Here is the Speaker Lineup for The Fashion Business Summit
We’re a few days away from The Fashion Business Summit and today I want to introduce you to the eight fashion founders who will be featured as speakers and panelists throughout the event.
Each Factory45 graduate has a unique background and startup story: Whether it’s working a corporate career, making a career pivot, raising kids while building a brand, or working on the front lines during the pandemic… these entrepreneurs will inspire you on your journey into fashion entrepreneurship.
Hosts
Shannon Lohr, CEO & Founder of Factory45
Shannon is the founder of Factory45, the online business school trusted by over 500 fashion entrepreneurs since 2014. Over the years she’s worked with aspiring designers, all over the globe, to launch or grow their fashion or accessories brands in a way that’s better for people and planet. Shannon got her start in 2010 when she co-founded {r}evolution apparel, a sustainable clothing brand for female travelers and minimalists that was featured by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Forbes.com.
Hannah McDermott, Founder of Santos Swim & Director of Enrollment at Factory45
Growing up in Southern California, Hannah always had a passion for the ocean which led her to pursue launching her globally-conscious swimwear line, Santos Swim. Her goal is to design versatile, multi-functional swim pieces that can be worn year-round. As a mentor for Factory45, she shares her passion for sustainability and offers 1:1 support to other fashion entrepreneurs pursuing their dreams. Hannah is also Factory45’s Director of Enrollment and helps designers decide if the program fits their unique business goals.
Speakers
Balancing a Fashion Startup and a Full-Time Job
Deanna Cook, Founder of LIYA Collective
Factory45 2019
Deanna is a Factory45 Mentor and the Founder of LIYA Collective, a brand of minimalist, natural fiber accessories sustainably made around the world. She also works as a Sustainability Project Manager at an ESG consulting firm, supporting companies on their sustainability journeys. Professionally, Deanna has worked on a wide variety of projects across the space, from multi-million-dollar USAID initiatives in technology and employability in Southeast Asia to the World Cleanup Day environmental change campaign in East Africa. She holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Commerce in International Management and International Development from McGill University.
Running a Fashion Startup While Raising Kids
Natalie Freed, Founder of MSL Bags
Factory45 2020
Natalie started her professional career as a television writer at Entertainment Tonight and the Rachael Ray show. She left television to be a stay-at-home parent, and is currently raising her two children in Los Angeles, where she writes My Source Life, a personal blog on mindful living and parenting. She has blended her background amongst the famous and fabulous, with her mission to be more mindful about her environmental footprint, by creating her brand MSLBags, which seeks to elevate the idea of eco-friendly by combining style with sustainability. Her first product,The Floppy, is a reusable grocery bag and tote, made from 100% recycled materials, that is more functional than traditional floppy bags, and attractive enough to take you to places much cooler than the grocery store.
Panelists
Creating a Fashion Brand Without a Fashion Background
Farrell O’Rourke, Founder of Farrell & Co.
Factory45 2022
Farrell is the founder of headwear company, Farrell & Co., and a marketing professional with expertise in digital delivery. After a career of almost 15 years in the financial services industry, Farrell pivoted to start her sustainable fashion business. Her mission with Farrell & Co. is to use ethically-sourced materials to produce headwear that will keep up with you, while you pursue your passions. In addition to running her business, Farrell is a mom of three, a runner, and an aspiring drummer.
Oriana Turley, Founder of Medicine Mountain Scrub Company
Factory45 2019
Oriana is a mother, adventurer, nurse, sustainability-in-healthcare professional and founder of Medicine Mountain Scrub Company LLC. In her first week as a nurse, she was disappointed to not find full coverage, functional performance workwear made with the strict ethical and sustainability standards important to her. So she set out to create her own. Oriana is also an advocate for getting outside to heal the soul, and encourages women in medicine to prioritize time in nature to heal from the trauma witnessed at work. She lives in The Bitterroot Valley of Montana with her 4-year old daughter, Amara, and blacksmith artist husband, Charlie. She can often be found wandering windswept ridge-tops with her daughter.
Jen Wofford, Founder of Jangle
Factory45 2021
Jen started making clothes with her grandmother when she was 12 years old. She attended Parsons School of Design in New York and has been creating couture pieces for clients since 2016. Jangle, based in San Francisco, is her new socially-conscious maximalist label. With a commitment to ethical practices, Jangle weaves natural fibers, quality craftsmanship and the power of human connection into an endless supply of fun!
Panelists
Creative Pre-Selling Strategies to Launch Your Brand
Tina Xia, Founder of Maison Mikumo
Factory45 2021
Tina is the founder and designer behind Maison Mikumo, a slow-fashion brand featuring timeless, feminine clothing with Japanese and Korean style influences. Drawing from her skills and experiences as an illustrator and nonprofit manager, Tina creates unique and trend-less designs while focusing on Maison Mikumo’s commitment to doing good both within its supply chain and with nonprofit partners. By combining sustainability-forward materials, zero-waste and small-batch manufacturing, ethical labor, and digital design development technology, Maison Mikumo strives to bring diversity and innovation to the sustainable fashion world.
Meghan Forest Farmer, Founder of The Bright Factory
Factory45 2020
From photoshoot sets to factory halls, over the past 10 years Meghan Forest Farmer has navigated her way through the fashion pipeline to where she lands today with The Bright Factory. The Bright Factory is creating dignified employment for formerly incarcerated women at their cut and sew facility, currently being set up. Manufacturing wholesale t-shirt blanks, made from organic cotton and by the hands of folks being given a second chance, is the name of the game. Meghan believes the future of fashion, the garment worker position, and formerly incarcerated women, is bright.
Amanda Toy, Founder of Nicole & Rose
Factory45 2021
Amanda is the owner and designer of Nicole & Rose. Creating a clothing brand was a dream of Amanda’s since she was a young girl and with the help of Factory45 she was able to make this dream become a reality. Nicole & Rose is a size inclusive slow fashion brand focused on empowering women to be their most authentic, beautiful and worthy selves. They aim to create timeless & effortless clothing that you will not only feel amazing in but also feel amazing about as it’s made with other humans, animals and the environment in mind.
If you’re ready to start your fashion brand this year, registration is open for The Fashion Business Summit.
Register for your free VIP Pass here
Can’t wait to see you there!
