooms with Dyson

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 12:00:00 -0500

Virtual showrooms- 3D clickable, user-centric branded spaces—were once a nice-to-have, a way of testing out futuristic experiences in a way that complements a company’s physical retail footprint. But with the ongoing pandemic, virtual showrooms are becoming a meaningful way of extending the customer experience, especially ahead of the holiday season.

In episode 129, Fashion Futurist Amanda Cosco speaks with Sean Newmarch, the Global eCommerce Director at the household appliances technology company, Dyson. Recently, Amanda had the opportunity to step into one of Dyson’s virtual showrooms using the Oculus Quest to find out first-hand how the company is leveraging technology to increase engagement and conversion beyond just the holidays.

EP 128: Inside The First Fashion Metaverse

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 09:00:00 -0500

At the beginning of December of this year, I'm attending my first conference since Covid, but I won't be leaving the comfort of my couch. I'll be strapping on an Oculus Quest 2—a virtual reality headset produced by Facebook— to attend one of the first fashion metaverses. Inside, my avatar will brush digital elbows with Vogue editors and network with other fashion professionals; I'll explore exhibition booths and attend workshops and panels led by some of the industry's most innovative thinkers and changemakers.

The Circular Fashion Summit is an annual event produced by lablaco. While the conference was scheduled to take place earlier this year, supply chain disruptions caused shortages in headsets, which is the main gateway to the event in this case. CFS will now move forward on the 9th thru the 12th of December, 2021.

In episode 128 of the Electric Runway podcast, I speak with Paula Vega, Founding Member and Global Partnerships Manager at Circular Fashion Summit. Our conversation touches on everything from the opportunities of social VR to the importance of diversity in the metaverse. She also shares how the summit is walking the talk when it comes to activating a more circular fashion industry through partnerships like their recent pilot with H&M.

EP 127: Digital Fashion Design and What We Will Wear in the Metaverse

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 16:00:00 -0400

Get ready for the Metaverse. No literally, get ready. Like, what are you going to wear? The reality of virtual fashion is here, and we’re not just talking skins in gaming. Whether it’s choosing a Snapchat filter for your Zoom meeting or deciding what to wear to the digital Met Gala, dressing our digital selves is an increasingly important part of everyday life.

My guest today is Kerry Murphy. Kerry is the founder of the Fabricant, a fashion house that produces only digital and never physical clothing. He’s here to take us through the digital fashion space and the rise of digital-only fashion. We’ll also cover NFTs as well as digital collectables and how they relate to the fashion industry.

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Guest Links:
The Fabricant: https://www.thefabricant.com/

EP 126: Sustainable Fashion Beyond Greenwashing

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 08:00:00 -0400

Consumers and the fashion industry alike are realizing that sustainability is more than just a buzzword—it needs to be a way of life and a way of business. Our guest today is a sustainability advocate and an internationally recognized leader in social impact. On Instagram, he’s known as "The Swap King" where he encourages a new generation of fashionistas to trade clothes rather than purchasing new ones. Patrick Duffy is the founder of The Global Fashion Exchange as well as the global partnerships manager for Common Objective, an intelligent business network for the fashion industry. In this conversation with Fashion Futurist Amanda Cosco, he speaks about sustainability beyond the buzzwords and how to be a conscious consumer.

EP 125: How 3D Fashion Design Software is Leading the Apparel Industry Towards Digital Transformation

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Lately, we’ve been hearing a lot about digital fashion. Whether we’re talking about augmented reality try-on in Snapchat or digital clothing that’s created and sold as art objects and minted as NFTs (that’s non-fungible tokens), the fashion industry is looking more pixellated than ever before.

While the pandemic has caused us to find new use-cases for digital fashion, the truth is that the design process has been digitizing for years. In this episode, Fashion Futurist Amanda Cosco speaks with Avihay Feld and Osnat Lidor, Browzwear's CEO and VP of Marketing respectively. Browzwear is the leading provider of 3D fashion software that offers solutions for design, development, and merchandising. Since 1999, Browzwear has been driving digital transformation in the apparel industry through the power of true-to-life 3D prototypes that make it easy for everyone involved in the creation and production of garments to collaborate, iterate, and get items to market faster than ever before.

Electric Runway Episode 124: Redesigning Retail with Artificial Intelligence

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 20:00:00 -0500

It's 2020, and if you're an online retailer not already thinking about the implications of artificial intelligence on your business then allow today’s episode to provoke your consideration: Our guest today is Ashwini Asokan, the CEO and founder of Vue.Ai, a US/India-based startup that has developed an AI platform to help online retailers increase sales and work more efficiently. They do this by automating simple yet important tasks such as product tagging and personalized recommendations. Vue.AI also help fashion brands leverage artificial intelligence to generate images of models in clothes and provide personal style recommendations to customers while shopping online. It’s a robust offering in a market that’s used to doing things the old fashioned way, which may explain why Vue.AI has secured $17 million in venture capital funding. We’ll talk about how a fashion startup managed to get the attention of Silicon Valley, as well as the limitations of AI for online retailers.

Electric Runway Episode 124: Redesigning Retail with Artificial Intelligence

Wed, 15 Jan 2020 15:00:00 -0500

It's 2020, and if you're an online retailer not already thinking about the
implications of artificial intelligence on your business then allow today’s episode to provoke your consideration: Our guest today is Ashwini Asokan, the CEO and founder of Vue.Ai, a US/India-based startup that has developed an AI platform to help online retailers increase sales and work more efficiently. They do this by automating simple yet important tasks such as product tagging and personalized recommendations.

Vue.AI also help fashion brands leverage artificial intelligence to generate images of models in clothes and provide personal style recommendations to customers while shopping online. It’s a robust offering in a market that’s used to doing things the old fashioned way, which may explain why Vue.AI has secured $17 million in venture capital funding. We’ll talk about how a fashion startup managed to get the attention of Silicon Valley, as well as the limitations of AI for online retailers.

Electric Runway Episode 123: Automation and Artificial Intelligence are coming for the Fashion Industry

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 13:00:00 -0500

In episode 123 of the Electric Runway podcast, we're talking about how technology is changing bespoke apparel.

The word “bespoke” is derived from the British word “bespeak” which means to discuss in advance or to order or reserve something. You can see here why the word has had a long-standing relationship with tailoring and tailor-made clothing. At one time, garments were created based on consumer demand and to their measurements and specifications. While the industrial revolution may have moved us towards mass manufacturing, we may be returning to an era of highly customized clothing—only this time, technologies including software, 3D body scans, and artificial intelligence are making it easier and more efficient than ever to scale the bespoke experience.

Our guest today is Marc Close, the co-founder and CEO of Bespokify. Bespokify is a fashion-tech company that creates customizable and bespoke-fitting apparel patterns instantly. Bespokify enables custom fashion to be made as efficiently and affordably as mass-production, and in the process, it eliminates returns because of poor fit, helps build inventory-less fashion brands, and opens the door to AI-driven design.

Blog post for this episode:
Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/electric-runway-podcast/id1064514329?mt=2
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Electric Runway Episode 122: Why Barcelona is a Breeding Ground for Innovation

Thu, 21 Nov 2019 14:00:00 -0500

Electric Runway has returned from Barcelona where founder and FashionTech journalist Amanda Cosco was taking part in Reshape. As you heard in last week's episode, Reshape is an exhibition and content series that explores the future of fashion through the lens of innovation. This week, we hear from Miquel Serrano, the Events Director at Fira de Barcelona. Fira de Barcelona has a portfolio of 70 international trade shows and over 4.4 million square feet of show space. Each year, Fira gathers over 35,000 companies and 3 million visitors, making it one of Europe’s largest trade and convention organizations.

In this episode, you'll learn more about how European infrastructure supports emerging design, and why Barcelona seems to be a breeding ground for innovation over the years.

Electric Runway Episode 121 | Hacking Industry from the Inside Out

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 07:00:00 -0400

In this week's episode, fashion futurist Amanda Cosco sits down with Aldo Sollazzo, the founder of Noumena and organizer of the Reshape Conference. Taking place October 29th thru 31st in Barcelona, Reshape is a part of Industry Arena 19 at Fira Barcelona in coordination with IoT Solutions World Congress. Tune in to learn more about what to expect from Reshape and how the event aims to bridge innovation and industry.

Electric Runway Episode 120: How Blue Bite Transforms Products into Platforms

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 10:00:00 -0400

From eCommerce to wearables, digital innovation has greatly impacted the fashion industry, but how can technology empower a more sustainable fashion future? FashionTech journalist Amanda Cosco sits down with Mikhail Damiani, the CEO and co-founder of Blue Bite. Blue Bite connects brands and consumers by waking up products and bringing them to life with digital technology. In doing so, they transform items like handbags, sneakers, apparel, and even signage into a new channel that engages consumers in ways current channels can’t. Today we delve into how the company is collaborating with brands like Adidas, Bulgari, and Ocean Bottle to help further sustainability efforts. This episode is part of Electric Runway’s ongoing pre-coverage of WEAR—that’s the World Ethical Apparel Roundtable, taking place October 7th-8th in Toronto. To learn more about WEAR, and to receive 15% off your tickets, visit the link below and use the discount code ER15.
Blog post for this episode --> electricrunway.com/how-blue-bite-t…into-platforms/
Learn more about Blue Bite --> www.bluebite.com/
Check out WEAR Conference --> wear.fashiontakesaction.com/
Follow us on Instagram --> www.instagram.com/electric_runway/
Follow us on Twitter --> twitter.com/Electric_Runway

Electric Runway Episode 119: How ThredUp is Using AI to Shape a More Circular Fashion Future

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 11:45:12 -0400

Fashion futurist Amanda Cosco interviews Chris Homer of ThredUp to discover how the California company is bringing Silicon Valley innovation to the $24 billion resale market in order to drive a more sustainable and circular fashion future. All over the world, the Climate Crisis is on everyone’s mind; Last week, millions of activists and concerned citizens took to the streets for a global climate strike, urging leaders to take meaningful action towards curbing catastrophic climate change. So what does this have to do with the fashion industry, you may be asking? Well, a lot. It’s widely known that fashion and apparel manufacturing is the second-largest polluter in the world next to oil and gas. From the chemicals it takes to transform raw materials into textiles to the amount of water required to produce a single t-shirt, fashion’s dirty secret is no longer a secret.This episode is a part of our ongoing pre-coverage of WEAR—that’s the World Ethical Apparel Roundtable— taking place October 7th to 8th 2019 in Toronto. Hosted by non-profit Fashion Takes Action, WEAR aims to bring together sustainability experts, thought-leaders, and decision-makers in apparel to uncover how the industry can improve practices to move fashion towards a more conscious and circular future.Blog post for this episode--> More on ThredUp--> https://www.thredup.com/Discover Fashion Takes Action--> https://fashiontakesaction.com/Check out WEAR Conference October 7-8 2019 in Toronto --> wear.fashiontakesaction.com/Subscribe on iTunes --> podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/elec…st/id1064514329Follow us on Instagram --> www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Follow us on Twitter -->twitter.com/Electric_Runway

Electric Runway Episode 118: Turning Pollution into Profit

Mon, 16 Sep 2019 10:08:04 -0400

Today we’re continuing our coverage of WEAR Conference—that’s the World Ethical Apparel Roundtable—taking place October 7th-8th in Toronto. Fashion futurist Amanda Cosco speaks with Stephanie Benedetto, the CEO and Founder of Queen of Raw. Queen of Raw is a global online marketplace to buy and sell sustainable and deadstock fabrics and textiles. Stephanie shares more about her long family history in apparel as well as how Queen of Raw is saving billions of gallons of water by rescuing textiles from landfill. Blog post for this episode --> https://electricrunway.com/the-startup-thats-saving-the-world-one-yard-of-fabric-at-a-time/Learn more about Queen of Raw --> https://www.queenofraw.com/Check out WEAR Conference October 7-8 2019 in Toronto --> https://wear.fashiontakesaction.com/Subscribe on iTunes --> https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/elec%E2%80%A6st/id1064514329Follow us on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Follow us on Twitter -->https://twitter.com/Electric_Runway

Electric Runway Episode 117: Sustainability's Golden Age

Wed, 04 Sep 2019 21:03:34 -0400

It’s September, which means it’s officially fashion season, but before the runway shows kick off in New York we’re bringing you a conversation about sustainability in the fashion industry. When it comes to sustainability, it seems as though the fashion industry is experiencing a kind of reckoning. According to a recent article from Fast Company, the fashion sector is accelerating the pace of the predicted climate disaster. In 2015, fashion and manufacturing generated 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas and is responsible for a fifth of global water pollution and a third of microplastics in the ocean. So what are fashion brands doing about it? As a consumer, it’s difficult to wade through the array of information that’s out there. Fast fashion chains like H&M and Zara are making efforts towards using more responsible materials and recycling through take-back programs, but how are you truly supposed to know who made your clothes, and which ones are truly sustainable? At the same time, new business models like clothing rental services that are popping up seem to be a reaction to mass consumption, but can they really thrive? Here to help us sort through it all is Kelly Drennan. Kelly has been an advocate for sustainability in the fashion industry for more than a decade. She is a sustainable fashion expert and advocate for the circular economy, as well as the founder of Fashion Takes Action, the only non-profit in Canada dedicated to creating a conscious fashion future.Electric Runway is proud to be a supporting media partner of WEAR 2019. As such, we’ll be bringing you conversations from key thinkers at WEAR leading up to the October event, so stay tuned for that. If you’d like to attend, use the discount code ER 15 to receive 15% off your tickets, just head to Electric Runway for more details. We’ll also be covering WEAR live from the show floor, so stay tuned to us on socials, we’re @Electric_Runway.Blog post for this episode --> https://electricrunway.com/sustainabilitys-golden-age-in-conversation-with-kelly-drennan-of-fashion-takes-action/Learn more about Fashion Takes Action here --> https://fashiontakesaction.com/More about WEAR Conference here --> https://fashiontakesaction.com/Follow Electric Runway on Instagram --> www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes --> podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/elec…st/id1064514329

PODCAST UPDATE| We're Changing Things Up

Thu, 08 Aug 2019 19:22:25 -0400

An update from Electric Runway founder Amanda Cosco

Electric Runway Episode 116: Start-up and Scale-up with Runway Kit

Wed, 26 Jun 2019 09:37:23 -0400

On this week's episode of the Electric Runway podcast, fashion-tech journalist Amanda Cosco interviews Kunal Amalean, the co-founder of Runway Kit. Runway Kit is an end-to-end digital platform that democratizes the design and manufacturing process for fashion startups and design entrepreneurs. By leveraging the expertise and facilities of its parent company (MAS Holdings) Runway Kit levels the playing field for small to medium fashion enterprises and provides them with everything they need to start-up and scale up. **This episode was brought to you by Runway Kit**Blog post for this episode --> https://electricrunway.com/start-up-and-scale-up-with-runway-kit/Learn more about Runway Kit here --> http://bit.ly/2X5j0yCFollow Runway Kit on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/runwaykitbymas/Follow Electric Runway on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes --> https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/electric-runway-podcast/id1064514329

Electric Runway Episode 115: Poshmark Comes to Canada

Thu, 20 Jun 2019 12:41:33 -0400

FashionTech Journalist Amanda Cosco welcomes Poshmark back to the show. This time, we're speaking with Maria Morales, the Director of International Expansion. She's here to tell us about Poshmark’s venture into Canada 🇨🇦For those who don’t know, Poshmark is a leading social commerce marketplace where members can buy and sell new or used clothing, shoes, accessories, and even housewares. Their expansion into Canada means Canadians will now be able to set-up shop and turn their closets into cash. Follow us on Instagram here —> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Follow us on Twitter —> https://twitter.com/Electric_RunwayLearn more about Poshmark —> https://poshmark.ca/Listen to Episode 15 of the podcast where we speak with Poshmark Founder Tracy Sun —> https://electricrunway.com/tracy-sun-fashion-is-connection-2/

Electric Runway Episode 114: Collision Conference Round-Up

Wed, 29 May 2019 08:47:24 -0400

Fashion futurist Amanda Cosco takes you inside Collision 2019, North America's fastest-growing tech conference. Collision took place May 19th thru 23rd at the Enercare Centre in Toronto. More than 25,000 participants from 125 countries ascended on the city to check out hundreds of exhibitors and 730 speakers across 15 tracks.Collision’s success underlines what we’re already seeing across Canada—that is, a boom of interest and investment in technological innovation. In fact, according to IT World Canada, as the tech industry expands, Canada is predicted to have 216,000 tech positions filled by 2021. With so much activity surrounding the Toronto-Waterloo corridor, it’s no wonder the area has quickly earned the nickname Silicon Valley North.There was so much to do and see at Collision, but at Electric Runway we’re focused on fashion, retail, and consumer product innovation, so those are the stories we’re bringing to you from this inaugural event. Tune in to hear conversations from the show floor and learn about emerging startups changing the way we buy and sell.Blog post for this episode--> https://electricrunway.com/collision-conference-toronto-round-up/Follow Electric Runway on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Follow Electric Runway on Twitter --> https://twitter.com/Electric_RunwaySubscribe to our YouTube channel --> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIRvsPmkLt4FSzR3ouEnbkQ?view_as=subscriber

Electric Runway Episode 113: What Else can your Clothing do for you?

Wed, 22 May 2019 09:06:11 -0400

Our guest today is Rebeccah Pailes-Friedman, a designer, researcher, and professor, as well as the founder of Interwoven Design Group. Interwoven is a New York-based innovative design studio specialized in wearable technology and textiles. Pailes-Friedman shares her experience working with a diverse array of clients— from NASA to the Brooklyn Ballet. Blog post for this episode --> https://electricrunway.com/what-else-can-your-clothing-do-for-you/Follow Interwoven Design Group on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/interwoven_design/Visit Interwoven Design Group's website--> https://www.getinterwoven.com/Buy Rebeccah's book on Amazon--> https://www.amazon.ca/Smart-Textiles-Designers-Inventing-Fabrics/dp/1780677324Follow Electric Runway on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Follow Electric Runway on Twitter --> https://twitter.com/Electric_Runway

Electric Runway Episode 112: Not Your Father's Hemp

Wed, 15 May 2019 10:24:01 -0400

Although hemp was one of the first plants to be spun into a useable fiber 10,000 years ago, it was made illegal to grow without a permit in the USA in 1970 under the Controlled Substances Act. Now with legalization underway across parts of North America, hemp is being revisited for the miracle plant it was once known as so long ago. And, with advances in science, there are new ways to treat hemp that can transform it from a high-performance fiber into a smart one. On today's episode of the Electric Runway podcast, host Amanda Cosco chats with Mark Sunderland. Mark has over 30 years of experience in the field of engineered advanced textile materials and apparel products. He’s also an accomplished professor and academic, as well as the Chief Innovation Officer at Hemp Black. Hemp Black is a company aiming to drive the next generation of advanced sustainable textiles by blending science and nature like never before.

Electric Runway Episode 111: Fashion-First Smart Glasses

Wed, 08 May 2019 20:56:34 -0400

Fashion Futurist Amanda Cosco discusses the Met Gala 2019 and how wearable tech showed up on the red—er, pink carpet this year. Our guest today is Alexander Ingram, the Head of Communications and PR for North. North is a Canadian startup that wants to sell you your first pair of smart glasses. Their fashion-first approach to facial computing has investors like Amazon paying attention. Tune in to find out how North's signature product, called Focals, was the result of a pivot from a previous gesture-control product. Alex shares more about the high-tech features in Focals and helps us imagine what the future of digital interactions could look like.

Electric Runway Episode 110: Understanding Investment from a VC Perspective

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 10:22:25 -0400

Soha Yasrebi is an electrical engineer-turned Venture Capitalist for Omers Ventures, as well as a member of New York Fashion Tech Lab’s expert network. In today's episode of the Electric Runway podcast, she shares with us the trends in the marketplace she's keeping an eye on as they pertain to changing consumer behaviour. Soha is chatting with us in advance of her appearance at FashionTech Toronto. For those not in-the-know, FashionTech TO is a meetup in Toronto taking place at the Design Exchange Wednesday, April 24th, 2019. Audiences will have the opportunity to hear from international leading experts from the London College of Fashion, Shopify, Style Canada, Specsy, and more. Learn more about FashionTech Toronto here --> https://www.fashiontechtoronto.com/next-event-1Learn more about Omers Ventures--> https://www.omersventures.com/Blog post for this episode --> https://electricrunway.com/understanding-investment-from-a-vc-perspective/Follow Soha on Twitter --> https://twitter.com/sohaaConnect with Soha on LinkedIn--> https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohayas?originalSubdomain=caFollow @Electric_Runway on Instagram for your chance to WIN two free tickets to FashionTech Toronto --> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/

Electric Runway Episode 109: Shopping with Robots

Wed, 17 Apr 2019 09:25:03 -0400

Steve Martell is the VP of Creative Technology at Current Studios, an award-winning agency focused on connecting digital and physical experiences that push the boundaries of technology. Current Studios has done work with well-known consumer brands and retailers, including Walmart, Cover Girl, and Samsung. In his conversation with Fashion Futurist Amanda Cosco, Steve shares what it was like to bring cutting-edge technology like AI and AR to retail experiences. Blog post for this episode --> https://electricrunway.com/shopping-with-robots-with-steve-martell/Learn more about Steve here --> https://www.linkedin.com/in/martellsteveFollow Steve on instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/thestevemartell/?hl=enFollow Steve on Twitter --> https://twitter.com/stevemartellLearn more about Current Studios --> https://www.currentstudios.com/Follow Electric Runway on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Folow us on Twitter --> https://twitter.com/Electric_Runway

Electric Runway Episode 108: Designing the Future of Fashion with Anouk Wipprecht

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 09:28:05 -0400

Anouk Wipprecht is an internationally recognized fashion tech designer known for fusing couture fashion with robotics and artificial intelligence to create garments that move, breathe, and react to the environment around them. Anouk has produced innovative work in collaboration with some of the biggest technology and entertainment companies, including Intel, Audi, Disney, and Cirque du Soleil. In her second appearance on the Electric Runway podcast, Anouk shares what she has been working on since we last spoke, including a prosthetic leg for bionic pop artist Viktoria Modesta, as well as a playful medical wearable designed to help children with ADHD or autism.Blog post for this episode --> https://electricrunway.com/designing-the-future-of-fashion-with-anouk-wipprecht/Follow us on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Follow Electric Runway on Twitter --> https://twitter.com/Electric_RunwayLearn more about Anouk here --> http://www.anoukwipprecht.nl/#intro-1

Electric Runway Episode 107: Connecting People with Products

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 13:00:29 -0400

In this episode, Fashion Futurist Amanda Cosco interviews Steve Statler, the SVP of Marketing and Business Development at Wiliot. Wiliot is an Israel-based startup that aims to switch on the fashion industry and enable a whole new digital life for apparel, accessories, and footwear. They’re doing this by integrating into products a paper-thin, battery-free Bluetooth chip that harvests energy from radio frequencies in the air. It’s a small and simple solution that has tremendous implications for manufacturing, distribution, retail and beyond. In this episode, Statler will share the many use-cases for Wiliot and share why the young startup has already raised $50 million in funding from companies like Amazon, Samsung, and Qualcomm.View the blog post for this episode -->https://electricrunway.com/connecting-people-with-products-wiliot/Follow us on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Connect with us on Twitter -->https://twitter.com/Electric_RunwayLearn more about Wiliot here --> https://www.wiliot.com/Listen to the Mr. Beacon Podcast here --> https://www.mister-beacon.com/interviews

Electric Runway Episode 106: Augmented Reality for Retail (Live Recording from AWENite Toronto)

Wed, 27 Mar 2019 19:52:46 -0400

Today's episode of the podcast is a live recording from a panel Electric Runway founder Amanda Cosco recently moderated focused on augmented reality for retail. The panel took place Thursday, March 21st at Startwell, a co-working and meeting space on King Street West in Toronto, as a part of a meetup group called AWENite TO. For those who don’t know, Augmented World Expo is the largest conference in North America for those involved in augmented reality, and their satellite events take place throughout the year and throughout the world. AWENiteTO is a free meetup that regularly features presentations from thought-leaders, panel discussions, and demos from those innovating in the mixed reality space. In this panel discussion, you’ll hear from Charles Bern, the CEO of Patio Interactive, a technology-driven design and marketing agency. You'll also hear from Fareena Contractor, Head of Walmart Innovation Community, and Matt McPherson, the COO of Quantum Capture. Quantum Capture is a company that uses AR to bring artificial intelligence to life with virtual human avatars capable of two-way conversations and dynamic body gestures. Blog post for this episode--> https://electricrunway.com/augmented-reality-for-retail-live-recording-from-awenite-toronto/Follow us on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Follow Electric Runway on Twitter--> https://twitter.com/Electric_RunwayMore on AWENite Toronto here--> https://www.meetup.com/AWENiteTO/

Electric Runway Episode 105: Rent—Don't Buy—Your Bridesmaid Dress

Mon, 25 Mar 2019 13:20:42 -0400

From buying the perfect present to finding the right outfit for the occasion, weddings are expensive to attend, especially if you’re in the wedding party. According to Global News, 30% of Canadian bridesmaids spend more than $500 on a friend’s wedding, and 20% have spent more than $1000. To us, these estimates seem low, especially once you factor in destination weddings or the cos of bridal showers and the bachelorette party. Today, we’re speaking with an entrepreneur who aims to make weddings more affordable. Her business combines formalwear with the ease of ordering online. Mallory McKewen is the founder and CEO of BridesMade, a Canadian startup that enables wedding parties to rent and return bridesmaids dresses as opposed to purchasing them outright. In this episode, we continue our conversation on the sharing economy, our changing attitude towards ownership, and the generational differences in wedding culture.Follow Electric Runway on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Follow us on Twitter --> https://twitter.com/Electric_RunwayBlog Post for this Episode --> https://electricrunway.com/rent-dont-buy-your-bridesmaid-dress/More info on BridesMade --> https://bridesmade.ca/Follow BridesMade on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/bridesmade.ca/

Electric Runway Episode 104: Inside Dx3 2019, Canada's Retail, Marketing and Tech Event

Wed, 13 Mar 2019 06:16:23 -0400

In today's episode, we're taking you to the show floor at Dx3, that's Canada's largest retail, marketing, and technology event and trade show. Having covered Dx3 for a few years now, we've found it's always a good place to check out what's new and next, and to find out how Canadian businesses and retailers are thinking about digital innovation. In this episode, we speak with: Rod Davis of Davis XM Solutions: https://www.davisxmsolutions.com/Roland Memisevic of TwentyBN: https://20bn.com/Louise McMullen of LG Electronics Canada: https://www.lg.com/ca_enMark Shaw of Upcoming Media: https://upcomingmedia.com/More on Dx3 Canada here --> https://www.dx3canada.com/View the blog post for this episode --> https://electricrunway.com/inside-dx3-2019-canadas-retail-marketing-and-tech-event/Follow Electric Runway on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Connect with Electric Runway on Twitter--> https://twitter.com/Electric_Runway

Electric Runway Episode 103: Unravelling the Business of Denim

Tue, 05 Mar 2019 20:08:08 -0500

Today on the Electric Runway podcast, we're speaking to a startup that's transforming everything about denim, from the way it's made to the way we shop for it. Unspun is a venture-backed robotics and apparel company. Their main brand, Denim Unspun, doesn’t believe in inventory. Instead, they take a 3D scan of your body and manufacture one-of-a-kind jeans just for you in the style and wash you choose.Denim Unspun aims to reduce global carbon emissions through intentional manufacturing via environmentally conscious processes and high-quality materials. They have two headquarters, one in San Francisco and the other in Hong Kong, but their vision is global. Tune in to hear Chief Visionary and co-founder Beth Esponnette share what it's like to shop for jeans that don't yet exist and how on-demand manufacturing will drastically reshape the global fashion landscape.View the blog post for this episode --> Follow us on Instagram --> www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Follow us on Twitter --> twitter.com/Electric_RunwayMore on Unspun -->https://www.unspuntech.com/

Electric Runway Episode 102: Creating Your Cinderella Moment with FTSY

Thu, 21 Feb 2019 13:23:13 -0500

They say if the shoe fits, then wear it, but when the shoe doesn’t fit, it’s a very literal pain-point. Perhaps this is why most consumers are hesitant to purchase shoes online. In fact, according to research from Fung Global Retail and Technology, while 78% of US consumers will search for clothing and footwear online, only 10% will complete their purchase. My guest today wants to help close that gap by giving consumers confidence in their purchasing process when ordering footwear online. Ryan Smith is the founder of FTSY, an easy-to-use and accurate platform that matches people to shoes. By making style and size recommendations as effectively as a seasoned salesperson, FTSY wants to give everyone their Cinderella moment. In this episode, Ryan explains how his company is leveraging AI, computer vision, and machine learning to become the Trip Advisor for shopping for shoes online.View the blog post for this episode --> https://electricrunway.com/creating-your-cinderella-moment-with-ftsy/Follow us on Instagram --> www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Follow us on Twitter --> twitter.com/Electric_RunwayMore on FTSY --> https://www.ftsy.ai/

Electric Runway Episode 101: Artificial Intelligence for Fashion with Leanne Luce (Part 2 of 2)

Wed, 13 Feb 2019 14:40:11 -0500

Today we continue our conversation with Leanne Luce, a blogger, product manager at Google, and the author of a newly published book on artificial intelligence for the Fashion Industry. If you missed the first part of this interview, we invite you to listen to Episode 100 of the podcast, which is available on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, or your favorite podcasting app. In this conversation, Leanne walks us through how AI is positioned to change many aspects of the fashion industry, from the way buyers make purchasing decisions to the way designers create, to the way we shoppers discover and consume products and experiences.View the blog post for this episode --> electricrunway.com/artificial-inte…th-leanne-luce/Follow us on Instagram --> www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Follow us on Twitter --> twitter.com/Electric_RunwayMore on Leanne Luce --> www.linkedin.com/in/leanne-luceBuy Leanne's Book --> www.amazon.com/Artificial-Intell…try/dp/148423930X

Electric Runway Episode 100: Artificial Intelligence for Fashion with Leanne Luce (Part 1 of 2)

Wed, 06 Feb 2019 09:49:04 -0500

Our guest today is Leanne Luce, a blogger at the Fashion Robot, a product designer for Google, and the author of a newly published book titled "Artificial Intelligence for Fashion: How AI is Revolutionizing the Fashion Industry." We had such an interesting interview with Leanne, we had to break up the conversation into two parts. In part one, we define terms like machine learning and then go on to discuss applications for AI in the fashion industry such as chatbots and smart mirrors. Leanne shares how a memorable fashion moment catalyzed the creation of image search, and how this technology is becoming more sophisticated with innovations like the Google Lens.View the blog post for this episode --> https://electricrunway.com/artificial-intelligence-for-fashion-with-leanne-luce/Follow us on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Follow us on Twitter --> https://twitter.com/Electric_RunwayMore on Leanne Luce --> https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanne-luceBuy Leanne's Book --> https://www.amazon.com/Artificial-Intelligence-Fashion-Revolutionizing-Industry/dp/148423930X

Electric Runway Episode 99: The Australian Circular Fashion Conference

Wed, 30 Jan 2019 11:09:18 -0500

Regular listeners to the show will be familiar with the idea of the circular economy, a topic that has become top-of-mind for the fashion industry. In case you’re not familiar, the circular economy is a restorative and regenerative system that uses innovation to cut waste and minimize negative impact, replacing the traditional linear model in which products are cheaply made, consumed and then disposed of. Our guest today is Camille Reed. She’s the founder of the Australian Circular Fashion Conference as well as Australasian Circular Textile Association. She is on a mission to champion circular textile innovation in the global fashion industry. In this episode, we talk about her exciting upcoming event as well as her newly founded association—but that’s not all. Camille is also here to tell us all about new and exciting startups from down under and the emerging Australian sustainable fashion market. Follow Electric Runway on Instagram —> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Follow us on Twitter — > https://twitter.com/Electric_RunwayBlog post for this episode available —> https://electricrunway.com/the-australian-circular-fashion-conference/For more on the Australian Circular Fashion Conference, follow the link —> https://www.australiancircularfashion.com.au/Follow the Australian Circular Fashion Conference on Instagram —> https://www.instagram.com/australiancircularfashion/Like the Australian Circular Fashion Conference on Facebook —> https://www.facebook.com/australiancircularfashion

Electric Runway Episode 98: Dresslife Wants to be the Waze of Shopping

Thu, 17 Jan 2019 09:01:47 -0500

Fashion futurist Amanda Cosco sits down with Dr. Julian Hensolt, the co-founder of Dresslife. Dresslife is a startup using artificial intelligence to make it easier for shoppers to discover and purchase items they love and that fit. The AI centres around individualized customer profiles that learn more about you as you browse and purchase. Their vision is a future with fewer returns and a personalized way to discover and shop online. Having completed his PhD in Supply Chain Management, Julian identified major challenges in the fashion industry, which sparked the idea for Dresslife. His team observed complicated and ever-changing data sets like in traffic and weather to understand how AI can improve upon inefficiencies in an industry with multiple seasons, styles, and sizes. Learn more about Dresslife --> https://www.dresslife.com/Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes --> https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/electric-runway-podcast/id1064514329?mt=2Follow us on Instagram -->https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Follow us on Twitter -->https://twitter.com/Electric_Runway

Electric Runway Episode 97: Women Deserve Better Bras

Tue, 08 Jan 2019 16:35:33 -0500

Welcome back to the first podcast of 2019! In this episode, fashion futurist Amanda Cosco speaks with Lidewij Vera Arí van Twillert, a Dutch product designer and who is on a mission to make custom couture bras that fit women just right. From her atelier in Rotterdam, her and her team leverage the latest in 3D scanning and 3D printing technology to craft undergarments that are both beautiful and functional. Her company Arí van Twillert, is revolutionizing the way we think about production processes by creating a product that's just as unique as the women who wear it. Tune in to find out how the project started and why it's important to pay good money for good things.Learn more about the company here --> https://arivantwillert.com/Read the blog post -->https://electricrunway.com/women-3dprinting-custom-bras/Subscribe to us on iTunes --> https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/electric-runway-podcast/id1064514329?mt=2Follow us on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/

Electric Runway Episode 96: Delivering the Luxury Experience to Your Door

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 10:04:10 -0500

It's our last episode of 2018! In this conversation, fashion futurist Amanda Cosco speaks with Liam Young of Harper Concierge, a startup that aims to bring the luxury experience to shoppers in the comfort of their own homes. Using Harper Concierge, you can preselect clothing online and then indicate a time window you’ll be home. Harper then sends a concierge to your door, allowing you to try on items at home, either while the concierge waits outside or helps, depending on the shopper’s preference. Keep and pay for items you love, while ones you don't are sent back with the concierge so you don’t have to deal with returns.Read the full blog post here --> https://electricrunway.com/delivering-the-luxury-experience-to-your-door/Learn more about Harper Concierge here --> https://www.harperconcierge.com/Follow us on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Subscribe on iTunes --> https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/electric-runway-podcast/id1064514329?mt=2

Electric Runway Episode 95: Disrupting the Business of Baby Clothes

Wed, 12 Dec 2018 17:33:20 -0500

Today, we’re speaking with Eve Kekeh, the founder of Budlee. Bundlee is a business disrupting the multi-million dollar baby clothes market by enabling parents to rent and then return bundles of clothes for their rapidly growing infants. Learn more --> https://bundlee.co.uk/We’ve all heard of the sharing economy: that is the concept that highlights the ability —and perhaps the preference—of individuals to rent or borrow goods rather than buy and own them. We already know it’s better for the environment and for our wallets—but is it good business, too? Read the full post --> https://electricrunway.com/disrupting-the-business-of-baby-clothes/Follow us on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/Follow Bundlee on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/bundleebaby/Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes -->https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/electric-runway-podcast/id1064514329?mt=2

Electric Runway Episode 94: Wearing Tech to Live Your Best Life

Sat, 01 Dec 2018 18:30:30 -0500

This week on the Electric Runway podcast, fashion futurist Amanda Cosco interviews James Swanwick, an advocate for wellness and a good night’s sleep. Swanwick says the amount of blue light transmitted from our devices such as laptops and smartphones is disruptive to our circadian rhythm, and can actually lead to macular degeneration or vision loss. That's why he founded Swanwick Sleep, a company that offers blue-light-blocking glasses that are both functional and fashionable. In this episode, he'll tell us more about the dangers of blue light and the glasses his customer-base have affectionately named “Swannies.”

Electric Runway Episode 93: Solving the Challenge of Fit with AI

Thu, 15 Nov 2018 09:18:02 -0500

As consumers of clothing, we all understand the challenge of fit. Some items are too big or too small, and often we're in between sizes. This is all further complicated when we shop online; We may not know our size in a particular brand, and there's no such thing as universal sizing. If you’re a retailer, the challenge of fit directly impacts your bottom line. Right now, it’s estimated that about 30% of online purchases are returned, which translates to wasted costs and resources. Research also shows that poor or wrong fit is among the top reasons why people return items.What would a body-first approach to apparel look like? What if brands invested just as much time and money understanding their customer's fit profile as they did understanding their shopping behaviours?My guest today is Greg Moore, the CEO of Body Block AI, a company that claims to have done more than 500,000 body scans of people from all over the globe. What his team is doing with that data may just be the future of how we think of fit. Our conversation touches on how artificial intelligence (AI) can improve the fashion industry, from shaping a better customer experience to reducing waste and creating a more sustainable fashion industry.

Electric Runway Episode 92: Inside the Los Angeles Fashion Film Festival

Mon, 05 Nov 2018 12:16:02 -0500

Fashion Futurist Amanda Cosco takes you inside the Los Angeles Fashion Film Festival (LAFFF). So what exactly is a fashion film? If you don’t know, don’t worry, Leslie Bedolla is here to tell us, she’s the founder of LAFFF, a culture initiative advocating for an open, creative and inclusive society through the medium of fashion film. We’re going to take a deep dive into this fairly new medium and explore the potentials, as well as the implications for consumers and brands. We’ll also talk about the synergies for emerging media like augmented and virtual reality and how they could push the boundaries for fashion film.

Electric Runway Episode 91: Green is the New Black

Tue, 16 Oct 2018 16:43:04 -0400

Whether you’re an emerging label or a behemoth like H&M, the name of the fashion game today is sustainability. Consumers increasingly demand to know who made their clothes, and they want to ensure the materials involved are not only high-performing but also ethically sourced and sustainable. Customer desires aside, there’s also an environmental argument for disrupting the fashion industry, which is known to be the second most polluting industry in the world next to oil and gas, responsible for 6 to 8% of carbon emissions globally. Less considered (and often underrated) is the business argument for sustainable fashion. Can going green equal bringing in green, too? In this week’s episode of the Electric Runway podcast, we take you inside a recent and fascinating pitch competition that took place in Toronto Canada. Organized by Stacey Fruitman of SWS Ventures, the competition championed textile innovation in Canada and beyond. Entrepreneurs and startups from all over the country were invited to apply online. Four were selected to pitch to a panel of judges for the chance to receive $10,000 in funding. The event was organized in collaboration with the MaRS Catalyst Fund and the George Brown Fashion Exchange. Fashion Futurist Amanda Cosco had the opportunity to moderate the panel that opened the event, which tackled topics such as the circular economy, water waste, advanced manufacturing, and more. We also had the opportunity to interview a number of experts and participants to learn more about their companies and how they’re working to make fashion a more sustainable industry. In this episode, you’ll hear from: 1. Geof Kime, COO, Co-Founder and Director of Circular Systems: https://www.circular-systems.com/2. David McCann, VP of Strategy & Operations at Colorzen: https://www.colorzen.com/profiles/david-mccann/3. Lauren Smith, Founder of PolyGone Technologies: https://www.polygonetechnologies.com/4. Tyler Schon Founder of Pliant Power Devices: http://pliantpowerdevices.com/5. Dale Floer, Co-Founder of Scalable Garment Technologies Inc.: https://www.scalablegarments.com/6. Katherine Homuth, Founder and CEO at Sheerly Genius: https://sheerlygenius.com/

Electric Runway Episode 90: Inside Pittsburgh Fashion Week

Tue, 09 Oct 2018 04:38:46 -0400

When you think of Pittsburgh, you might not necessarily think of fashion; The place is much more known as a university city or steel town. Which is why you may be surprised to learn that rather than travelling to Paris or New York this September, Electric Runway was in Pittsburgh for #PGHFW, or Pittsburgh Fashion Week. In this episode, Fashion Futurist Amanda Cosco speaks with Sara Longo of Style 412, one of the co-organizers of the event, as well as Michael Annichine, the Director of the Magee-Women's Research Institute, one of the main sponsors of Pittsburgh Fashion Week. We also interview Amanda Curtis from Nineteenth Amendment to find out how the company enables emerging and established designers in Pittsburgh and beyond to make their runway shows shoppable.

Electric Runway Episode 89: ER Covers StyleFestPH

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 13:14:56 -0400

Fashion futurist Amanda Cosco takes you inside StyleFestPH, a first-of-its-kind event in Manila aimed at pushing the Filipino fashion and beauty industry into the future. Watch the recap video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F6YyVCEbhkFollow our adventures on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/electric_runway/?hl=en

Electric Runway Episode 88: How Tulip is Enabling the Next-Generation of Retail

Mon, 03 Sep 2018 00:20:44 -0400

In this episode of the Electric Runway podcast, Fashion Futurist Amanda Cosco talks shop with Scott Adel, the Vice President of Retail Excellence at Tulip Retail. Tulip is a platform built exclusively for next-generation retail store associates to offer a world-class omnichannel experience. The app offers services such as checkout, clienteling, fulfilment, and more with an aim to really unify the back-end of retail.

Electric Runway Episode 87: Enabling 3D Commerce with Shopify's Daniel Beauchamp

Wed, 22 Aug 2018 12:47:24 -0400

This week on the Electric Runway podcast, Fashion Futurist Amanda Cosco interviews Daniel Beauchamp, the head of VR and AR for Shopify. Shopify is a leading e-commerce company that provides merchants all over the world the digital tools to sell their products online. In this episode, their conversation touches on how augmented and virtual reality will shape the future of shopping online, and how the company is aiming to enable the next generation of 3D commerce.

Electric Runway Episode 86: Elevating Athleisure with Smart Fabrics

Tue, 14 Aug 2018 11:22:55 -0400

Fashion futurist Amanda Cosco speaks with Regina Polanco, the founder and CEO of Pyrates. Pyrates is a textile innovation startup based in Spain

Electric Runway Episode 85: Virtually Vogue-Fashion and Retail in Second Life

Thu, 02 Aug 2018 22:32:26 -0400

This week on the Electric Runway podcast, we're continuing our conversation on avatars and digital representation with Ebbe Altberg, the CEO of Linden Lab, the company behind Second Life. In case you're not familiar with it, Second Life is an online virtual world created in 2002. Today, approximately one million people log in regularly to play. What we were interested in—and the reason we reached out to Ebbe—is to learn more about how fashion, retail and commerce work in Second Life, as we're increasingly fascinated with virtual clothing and virtual shopping. We were also curious to learn more about Sansar, Linden Lab’s foray into social virtual reality.Ebbe's conversation with fashion futurist Amanda Cosco explores what we can extrapolate about the future of fashion and culture by looking at how people behave in online games today, including how they dress, where they shop, and where their clothes come from.

Electric Runway Episode 84: Stacey Fruitman on Investing with Purpose

Thu, 26 Jul 2018 21:39:08 -0400

This week on the Electric Runway podcast, fashion futurist Amanda Cosco digs into sustainability with Stacey Fruitman. Stacey is an advisor to the MaRS Catalyst Fund as well as the Founder of Style With Substance and the newly launched SWS Ventures, an investment firm on a mission to reduce the environmental impact of the textile and apparel industries. Stacey was recently in Denmark attending the Copenhagen Fashion Summit, the world’s leading business event on sustainability in fashion. In this episode, we learn more about Stacey’s experience in the sustainability space as well as the upcoming pitch competition she’s hosting in Toronto.More on the pitch competition here: https://electricrunway.com/mars-pitch-competition-sustainability/

Electric Runway Episode 83: Instagram's New It Girl Isn't a Girl at all, but Brands are Buying in

Thu, 19 Jul 2018 08:11:50 -0400

From the looks of her Instagram feed, Lil Miqeula seems like a typical twenty-one-year-old. She likes fast food, hanging out with her friends, and posting pictures of her outfits. But there’s one thing you should know: Lil Miquela isn’t real at all. She’s a computer-generated image, or CGI. Although she’s a fictional character, Lil Miqeula boasts more than 1.2 million followers on Instagram. Her popularity has led to real-world partnerships with fashion brands including Prada, Diesel, and Moncler. On this week's episode of the Electric Runway Podcast, Fashion Futurist Amanda Cosco explores the concept of virtual influencers and avatars, and what our obsession with them says about us. First, we hear from Ramona Pringle, a technology journalist and expert on avatars. Ramona has spent most of her professional career studying the relationship between humans and their technology. Ramona says digital influencers aren’t new, but stem from a long history of fabricated personas and teen idols. Next, we hear from Aurora Felice, a 3D fashion designer who brings collections and campaigns to life online. Aurora’s enthusiastic about the possibilities 3D modelling presents, and believes it’s a great way to test concepts before bringing them to life IRL. She walks us through the logistics of creating a “virtually vogue” photoshoot, and why this approach can save fashion brands time and money.Finally, we hear from Wil McReynolds, the CEO and Founder of KP9 Interactive. He shares how his company is working to make avatars more realistic and fully shoppable. With developments in web-based AR and AR-kit, he says augmented reality will become the new standard for buying online.

Electric Runway Episode 82: How Twinery is Reinventing Manufacturing from the Inside Out

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 13:41:25 -0400

Fashion Tech Journalist Amanda Cosco speaks with Amrah Akbar of Twinery on the future of apparel manufacturing and how digital technologies are causing a shake-up in an industry that’s centuries old. Twinery is an innovation hub inside MAS Holdings, one of South Asia’s largest manufacturers of lingerie. Although you may not have heard of Twinery, you’ve likely heard of some of the products that its brought to life, including Wearable X’s smart yoga pants and Thinx’s period-proof underwear. Twinery prides itself on not just offering mass manufacturing capabilities through its parent company, MAS, but also providing strategic partnership and expertise in soft goods technologies.

Electric Runway Episode 81: Danit Peleg- 3D Print Your Clothes From Home

Mon, 25 Jun 2018 14:13:53 -0400

Electric Runway Episode 81: Danit Peleg- 3D Print Your Clothes From Home by Electric Runway

Electric Runway Episode 80: The Innovation Era & 2018 Round-up with Maureen Conners

Thu, 14 Jun 2018 21:39:27 -0400

Fashion Tech expert Amanda Cosco rounds up the first half of 2018 with Maureen Conners. Maureen is a speaker and consultant on the innovation economy as well as an experienced board member. Our conversation touches on major acquisitions from this year so far to changing consumer behaviour to the importance of Voice in the future shopping experience.

Electric Runway Episode 79: Chelsea Klukas on Designing the Future of Fashion

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 12:41:13 -0400

Fashion Tech Journalist Amanda Cosco speaks with designer and woman-to-watch Chelsea Klukas. In addition to experience working for tech giants such as Amazon and Facebook, Chelsea also co-founded MakeFashion, a high-tech, high-fashion production company that grew out of Calgary's maker movement. Chelsea shares how she balances creative and commercial projects, as well as the opportunities she sees for the digitization of clothing and retail. She also hints at an upcoming line of commercially available fashion-tech garments, as well as an augmented reality experimentation with her signature design, Lumen Couture.

Electric Runway Episode 78: Ariel Garten: Wearable Technology is Technology

Fri, 01 Jun 2018 11:56:19 -0400

On this week's episode of the Electric Runway podcast, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco speaks with one of the most accomplished and influential entrepreneurs in Canadian technology. Ariel Garten is the co-founder and CEO of InteraXon, the makers of Muse, the brain-sensing headband. In her interview with fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco, Ariel touches on the relationship between art and science, the state of wearables as an industry, and what it means to be a woman in technology today.

Electric Runway Episode 77: Think Dirty, Shop Clean

Fri, 18 May 2018 10:09:43 -0400

On the heels of Fashion Revolution Week, where thousands across the world asked, "Who Made my Clothes," we're asking a similar question:What exactly is inside the beauty and cosmetics products many of us use on our skin every day?It's a simple question with a not-so-simple answer, since a lot of the time product labels speak a language of their own. It's the question that prompted our guest today, Canadian entrepreneur Lily Tse, to develop an app called Think Dirty. In short, Think Dirty allows consumers to scan any cosmetics product with their mobile phone to learn about what's inside. The app rates products based on their ingredients to inform consumers about what's going into their shopping carts and ultimately onto their bodies.Our conversation touches on the deceptiveness of marketing when it comes to product labels, the business side of monetizing a beauty app, and the complications of balancing community-building and paid partnerships all while maintaining the credibility of your brand.

Electric Runway Episode 76: What Blockchain means for the Fashion Industry

Thu, 10 May 2018 15:57:11 -0400

We've heard so much about blockchain recently—about the rise and fall of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, and how this technology is positioned to radically transform how we transact in a global marketplace. Despite all the buzz, little has been written on how blockchain will impact the fashion industry. On today's episode of the Electric Runway podcast, we're speaking with Ina Samovich, the founder of CopPay, to learn all about how blockchain and fashion brush elbows.CopPay is a blockchain solution for business. In short, it enables merchants and retailers of any size to accept cryptocurrency as a form of payment. In this episode, Ina breaks down some of the language surrounding blockchain to make it relevant for a fashion technology audience. She shares how CopPay collaborated with United Colours of Benneton in Lithuania to enable the brand to accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as a form of payment.In addition to shaping how we transact globally, blockchain also has other implications for the fashion industry, says Ina. The technology can help ensure the authenticity of luxury products and can even help consumers better understand the supply chain behind their purchases.

Electric Runway Episode 75: Shopping in Virtual Reality

Wed, 02 May 2018 20:37:02 -0400

We've all heard of eCommerce before, but what about Vcommerce? While virtual reality may be the future of media, gaming, and entertainment, many in the fashion industry are still grappling with what this emerging technology means for them. In this episode of the Electric Runway podcast, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco gets the scoop on Baetes Technology, a Stockholm-based startup that's hoping to change the way we buy and sell online and in VR. Amanda speaks with chief innovation officer Filip Waak and co-founder and chief sales officer Daniel Sjöberg to learn more about the opportunities for retailers, including turning physical products into digital ones and the possibility of virtual showrooming.

Electric Runway Episode 74: Our Clothes will soon Replace our Devices

Wed, 21 Feb 2018 16:24:37 -0500

Fashion Tech Expert Amanda Cosco interviews Joanna Hir, an award-winning fashion designer and creative technologist who fuses traditional craftsmanship with embedded technology to explore concepts of human expression with wearable technology

Electric Runway Episode 73: The eBay of Tomorrow

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 15:26:16 -0500

Fashion Tech expert Amanda Cosco interviews Camille Kowalewski, Head of Communications at eBay Canada. We all know the eBay of the past, but, given the growing popularity of online shopping and particularly Amazon, we chat about the eBay of the future. Listen to hear Camille's thoughts on the resurgence of marketplaces and how eBay is leveraging artificial intelligence to better drive online sales.

Electric Runway Episode 72: Shopping with Machine Learning and Computer Vision

Wed, 27 Dec 2017 22:51:13 -0500

Fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco interviews Anjolie Kulkarni of PIXT, a New York-based fashion app that leverages machine learning and computer vision to connect shoppers with local boutiques. PIXT translates a user's intent to purchase into an image and ultimately a purchase on their platform. Listen to learn about the startup's strategy for growth, what they learned about style through thousands of data points, and why they think local is the key to unlocking the future of fashion.

Electric Runway Episode 71: Karim Roushdy - "AR is the New Mirror"

Sun, 17 Dec 2017 15:54:09 -0500

Journalist Amanda Cosco interviews Karim Roushdy, the founder of Meraya. Meraya is an augmented reality app for trying on accessories. The app leverages facial recognition technology as well as artificial intelligence to enhance the purchase experience by allowing customers to visualize what products are going to look like before they purchase them online. While Meraya may have started with bowties and jewellery, in the future it will focus on eyewear. Listen to learn about the challenges of launching a new AR app in an increasingly crowded market, as well as the opportunities for overcoming painpoints in the purchase experience.

Electric Runway Episode 70: What Augmented Reality Means for the Fashion Industry

Thu, 30 Nov 2017 15:19:51 -0500

On the Electric Runway Podcast this week, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco sits down with Helen Papagiannis – one of the leading thinkers in augmented reality. In addition to being a designer, researcher, and public speaker on the subject, Helen is the author of a newly published book, Augmented Human, How Technology is Shaping the New Reality. It's a fascinating deep dive on how augmented reality is so much more than the fun face filters we've seen on Snapchat. Augmented Reality has the potential to enhance not only our relationship with technology but also our relationship with the real world around us.Listen in to get an insight view of the world of augmented reality, animojis, and avatars, and how these technologies might affect us as users.

Electric Runway Episode 69: Head over Heels for Tanya Heath

Fri, 24 Nov 2017 10:15:09 -0500

On this week's episode of the Electric Runway podcast, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco interviews Tanya Heath about the designer's namesake brand. At Tanya Health retail locations or on TanyaHeath.com, customers can purchase shoes, boots, and pumps with a range of interchangeable heels that vary in size and style. Women can switch from six-inch to two-inch heights by clicking on and off heels, giving a whole new meaning to the expression "with a click of my heels."Listen to the podcast to find out how the idea came to life, how the Canadian-born entrepreneur is disrupting the footwear industry, and, of course, what we can expect from her in the future.With an impressive range of different shoe and heel designs, Tanya Health offers a style for anyone and anytime. With interchangeable heels, you can now seamlessly transition from day to night, from boss lady to mom, or even from the airplane to a business meeting. All this is possible with a click (and a set of spare heels in your purse, of course).We've been hearing a lot about the value of versatility, lately. Tanya Heath is not only taking this idea seriously, she's banking on it.

Electric Runway Episode 68: How Biotechnology will Bring our Clothes to Life

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 12:44:59 -0500

This week on the Electric Runway Podcast, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco talks with Wen Wang, a researcher out of the MIT Tangible Media Group. Through her research and work, Wen helps us imagine a future where our clothes are grown at home and clean themselves (!) In this episode, we take you for a deep dive into the future of biotechnology and how innovations in material science will impact the fashion industry.Biohybrid Wearables is a brand new area in fashion tech. They’re created by adding biological elements to synthetic materials. By encasing fabrics with bacteria, Wen and her fellow researchers are improving the interactivity in their garments, creating a second skin that reacts to your body’s condition. One of their recent project, BioLogic, showcases this technology in action by means of a set of sports suits that are self-ventilating, which helps improve performance.Tune in to hear about the endless possibilities for the future of fabrication.

Electric Runway Episode 67: Fossil's Hybrid Approach to Wearable Tech

Thu, 09 Nov 2017 12:08:34 -0500

In this episode of the Electric Runway podcast, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco sits down with Aram Hamparian, the Senior Director of Sales at Fossil Group Canada. While Fossil is most known for their watches and handbags, many don't know the company also offers expansive manufacturing capabilities. For more than 20 years, Fossil has been working with leading fashion brands to bring a watch component to their product offerings. Since acquiring Misfit a few years ago, Fossil is now able to offer smartwatches and hybrids—that's watches that combine the look of a classic timepiece with the functionality of a smartwatch.

Electric Runway Episode 66: Alexis Walsh on How to get Recognized by Lady Gaga

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 12:23:09 -0400

Fashion Tech Journalist Amanda Cosco speaks with Alexis Walsh, the fashion designer whose work has caught the attention of Lady Gaga. By day, Walsh lends her talent to Ralph Lauren, but by night she experiments with new materials and furthers the vision of her namesake brand. In this episode, Walsh shares her experience working with Francis Bitonti, and tells how one of the world's most famous performers came to wear her designs.

Electric Runway Episode 65: Jin Koh of Original Stitch: The Perfect Shirt is Personal

Thu, 26 Oct 2017 16:55:09 -0400

In this episode, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco speaks with founder Jin Koh of Original Stitch, a company committed to combining Japanese craftsmanship with the newest body-measuring systems to create the perfect shirt for every customer.

Electric Runway Episode 64: Celebrating 3 Years of FashionTech with Lisa Lang

Sun, 15 Oct 2017 23:24:11 -0400

Throughout her career, Lisa Lang has played a central role in defining FashionTech and cultivating a community of designers, technologists, engineers, and corporate interest. The Berlin-based entrepreneur founded one of the world's first wearable tech brands to be available on ASOS before going on to start her own ready-to-wear fashion-tech houses. In this interview with fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco, she looks back on how the industry has evolved and reveals details of her next project, ThePowerHouse

Electric Runway Episode 63: NYFW Recap with FashNerd

Wed, 11 Oct 2017 11:42:16 -0400

Fashion Tech journalist Amanda Cosco recaps New York Fashion Week with Muchaneta Kapfunde, the founding editor of FashNerd. Before delving into fashion week specifics, the two discuss Kapfunde's recent work and research in Paris, Munich, and London.

Electric Runway Episode 62: Protecting your Peach with PIXI

Sun, 24 Sep 2017 08:53:19 -0400

Fashion Tech journalist Amanda Cosco sits down with Emily Welsch, the founder of PIXI cycling. PIXI is a line of technical apparel on a mission to make cycling more inclusive for women. As an athlete herself, Emily found that cycling is a male-dominated sport, and this is reflected in the clothing. In addition to the technical sophistication we'd expect from high-performance fabrics, PIXI also offers unique, patented features for protecting women's parts

Electric Runway Episode 61: How Markable Leverages Deep Learning to Make Content Shoppable

Fri, 15 Sep 2017 13:42:25 -0400

Fashion Tech journalist Amanda Cosco speaks with Joy Tang, the founder of Markable. Markable is an advertising technology company on a mission to make all visual content shoppable—from photos to websites and even TV shows. The company leverages artificial intelligence and deep learning to help shoppers find exactly what they're looking for

Electric Runway Episode 60: Women & Wearables Recap

Thu, 31 Aug 2017 12:44:05 -0400

Fashion Tech Journalist Amanda Cosco takes you inside Women and Wearables, an event produced earlier this year by Electric Runway in collaboration with We Are Wearables, the world's largest wearable technology meetup. The night aimed to celebrate women and tech and discuss issues unique to them, including sexism in the workplace and how emotion and empathy are needed in tech.

Electric Runway Episode 59: Lina Wassong- 3D Printing the Future of Fashion

Thu, 27 Jul 2017 13:50:51 -0400

In the world of fashion tech, designer Lina Wassong is a rising star and a woman-to-watch. Past creations include a dress that monitors your heart, a skirt that mimics a jellyfish, and an outfit that listens and reacts to its environment. Her latest design, which was brought to life in The Studio by ElektroCouture with the help of FormLabs, is the Parallax Dress, a high-tech take on the little black dress that mimics the movement and intelligence of an octopus. The dress leverages 3D printing, biomimicry, and artificial intelligence to come to life on its wearer.

Electric Runway Episode 58: "Shoes That are an Extension of the Foot" Sandra Gault of True Gault

Sat, 22 Jul 2017 20:32:20 -0400

While some companies are dipping their toes into experimenting with digital technology, you could say our guest today has put both feet forward. Sandra Gault is the CEO and Founder of True Gault, a company that is revolutionizing the way we buy shoes. On TrueGalt.com, customers are invited to engage in an array of technology, from a scanning app that makes sure I get the perfect fit for my feet to a design software that lets me customize colours and textures. Shoes start at $250 a pair and are shipped to your door in the US & Canada. Here to tell us why their shoes are an extension of the foot is Sandra Gault of True Gault.

Electric Runway Episode 57: Tony Mammoliti of YNOT: Personalization is the Name of the Game

Sat, 15 Jul 2017 11:37:02 -0400

Fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco sits down with Toronto-based Tony Mammoliti of YNOT, a company offering cycling gear and outerwear for the urban adventurer. YNOT reimagines the customer experience by leveraging a handful of new technologies, including crowd-funding, laser-cutting, and leading visualization software that enables customers to personalize purchases.

Electric Runway Episode 56: Holograms, Avatars & Eye-Tracking Tech: Dx3 Canada Coverage

Wed, 14 Jun 2017 09:45:34 -0400

Fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco shared conversations from the show floor at Dx3 Canada, Toronto's largest digital retail conference.

Electric Runway Episode 55: "Switching on" the Apparel Industry with Avery Dennison & EVRYTHNG

Fri, 26 May 2017 23:50:00 -0400

Fashion Tech journalist Amanda Cosco speaks with Julie Vargas of Avery Dennison and Andy Hobsbawm of EVRYTHNG. For years, Avery Dennison has been known for their labels and tags. Now, they're collaborating with smart products platform EVRYTHNG to push apparel into the digital age. Using RFID, mobile, and sensor-based technology, Avery Dennison has publically announced ambitions to digitze ten billion items of apparel and footwear in the next few years. This initiative, called "Born Digital" enables us to rethink the relationship between clothing, content, and consumers. In collaboration with Hobsbawm's IoT team, the company has worked with fashion designers such as NYC-based Rochambeau to produce connected jackets that unlock different city-based experiences.Tune in to learn more about their brave new vision for the future of fashion.

Electric Runway Episode 54: Welcome Back Podcast

Sun, 21 May 2017 01:11:40 -0400

We're back with a brand new season of episodes!

Electric Runway Episode 53: Aniyia Williams - Headphones that Sound as Good as they Look

Thu, 02 Mar 2017 21:23:29 -0500

Fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco speaks with Aniyia Williams of Tinsel, makers of the Dipper Audio Necklace, a pair of bluetooth headphones that sound as good as they look. This San Francicso-based female founder says consumer electronics aren't designed with women in mind, but she's out to change that with a line of products that are both functional and fashionable.

Electric Runway Episode 52: Beyond Shrinking & Pinking with Women of Wearables (WOW)

Thu, 23 Feb 2017 09:34:22 -0500

Fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco speaks with Marija Butkovic and Michelle Hua, two fashion tech entrepreneurs and the co-founders of WOW—that's Women of Wearables. WOW is a network for inspiring, connecting, and supporting women in wearable tech, fashion tech, IoT, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. Their conversation touches on the challenges and opportunities facing women in STEM today, as well as their personal entrepreneurial journies transitioning from working in the legal field towards founding their own startups (Kisha Smart Umbrella and Made with Glove)

Electric Runway Episode 51: Your First Virtual Employee

Thu, 09 Feb 2017 10:16:31 -0500

Artificial intelligence is on the tip of our cultural tongue, but what does it really mean for the fashion industry? On today's episode of the Electric Runway podcast, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco speaks with Michael Perry, the CEO and founder of Kit. Acquired by Shopify last year, Kit is a chatbot and AI platform that helps small and medium size retailers with their digital marketing efforts. Kit can send email newsletters and thank you notes on behalf of your store, can place and run Facebook and Instagram ads, and can otherwise optimize your efforts across social media. Most retailers are passionate about what they're selling, but they're not necessarily passionate about understanding the ins and outs of social media ads and online optimization techniques. Kit positions herself as a virtual employee you can hire for just $10 a month to help alleviate business owners so they can focus on what's important.

Electric Runway Episode 50! Andrea C of ModelMob on the Airbnb for Models

Fri, 03 Feb 2017 13:38:20 -0500

In this episode of the Electric Runway podcast, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco speaks with Andrea C of Toronto-based ModelMob, an on-demand booking app that connects clients with talent. In a digital marketing landscape that’s ever-hungry for visual content, ModelMob introduces itself as the Airbnb for models, aiming to eliminate the friction for agents and models.

Electric Runway Episode 49: One Jacket for All Seasons

Thu, 26 Jan 2017 08:52:55 -0500

Isn't is about time our winterwear got an upgrade? In this episode, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco talks heated apparel with Rana Nakhal Solset, the founder and CEO of Emel + Aris, a startup combining luxury fabrics with heat panels to offer fashion and function without compromise.

Electric Runway Episode 48: Announcing the Fashion Fusion Winners

Thu, 19 Jan 2017 09:24:23 -0500

In this episode, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco takes you inside Berlin's vibrant fashion tech community to learn all about the Fashion Fusion program. In case you haven't been following along, the Fashion Fusion program is an ideas competition for encouraging innovation + collaboration in the fashion tech space with groundbreaking concepts. The initiative was funded by the Deutsche Telekom, a German Telekom company, but is powered by a network of awesomeness, including our friends at ElektroCouture and Fashion Tech Berlin. Other partners include Intel, Wired Magazine, Fab Lab Berlin, and the German Research Centre for Artifical Intelligence—to name a few. The program was announced in the summer of 2016, with a call for submissions in late May. By August 16, 2016, the jury—which includes upper-echelon representatives from the fields of fashion and technology—had announced twelve finalists. These selected artists, designers, and entrepreneurs would go on to work closely with the House of ElektroCouture to develop their concepts.Today on the program, you’re going to hear from two very important characters at the centre of the fashion fusion program. Antje Hundhausen is the VP of brand experience at Deutsche Telekom—known as T-Mobile in North America. Antje tells me about why a telecommunications company is interested in the future of smart fashion. Lisa Lang is the founder of ElekrtoCouture, a fashion tech house that helps entrepreneurs bring fashion tech concepts to market. She’s also the lead curator of the Fashion Fusion program. She’s going to announce the winners, which are being revealed as this podcast is published in Berlin at a special awards ceremony.

Electric Runway Episode 47: The Aesthetics of Prosthetics- The ALLELES Design Studio

Thu, 12 Jan 2017 12:48:37 -0500

The ALLELES Design Studio is a Canadian-based startup changing the game when it comes to inclusive fashion by crafting beautiful prosthetic covers for amputees. In this episode, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco interviews the company's art director McCauley Wanner and technology director Ryan Palibroda. Learn about how the two non-prosthetic-wearers came up with the idea to treat prosthetics like fashion, as well as their recent visit to the White House to participate in a runway show on inclusive design.

Electric Runway Episode 46: 2016 Recap with Muchaneta Kapfunde of FashNerd

Wed, 14 Dec 2016 16:31:56 -0500

In our final episode of before the holiday break, we round up all that was 2016 in terms of fashion tech with Muchaneta Kapfunde, founding editor of FashNerd. Our conversation covers highlights of 2016, from the Met Gala to Nike's HyperAdapt self-lacing sneakers. Hear which event's Kapfunde has on her radar for the new year, as well as her predictions for the future of fashion and tech.

Electric Runway Episode 45: Keith Beckles of Tap2Tag- Wearing Our Data

Wed, 07 Dec 2016 23:54:46 -0500

Our guest today on the Electric Runway podcast is Keith Beckles of Tap2Tag, a UK-based company trying to change the way we store and transmit medical data. Tap2Tag's NFC-enabled devices come in a variety of wearable form factors, from bracelets to watches to dog tags. Now, they're trying to expand into the Canadian market by creating a new standard for patient care.

Electric Runway Episode 44: Melanie Trevett of Digital Fashion Week Montreal

Thu, 01 Dec 2016 12:09:13 -0500

This week, our guest on the Electric Runway podcast is the lovely Melanie Trevett, founder of Digital Fashion Week Montreal. A retailer and buyer at heart, Melanie tells a story of visiting Montreal and falling head over studded heels for the city's unique style and aesthetic. Now she's sharing her love for Canadian fashion with the world in the form of a brand new event that promises to undo everything we know about traditional fashion weeks. We speak with Trevett about her vision for Digital Fashion Week Montreal and the Fashion Week of the Future.Learn more about Digital Fashion Week Montreal here: http://www.dfwmontreal.com/

Electric Runway Episode 43: Pete Forde of Its Me- Avatars for Everyone

Thu, 24 Nov 2016 07:44:40 -0500

While most of us may be used to the idea of maintaining a digital persona on platforms like Facebook, the idea of stepping inside these virtual worlds seems—well—out of this world. Yet that's exactly what one startup aims to do. In this episode of the Electric Runway podcast, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco sits down with Pete Forde of ItsMe, a Toronto-based company with a mission to turn everyone into avatars. We discuss the process of crossing over into our digital selves as well as the implications for the future of shopping and retail.

Electric Runway Episode 42: Chatbots go Chic- Epytom on AI for Fashion

Thu, 17 Nov 2016 08:49:07 -0500

Can style be quantified? On this week's episode of the Electric Runway podcast, we're speaking with Anastasia Sartan and Marianna Milkis-Edwards, the founder and editor of Epytom, a styling service that claims you only need 40 pieces of clothing to have endless, effortless style—and that includes shoes and accessories. Sound too good to be true? Find out how this startup is combining artificial intelligence and data to offer personalised styling with an ethos of sustainability. You can interact with Epytom - Stylist on Facebook to try it out for free.

Electric Runway Episode 41: Fashion Tech from a Parisian Perspective

Thu, 10 Nov 2016 12:34:33 -0500

On this week's episode of the Electric Runway podcast, we speak with Noémie Balmat, the founding editor of Clausette Magazine, an online magazine dedicated to covering fashion tech (think of it like Electric Runway but from a Parisian perspective). In addition to covering the fashion tech beat, Noémie is also an innovation consultant and overall #Girlboss. We're happy to have her on the program to share thoughts on the future of fashion tech—especially from her vantage in the world's fashion capital.

Electric Runway Episode 40: MBFW Recap Episode (Part 2 of 2)

Wed, 02 Nov 2016 21:21:15 -0400

Fashion Tech journalist Amanda Cosco rounds out part two of her two-part Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia recap podcast, taking you inside the Fashion Futurum Startup Show, a new initiative put on by the Russian Fashion Council for advancing expertise and accelerating business in the area of fashion tech.

Electric Runway Episode 39: MBFW Russia Recap Episode (Part 1 of 2)

Wed, 26 Oct 2016 13:24:00 -0400

Fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco returns from Moscow with insights and anecdotes into the fashion tech scene in Russia as showcased at Mercedez-Benz Fashion Week. Music by Andrew Applepie. Feature Image via Craig Arend

Electric Runway Episode 38: Startup Fashion Week's Fashion Tech Forum (Live Recording)

Thu, 13 Oct 2016 08:47:36 -0400

Coming to you live from Startup Fashion Week's Fashion Tech Forum! On October 6th, journalist Amanda Cosco moderated a panel on the future of fashion and retail with key characters dotting the fashion tech landscape, including Roger Chabra of Frank + Oak, textile designer Fionna Hanna, Vincent Thériault of Surmesur, and Mario Christian of Daniel Christian Tang. The panel touched on the different ways Canadian companies small and large blend fashion and tech, as well as some key challenges (Photo by Stephanie Greenall. Music by Andrew Applepie)

Electric Runway Episode 37: Fionna Hanna- "Patterns are my way of Making Sense of the World"

Mon, 10 Oct 2016 15:35:34 -0400

Fashion Tech journalist Amanda Cosco speaks with small business owner and textile designer Fionna Hanna. In addition to sharing how she leverages tech to create her Canadian-inspired designs, Hanna also provides insight into her experience running her small business using retail tools like Shopify.Music by Andrew Applepie

Electric Runway Episode 36: Vincent Thériault of Surmesur- Tailor-Made for the Modern Man

Thu, 06 Oct 2016 07:04:18 -0400

On today's episode of the Electric Runway podcast, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco sits down with Vincent Thériault of Surmesur, a brand that's bringing tailor-made to the modern man by bridging data with design. The startup that has roots in the founder's basement has since grown to several brick-and-mortar locations throughout Canada and two in the USA.Music by Andrew Applepie

Electric Runway Episode 35: Barry Fogarty & Leesa Butler of Klothed: Social Styling for Men

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 07:07:14 -0400

Fashion Tech journalist Amanda Cosco takes you inside the Joe Fresh Centre for Fashion Innovation to learn about Klothed, a new styling app for men. She speaks with the app's co-founder Barry Fogarty and Director of Strategic Partnerships & Marketing Leesa Butler to learn how mobile can bridge the gap between online and offline for consumers.Music from Andrew Applepie

Electric Runway Episode 34: NYFW Fashion Tech Round-up With Liza Kindred

Fri, 23 Sep 2016 11:58:18 -0400

This week's guest is none other than Liza Kindred, a New York-based fashion tech expert and the founder of Third Wave Fashion. In this episode, Liza helps round-up fashion tech, retail tech, and developments in digital marketing from New York Fashion Week, which wrapped up last week. From wearables on the runway, to see-now buy-now collections, to fashion week's newfound honesty, this episode is jam-packed with insight into how technology is transforming the fashion industry as we know it.

Electric Runway Episode 33: Heather Lipner: "Augmented Reality is a New Dimension for Fashion"

Wed, 14 Sep 2016 19:12:34 -0400

Heather Lipner is the creative mind behind Drawsta, a line of t-shirts and tattoos that come to life with augmented reality. With Drawsta, she combines her love for apparel with the immediacy of the internet and meme culture. She speaks to fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco about how AR is adding a new dimension to fashion.

Electric Runway Episode 32: Madison Maxey: Hacking Fabrics for the Future

Sat, 27 Aug 2016 00:30:44 -0400

New York-based Madison Maxey is a creative technologist and entrepreneur pioneering the future of fabric. Her design Studio, the Crated, just won an award from Topshop to integrate electronic circuits into textiles.

Electric Runway Episode 31: Zayn Jaffer of Best Buy- The Consumer Electronics Store of the Future

Fri, 19 Aug 2016 14:36:51 -0400

As we begin to wear our technology, consumer electronic stores are starting to look more like department stores, with retail space dedicated to fitness trackers, smart jewelry, and (in some cases) even apparel. Here to talk about the future of the consumer electronics store—and how companies like Best Buy are brushing up against wearables and fashion—is Zayn Jaffer, the Director of Emerging Business at Best Buy Canada.

Electric Runway Episode 30: Marina Toeters- Upgrading Fashion With Technology

Sun, 31 Jul 2016 13:30:32 -0400

Fashion Tech journalist Amanda Cosco speaks with Marina Toeters, a wearable technology and fashion design educator and the founder of By Wire, a design and research facility focused on fashion tech. At By Wire, Marina brings together technicians, fashion designers, students, and businesses to push fashion into the future. She develops prototypes, performs R&D testing, and educates in areas of fashion design and textile technology at three different educations institutions. Working with companies like Phillips, Marina integrates emerging technologies into clothing and helps bring real fashion tech products to market.

Electric Runway Episode 29: Fashion Tech Berlin Round-up

Fri, 22 Jul 2016 09:32:35 -0400

Fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco takes you inside Fashion Tech Berlin, THE conference on the future of Fashion. Our episode begins with Lisa Lang, the founder of Fashion Tech Berlin and the stronghold of the fashion tech community in Berlin and beyond. Amanda then takes you through the show floor to meet exhibitors and designers bringing fashion tech products to market, from robotic dress kits to electromechanical necklaces.

Electric Runway Episode 28: Fredrik Timour- Taking Fashion Tech from Prototype to Production

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 15:17:11 -0400

Up until this point, a lot of the fashion tech products we've seen are costume and concept pieces—meant strictly for the stage, the runway, or for photo shoots. How do we move fashion tech forward from prototypes to products that truly touch consumers lives? In this episode, Fashion Tech Journalist Amanda Cosco interviews Fredrik Timour of Neue Labs, the company responsible for Automat. Automat is a toolkit for enabling fashion tech. It lets designers get their hands dirty with creating wearables without having to learn code. With toolkits shipping later this summer, Automat is posed to be the plug-and-play solution for creating connected clothing and interactive garments.

Electric Runway Episode 27: J Wilson- Fabrics for a Full Contact Life

Fri, 08 Jul 2016 01:31:14 -0400

Fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco interviews JJ Wilson of Kit and Ace, a fashion brand pioneering high-performance fabrics for a full-contact life. After spawning the athleisure movement with their first company, Lululemon, the Wilsons have launhed a second family company. Amanda and JJ's conversation touches on high-performance fabrics for a new generation of consumers and the importance of lifestyle branding.

Electric Runway Episode 26: Thomas Ducellier- The Space Race is on to Forge the Future of Fabrics

Thu, 16 Jun 2016 14:49:51 -0400

The space race is on to forge the future of fabrics, and Canada is emerging as a key player. In this episode, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco interviews Thomas Ducellier, Executive Director of the Printed Electronics Flagship Program at the National Research Council of Canada (or NRC for short). Recorded in Oulu, Finland, Thomas and Amanda discuss the NRC's initiative to push fabrics into the digital age.

Electric Runway Episode 25: Augmented World Expo (AWE)Wearable Tech Roundup

Fri, 10 Jun 2016 16:27:37 -0400

FashTech Journalist Amanda Cosco shares conversations from the show floor at Augmented World Expo (AWE) 2016, one of the largest events in North America looking at augmented and virtual reality + wearable technology. Amanda explores how the digital is penetrating the physical in conversations with Metaverse Nails, SubPac, Machina, Nuheara, Myant, Octagon Studios, Athos, and Augment. AWE 2016 took place June 1-2 in Santa Clara California. Watch Electric Runway's vlog covering the event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRIbxGrIoSc

Electric Runway Episode 24: Al Linke- From Concept to Consumer Product

Mon, 30 May 2016 23:42:53 -0400

Fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco interviews Al Linke of Cat Clutch, an acrylic and LED handbag you can customize with your smartphone. Al explains his journey from creating a one-off concept piece for his wife to creating a viable consumer product.

Electric Runway Episode 23: Randy Rubin- "Transforming Textiles"

Fri, 20 May 2016 01:17:18 -0400

Fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco speaks to Randy Rubin, the founder of Crypton and CEO of Crypton, a company that has been pioneering smart fabrics for almost 30 years. Crypton has made a name for itself in the upholstery world by developing high-performance fabrics for furniture that are both stylish and stain-resistant. Now, through the recent acquisition of Nanotex, the company is turning its attention towards apparel.

Electric Runway Episode 22: Zach Pearl- "Art and Science are a Dialogue”

Thu, 12 May 2016 12:41:26 -0400

We speak with Zach Pearl, artistic director of Subtle Technologies, a maker meetup turned art tech festival. For its 19th year of festival programming, Subtle Technologies has honed in on the future of fashion with a festival entitled "Seamless Visions: New Textiles + Wearable Technologies." Alex touches on fashion's new multimedia component, and how textiles are one of the oldest technologies. For more information on Subtle Technologies' festival, check it out on our events listing page: http://electricrunway.com/event/subtle-technologies-presents-seamless-visions/

Electric Runway Episode 21: Ashlyn Bird- “Integrated Technology is the Way of the Future"

Sun, 01 May 2016 15:48:50 -0400

You may have heard of smartphones and even smart rings, but what about smart earrings? Today on the show, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco sits down with Ashlyn Bird, co-founder of Ear-O-Smart, the world’s first smart earring. While Ear-O-Smart may have started as a direct-to-consumer product, they’ve recently pivoted to focus on offering a universal backing that’s comparable with almost any pair of earrings. The backing reads bio-signals, such as hart rate, calories, and activity, and makes this information available via a companion app. Amanda and Ashlyn talk about why the ear is the best place to gather biometrics, and the challenges of shrinking down a sophisticated piece of hardware into something that fits discretely behind the ear.

Electric Runway Episode 20: Nancy Tilbury: "Putting Dreams in Everybody's Pocket"

Thu, 21 Apr 2016 12:12:19 -0400

In this week’s episode of the Electric Runway podcast, fashion tech journalist Amanda Cosco sits down with Nancy Tilbury of XO. When it comes to fashion tech and wearables, Nancy is a visionary, with more than 20 years experience creating content worn on the body. Under the name Studio XO, Nancy along with her team have developed a reputation for making one-off costume and performance pieces for the likes of Lady Gaga, the Black Eyed Peas, and Azealia Banks—to name a few. Now they’re parking the “studio” bit and scaling up under the name XO. With Nancy’s creative vision leading the way, XO is bringing fashion from the stage to the streets, creating wearables that sit at the intersection of fashion, technology, and music for the masses, specifically for generation Z.

Electric Runway Episode 19: Aaron Rowley- A Textile Factory in a Box

Thu, 14 Apr 2016 11:55:08 -0400

Imagine a future where your clothing comes out of a 3D printer ready-to-wear, no assembly required. This is the dream, and while it’s still a ways away, it’s a dream Aaron Rowley is helping to make a reality with his company Electroloom.

Electric Runway Episode 18: Kristin Neidlinger- "Light is Therapy"

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 12:51:56 -0400

What if you could literally wear your heart on your sleeve? While fashion has always been a form of communication, new advancements in sensors and technologies worn on the body are enabling new forms of human expression. On today's episode, Amanda Cosco sums up MakeFashion before speaking with Kristin Neidlinger of Sensoree. Sensoree is a design studio that focuses on creating wearable bio media. Their conversation covers why light is therapeutic, and how the fashion industry adopted a wearable that was meant for the medical community.

Electric Runway Episode 17: Maria & Shannon Hoover- Make Fashion, Change the World

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 19:13:11 -0400

This weekend we're heading to MakeFashion, a high-tech, high-fashion runway show taking place at the Telus Spark Science Centre in Calgary, Alberta. Models will walk the runway wearing one-of-a-kind wearable art pieces that incorporate emerging technologies, including 3D printing, EEG brain-sensing, and projection mapping. Attendees can expect a spectacle of style—from a cocktail dress that changes hue in response to its environment to a set of mother-daughter skirts that act and react to one another based on proximity. The evening showcase invites audiences to gaze into a not-so-distant future where wearable technology goes beyond the wrist, where our clothing is equipped with new communicative capacities.On today's episode, we speak with Maria and Shannon Hoover, co-founders of Make Fashion.

Electric Runway Episode 16: Alex Semenzato on Community-Building in a Burgeoning Industry

Thu, 24 Mar 2016 00:35:56 -0400

On today's episode, Amanda Cosco speaks with Alex Semenzato, the founder of FashTech, a group with a mission to cultivate community and create a shared language between fashion and technology. Amanda and Alex's conversation touches on everything from biochemically engineered clothing to interactive mirrors. They discuss the different definitions of fashion tech, and how the common denominator between fashion tech and retail tech is experience. Don't miss FashTech's upcoming summit in London April 13th-15th: http://www.fashtech-summit.com/#home

Electric Runway Episode 15: Francesca Rosella: "Our Garments will be our Second Skin"

Thu, 17 Mar 2016 11:26:54 -0400

Fashion and technology are having a moment, and it's not just us noticing. Museums—those vaults of history and culture—are clearly paying attention to the impact of technology on fashion. On today's episode, Amanda Cosco speaks with Michelle Finamore, Senior Curator of 20th and 21st century fashion arts at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, to learn about #TextStyle, their newly opened exhibit exploring the relationship between fashion and technology. Then stay tuned— later on the show we catch up with Francesca Rosella, Creative Director of wearable couture company CuteCircuit. The MFA Boston commissioned CuteCircuit to create a special piece just for the exhibit. Rosella shares her thoughts on fashion tech—in the museum, on the runway, and in the streets.

Electric Runway Episode 14: Tracy Sun: "Fashion is Connection"

Wed, 09 Mar 2016 23:22:31 -0500

Electric Runway founder Amanda Cosco takes you inside Silicon Valley to the Poshmark headquarters to meet co-founder Tracy Sun. Poshmark is a leading platform for buying and selling fashion. Poshmark invites you to shop the closets of women across America, and gives you the opportunity to sell items from your closet. While the company may have emerged as a pioneer of recommence —that is, the reselling of used goods online—today, four-and-a-half years later, the company has its sights set on something much bigger.

Electric Runway Episode 13: Kate Greer- "Sleep is the Next Horizon for Wearables"

Thu, 03 Mar 2016 11:08:45 -0500

If you think wearables are just about counting steps, wait until you meet my guest today. Kate Greer is the Chief Evangelist at Oura Ring, a wellness computer disguised as a ring designed to help you sleep and perform better. Oura differentiates itself from other smart rings on the market by giving you a better picture of your physiology through the lens of sleep. As wearables that count our steps are becoming a ubiquitous, Kate says sleep is the next horizon. Soon, consumer wearables won't just track our run, they'll also track our REM.

Electric Runway Episode 12: Anouk Wipprecht Announces Partnership with CODAME Labs

Tue, 23 Feb 2016 17:27:14 -0500

This morning CODAME, a non-profit organization with a mission to forward technology and the arts in San Francisco, announced a new venture called CODAME Labs. The lab will focus on cross-discipline collaboration between the fashion and tech industries and help foster relationships between brands and designers. Some of the artists involved include Lisa Lang of ElektroCouture and Behnaz Farahi, who you heard from last episode. What’s more, one of our favourite women-to-watch Anouk Wipprecht will serve as creative director.The Dutch designer who has a history of partnering with big-name tech companies such as Audi, Intel, and Microsoft, will bring her expertise in fashion, technology, machine learning and interactive design and help coordinate special programming. In this episode, Anouk shares some details about this new and exciting partnership and the four-day festival in October that will showcase the lab's work.

Electric Runway Episode 11: Behnaz Farahi: "Fashion is Architecture"

Thu, 11 Feb 2016 22:10:08 -0500

Behnaz Farahi is a multidisciplinary designer breathing new life into fashion. Her headline-grabbing garments aren’t just beautiful, they also interact with the world around them. Farahi shares thoughts on Caress of the Gaze, the art project that made her famous, as well as thoughts on the relationship between architecture and fashion design.

Electric Runway Episode 10: Wendy Ng & Eric Boyd: "Clothing Can Enhance Our Humanity"

Fri, 05 Feb 2016 19:57:36 -0500

He’s computers and she’s couture. Technologist Eric Boyd and fashion designer Wendy Ng have been collaborating on concept pieces for the runway that blend technology and fashion. You may have seen their work at Fashion Art Week Toronto, Cirque-It, Futuera, or even Electric Runway’s launch party in July. Their next collaboration will be for Make Fashion, a high tech, high-fashion runway show taking place April 2 in Calgary Alberta. The two share their experiences crossing over into one another's worlds and what's we can expect for their Make Fashion debut.

Electric Runway Episode 9: Parham Aarabi- "AR will be Everywhere"

Wed, 27 Jan 2016 22:04:58 -0500

This week on the Electric Runway podcast, Amanda Cosco’s conversation with Parham Aarabi, Founder and CEO of ModiFace, a skin analysis and facial visualization company aiming to change the way we see ourselves. The ModiFace mirror, which made waves at CES this year, allows users to virtually try on new looks via photo-realistic colour rendering technology. The proximity-based user interface means you can see yourself in real-time as you would look in different shades and styles. Endless palette possibilities are available at the bat of your eyes or a pucker of your lips. On February 3rd, beauty retailer Sephora will announce their virtual artist app powered by ModiFace. The app will connect consumers to lipsticks they love—and ultimately products for purchase. ModiFace estimates the partnership will increase sales by 31%, which is no small feet in the five-hundred billion dollar beauty business. Music by : soundcloud.com/jeff-kaaleInstagram : www.instagram.com/jeffkaale/

Electric Runway Episode 8: Jodi Goodfellow- Fashion Has a Closed-Door Policy

Thu, 21 Jan 2016 07:30:34 -0500

On today's episode of the Electric Runway podcast, Amanda Cosco touches on #FashionTech Berlin, a conference on the Future of Fashion organized by Lisa Lang, Founder of ElektroCouture. We also look at VR in fashion, including an innovative new initiative to democratize fashion by Fashion Week Stockholm. AND—she's the founder and executive producer of Startup Fashion Week and a Notable nominee—Amanda's conversation with Jodi Goodfellow.

Electric Runway Episode 7: CES Recap & High-Tech Friendship Bracelets

Fri, 15 Jan 2016 04:37:23 -0500

Amanda shares thoughts on CES 2016 from a fashion tech perspective and sits down with two companies reinventing the friendship bracelet to empower young girls in different ways. Gemio is a social wearable inviting girls to connect to one another through technology. Jewelbots is a friendship bracelet for the smartphone era that teaches girls to code.

Electric Runway Episode 6: Wearable Tech Expert Tom Emrich

Wed, 06 Jan 2016 19:04:33 -0500

How long will it be before we're all decked out in 3D printed shoes and self-heating jackets? Friend and colleague Tom Emrich sheds light on the future of fashion and technologies worn on the body. Tom and I also play with a few wearable light garments, including the GER mood sweater from Sensoree, and athletic apparel from Toronto-based Vagalume Visible.

Electric Runway Episode 5: Raw Finery Studio Special Announcement

Fri, 18 Dec 2015 01:59:10 -0500

As we wrap our presents for the holidays and wrap up 2015, it's time to look back on the year that was. To help me remember the year in fashion tech, I invited Anna Crooke and Benjamin Tang, co-founders of Raw Finery Studio. RFS is a wearable tech-focused co-working space focused on supporting local fashion tech designers. Our conversation touches on everything from New York Fashion Week to Decoded Fashion Toronto to our (secret) distaste for the Apple Watch. PLUS they share a special announcement for the new year!

Electric Runway Episode 4: Mika Uehara Part 2 of 2- "Style is More Than a Feature"

Thu, 10 Dec 2015 07:46:32 -0500

Part two of my conversation with Mika Uehara, co-founder of SF FashTech. We touch on invisible tech, the fashion scene in SF as well as the difference between fashion tech and retail tech.

Electric Runway Episode 3: Mika Uehara Part 1 of 2- Fashion Tech in SF

Fri, 04 Dec 2015 14:04:48 -0500

Part one of my two-part conversation with Mika Uehara, co-founder of SF Fashion Tech, one of the Bay Area's most active fashion tech communities. We touch on everything from collaboration culture to 3D printing.

Electric Runway Episode 2: Natalie Walsh- Is Open Source the Future of Fashion?

Fri, 27 Nov 2015 02:58:15 -0500

What if fashion wasn't something you sold, but an idea you shared? For episode two, we speak with the woman behind a dress that has become a meme. Natalie Walsh is a designer at Instructables and the original maker of an open source fiber optic dress. We travel to sunny San Francisco to chat with her about light-up apparel and the overlap between fashion tech and the maker community.

Electric Runway Episode: 1 Billie Whitehouse- "Design is Emotional"

Thu, 19 Nov 2015 01:16:32 -0500

She has been called the Elon Musk of fashion. Her company, Wearable Experiments, is the creative energy behind innovative and unusual campaigns such as Fundawear, a pair of vibrating underwear for couples in long-distance relationships. More than a garment engineer, Billie Whitehouse is changing the way we think about wearable technology. We sit down with her ahead of her keynote at WEST conference in Toronto to talk haptics, wearables for women, and the future of fashion.

Electric Runway Preview Episode

Thu, 12 Nov 2015 23:35:13 -0500

Electric Runway is a podcast hosted by Amanda Cosco exploring the intersection of fashion and technology. It features interviews with makers and shakers pioneering the future of fashion. Full episodes start November 19th.