In 1983, Eileen Fisher signed up for a fashion trade show with no experience, no garments, no patterns or sketches – nothing but a few ideas for a women's clothing line focused on simplicity. Within three weeks, she came up with 12 pieces, a logo, and a name: Eileen Fisher. Today, the Eileen Fisher brand is still known for its elegant and minimalist designs, ... Show More
Oct 6
Pressbox and Tide Cleaners: Vijen Patel. The $1.99 Gamble That Built a National Brand
What if the best startup isn’t sexy at all? In 2013, Vijen Patel left private equity to pursue “the least-worst idea”: dry cleaning. No patents. No app wizardry. Just laundry lockers in high-rises, ruthless unit economics, and a $1.99-a-shirt price that was seared into America’s ... Show More
1h 6m
Oct 2
Advice Line with Tony Xu of Doordash
Tony Xu, founder of DoorDash, joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Tony updates Guy on his latest ventures: expanding into grocery and retail delivery - and taking on international markets.First, we hear from Ron in Portland ... Show More
49m 13s
Sep 2023
Eileen Fisher: Keep it simple to make it timeless
Simplicity is notoriously difficult, but it’s key to iterating successfully — and staying relevant. Featuring cameos from entrepreneur superstar Daymond John, and Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom, this episode shares lessons from the timeless clothing brand, and its namesake cr ... Show More
35m 7s
Nov 2021
Eileen Fisher: How design principles and systems guide a clothing company
Show notes: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/rewind-eileen-fisher-embracing-imperfect In his book The Laws of Simplicity, John Maeda says that “simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful.” Our final guest this season, Eileen Fisher, is a master at mak ... Show More
42m 48s
Oct 2021
Who What Wear with Hillary Kerr: Designer Nili Lotan on Building Her Namesake Label and Her Chicest Style Advice
Israel-born, New York–based fashion designer Nili Lotan couldn’t go out of style if she tried. On this week’s episode, she tells Hillary how she got her start in the industry—including leading design teams at Ralph Lauren and Liz Claiborne—before creating her eponymous label at a ... Show More
44m 19s
Sep 2021
Fast Fashion | Fire Sale | 1
It’s 1987 and Jane Shepherdson, a star buyer for retail chain Topshop, is using her keen ability to predict trends to put the company on the map as the go-to shopping destination for young British women. But when the company is bought by prickly business tycoon Philip Green, all ... Show More
26m 49s
Apr 2024
Ep. 82 The Real Story Behind Odd Muse With Aimee Smale
It’s safe to say that Aimee Smale has had a whirlwind few years. Aged just 21 she left her job at Asos to found Odd Muse, a fashion brand known for tailoring and sleek silhouettes. She openly admits she had no experience running a business, yet within her first three months, she’ ... Show More
1h 8m