Venturing into Fashion Tech

In the final episode of the Milan Series, Peter Jeun Ho Tsang is joined by Beatrice Newma to reflect on the insights and lessons from the series.

Across four conversations, we explored Milan’s fashion ecosystem from different perspectives: education and industry access, the experience of building a business as an international founder, turning a creative idea into a commercial proposition, and understanding what buyers actually look for.

But how do you put those insights into practice?

Peter and Beatrice turn their attention to the realities of starting a fashion business abroad. Drawing on Beatrice’s own experience building a fashion brand, they discuss why a strong product is only the starting point, the importance of understanding your customer, finding the right mentors, building local relationships and knowing when your business is ready for the market.

The conversation concludes with five practical considerations for founders. Whether you're considering launching a fashion brand, entering a new market or building a business in a country that isn't your own, this episode offers a grounded perspective on what it really takes to turn an idea into a viable fashion business.

Discover the BF × FFS Fashion Startup Incubator Programme. Cohort 1 launches in 2027.

Your product might be great. But will a buyer say yes?

Peter Jeun Ho Tsang speaks with Gabriela Moschini, whose career includes Prada Group, Max Mara and Roberto Cavalli, about what it really takes to get a fashion brand into the market.

From collection structure and positioning to pricing, margins and production capacity, Gabriela reveals what buyers look for and why getting into a showroom is only the beginning.

If you're building a fashion brand, discover what it takes to turn a compelling product into a commercially viable business.

Discover the BF × FFS Fashion Startup Incubator Programme. Cohort 1 launches in 2027.

You can know your product inside out and still not know how to build the business.

In Episode 3 of The Milan Series, Peter speaks with Giusy Liguori, a jewellery designer, educator and entrepreneur based in Milan.

Giusy reflects candidly on launching her own jewellery brand and the lessons she learned the hard way. She explains why her biggest mistake was thinking she already knew enough, and why having the right mentor and surrounding yourself with people who understand the parts of the business you don't can make a fundamental difference.

They also explore what makes Milan such a powerful environment for product development: generations of craftsmanship and specialist suppliers alongside a new generation of founders bringing technology, new materials and different ways of building businesses into the ecosystem.

Discover the BF × FFS Fashion Startup Incubator Programme.
Cohort 1 launches in 2027.

If you're thinking about building a fashion business in Milan, this is the reality check worth hearing before you arrive.

Peter speaks with Zofia Żelichowska-Walczak, the Polish founder of Ciriana, who has spent more than a decade building her fashion business in Italy.

Zofia talks candidly about what it means to build from outside the traditional Italian fashion system: finding the right suppliers, working with Italian craftsmanship, navigating costs and competition, and learning from the failures that come with building a company from scratch.

She also explains why Milan can give a founder access to an extraordinary product and manufacturing ecosystem - but why building the business still requires patience, commercial thinking and the ability to look beyond Italy when it comes to selling.

Discover the BF × FFS Fashion Startup Incubator Programme.
Cohort 1 launches in 2027.

What really makes Milan a fashion capital?

In the first episode of The Milan Series, Peter speaks with Anna Lottersberger, Dean of Ferrari Fashion School, about the people, businesses and infrastructure behind Milan's fashion ecosystem.

Anna shares her journey from designer and entrepreneur to educator, and explains why Milan's strength goes far beyond its famous fashion houses - from its textile and manufacturing networks to its concept stores, industry connections and international community.

They also discuss what emerging fashion founders often get wrong, why mentorship and an extended network matter, and why getting to market quickly, understanding your customer and making cash should be at the heart of building a fashion business.

Discover the BF x FFS Fashion Startup Incubator Programme. Cohort 1 launches in 2027.

This episode delves into the significant advancements in fashion tech in 2025, focusing on AI, digital fashion, and virtual try-on technology.

With guest speaker Matt Astarita of Browzwear and host Peter Jeun Ho Tsang, they explore the acquisition of La La Land, the CaaStle fraud case, investor due diligence, the future of virtual try-on technology, and the evolution of digital fashion and product creation. The year 2025 marked a shift towards ecosystem integration and collaboration among fashion tech vendors.

Takeaways

• Fashion tech in 2025 saw significant advancements in AI, digital fashion, and virtual try-on technology.
• The year 2025 marked a shift towards ecosystem integration and collaboration among fashion tech vendors.

Chapters

• 00:00 Fashion Tech Advancements in 2025
• 05:17 Acquisition of La La Land and AI Integration
• 12:31 The Role of AI in Styling and Designing Outfits
• 17:56 Investor Due Diligence in Fashion Tech
• 27:48 Digital Fashion and Product Creation in 2025

Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matt-astarita-07aa24a7/

Find out about Browzwear: browzwear.com/

In this final episode of the underrepresented series, hosts Beatrice Newman and Peter Jeun Ho Tsang recap their favourite insights learned from their guest speakers. They delve into the heart of the fashion industry, exploring the challenges and triumphs of underrepresented voices. 

Join us as we uncover personal stories and insights from diverse speakers who are reshaping the landscape of entrepreneurship. From leading with empathy to redefining operations, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways for anyone looking to make a meaningful impact.

• Listeners are encouraged to reflect on how they can contribute to building better ecosystems of work.
• The conversation provides actionable insights for those in strategy, operations, and creative roles

Connect with Peter: linkedin.com/in/peterjeunhotsang

Connect with Beatrice: linkedin.com/in/korlekie

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The show is recorded from Beyond Form, a fashion tech innovation platform. We build, invest, and educate fashion tech entrepreneurs and startups. We’d love to hear your feedback, so let us know if you’d like to hear a certain topic. Email us at [email protected]. If you’re an entrepreneur or fashion tech startup looking for studio support, check out our website: beyondform.io

Authentic Representation & Cultural Storytelling in Fashion:
Cultural consultant Arooj Aftab, a Vogue Business 100 Next Gen agitator, explores the fashion industry, emphasising entrepreneurship that prioritises representation and authentic storytelling. She highlights the resilience required to challenge norms and the power of community engagement in fostering inclusion. 

She champions “Culture over Colour,” and the need to move beyond surface-level diversity to truly reflect society in creative industries. Her values and vision have led her to host events at Bicester Village, bringing together like-minded people to strengthen their community bond. 

Challenging the Fashion Status Quo:
• Inclusion before diversity – representation must go deeper than tokenism.
• Storytelling matters – cultural narratives are essential to authentic fashion.
• Community engagement – change happens through collective action.
• Fashion’s responsibility – the industry must reflect the true diversity of society.

Connect with Arooj: linkedin.com/in/arooj-aftab-91865814a

Find out more about Arooj's work: arooj-aftab.com

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The show is recorded from Beyond Form, a fashion tech innovation platform. We build, invest, and educate fashion tech entrepreneurs and startups. We’d love to hear your feedback, so let us know if you’d like to hear a certain topic. Email us at [email protected]. If you’re an entrepreneur or fashion tech startup looking for studio support, check out our website: beyondform.io

Founder of Krippit Paris, a 3D-printed fashion accessories startup, Melissa Chung shares her journey as an underrepresented founder turning a personal problem into a business innovation. She discusses entrepreneurship, the resilience required to thrive as a woman in the finance industry, and the importance of representation for female founders. As a Canadian immigrant in France, she has learned that innovation has no language barrier—great ideas transcend language. Melissa also emphasizes taking the “dis” out of disability, turning what can be seen as a disadvantage into a personal advantage. She highlights how community engagement, mentorship, and advocacy for ADHD and learning differences can empower other underrepresented founders to succeed in innovation-driven businesses.

Breaking Barriers in Fashion & Finance:
  • From finance to fashion – transforming women’s daily struggle in high heels into innovation.
• High heel protectors – tackling a problem women face daily in professional settings.
• ADHD as an advantage – turning challenges into entrepreneurial strengths.
• Advocacy & education – supporting those with ADHD by transforming passions into successful businesses

Connect with Melissa: www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-cs/details/experience/

Visit Krippit: krippit.com

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The show is recorded from Beyond Form, a fashion tech innovation platform. We build, invest, and educate fashion tech entrepreneurs and startups. We’d love to hear your feedback, so let us know if you’d like to hear a certain topic. Email us at [email protected]. If you’re an entrepreneur or fashion tech startup looking for studio support, check out our website: beyondform.io

Founder of Heymers Academy and Moodi Studio, Mersedeh Heydari shares her entrepreneurial journey as an underrepresented founder merging architecture, fashion, and game design to create immersive creative experiences. She discusses the resilience required to navigate cultural and systemic barriers in Iran, and the importance of representation for emerging creative talent. She emphasizes that there is no perfect world, and that thriving under Iran’s strict social and cultural standards has not only tested her perseverance but also ignited her creativity, shaping the bold, boundary-pushing vision that defines her work today.

Building Creativity & Opportunity in Fashion- we learn how: 
 • Turning cultural and governmental barriers into opportunities – how to innovate in a country like Iran. 

 • Fashion meets game design – using interactive storytelling to express identity and culture.

 • Students as collaborators – integrating education and industry to nurture emerging talent.

 • Shaping our identities and businesses in tandem- informing creative decision-making through lived experience 

Connect with Mersedeh on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mersedeh-heydari

Check out Moodi Studio: www.themoodistudio.com

Check out  Heymers Academy: www.heymers.com

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The show is recorded from Beyond Form, a fashion tech innovation platform. We build, invest, and educate fashion tech entrepreneurs and startups. We’d love to hear your feedback, so let us know if you’d like to hear a certain topic. Email us at [email protected]. If you’re an entrepreneur or fashion tech startup looking for studio support, check out our website: beyondform.io