Starting a new company is never easy, especially launching a shoe brand in the midst of a global pandemic. But some emerging designers have found solid footing, and they shared their experiences on Aug. 3 at FN’s CEO Summit in New York, which was sponsored by FDRA, NuOrder by Lightspeed and Aetrex. In a panel talk about emerging talent, Tina Bhojwani, chief executive officer and cofounder of Aera; Marina Larroudé, chief creative officer and cofounder of Larroudé; Will Cooper, senior vice president and general merchandise manager of women’s shoes, handbags and accessories at Saks, and Amina Means, creative director and founder of Nalebe, sat down with FN style director Shannon Adducci to talk about the big factors impacting their businesses, from social media and sustainability to keeping the momentum going in fashion’s diversity push.
Below are highlights from their conversation.
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