Venturing into Fashion Tech

Underrepresented: Breaking Free from Iran to Build New Fashion Worlds with Mersedeh Heydari

Founder of Hamer’s 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: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mersedeh-heydari/Check out Moodi Studio: https://www.themoodistudio.com/--------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 podcast@beyondform.io. If you’re an entrepreneur or fashion tech startup looking for studio support, check out our website: beyondform.io

Underrepresented: The Power of Saying “No”, My Shark Tank Experience with Sehrish Raza

Sehrish Raza, a female fashion founder from Pakistan, shares her journey as an underrepresented founder navigating entrepreneurship in South Asia. She discusses the resilience required to scale her business from 20,000 to 200,000 users. She shares her experience pitching on Shark Tank Pakistan, and having the wherewithal and self-confidence to choose herself over a bad deal. Through BizB, she empowers women entrepreneurs and fosters financial inclusion in the region.Lessons in Resilience & Growth- What we learned: Fundraising and investment realities – the unique hurdles women face when raising capital.Shark Tank insights – navigating high-pressure pitching with confidence.Confidence as strategy – believing in your numbers and your vision.More than 100% Growth Y-oY – achieving exponential success and knowing your worth.Operating as a female founder in a male-dominated nation- Outsourcing funding and getting creativeConnect with Sehrish on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sehrish-raza-bizb/Visit BizB: https://www.bizb.store/en--------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 podcast@beyondform.io. If you’re an entrepreneur or fashion tech startup looking for studio support, check out our website: beyondform.io

Underrepresented: British Fashion Needs Diversity and Representation to Thrive with Ahmet Emin Hondor

With nearly 15 years in the British fashion industry, Ahmet Emin Hondor shares his journey advocating for entrepreneurship and resilience among emerging designers with the British Fashion Council. He reflects on how representation and cultural identity have shaped his path, while also addressing the mental drain of navigating microaggressions masked as politeness as a Turkish man in London. For Ahmet, community engagement is crucial to driving meaningful inclusion in the British fashion industry. Beyond his work with the British Fashion Council, he organizes London's Gay Pride, championing diversity, mental well-being, and authentic storytelling. Through his efforts, he is helping to shift global narratives, empower LGBTQ+ voices, and build sustainable opportunities for underrepresented founders in the UK.Redefining Inclusion in Fashion:  • Beyond tokenism – meaningful inclusion requires empowerment, not just visibility. • Culture as creativity – personal identity shapes design, styling, and storytelling. • Mental health matters – navigating exclusion and toxic environments with resilience. • Pride & responsibility – corporate inclusivity should last beyond seasonal campaigns. • Emerging designers – cultural heritage can be a competitive edge in business.Connect with Ahmed: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ahmeteh--------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 podcast@beyondform.io. If you’re an entrepreneur or fashion tech startup looking for studio support, check out our website: beyondform.io

Underrepresented: Redefining African Fashion & Cultural Identity with Nuel Bans

Founder of Debonair Afrik, Nuel Bans discusses his journey as an underrepresented founder championing African fashion on the global stage. From launching a blog to landing a Vogue cover, Nuel shares the resilience required to transform passion into a multifaceted brand. He highlights the importance of entrepreneurship, the impact of representation in elevating African creatives, and the power of community in fostering collaboration, purpose, and authentic cultural storytelling. Nuel also opens up about the struggle of minority designers, including repeated exclusion from opportunities with LVMH, and how adversity has shaped his vision to expand into Paris and grow his international presence while supporting emerging designers across the diaspora.Fashion with Purpose & Community- in this episode, we discuss:Evolving from blog to brand – How Debonair Afrique’s evolution reflects the potential of passion-led projects.How cultural identity fuels creativity – African craftsmanship and storytelling deserve global recognition.Shifting narratives – challenging outdated perceptions of Africa to highlight appreciation, value, and innovation.Representation at the top – Black designers and founders must be visible in leadership positions.Overcoming exclusion – turning missed opportunities into motivation to push boundaries internationally.Connect with Nuel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuel-ekuban-b3749a150/Visit Debonair Afrik: https://debonairafrik.com/--------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 podcast@beyondform.io. If you’re an entrepreneur or fashion tech startup looking for studio support, check out our website: beyondform.io

Underrepresented: Dorcas Payne on how to make Fashion Operations and Supply Chains Sexy

Dorcas Payne, a creative business consultant, shares her insights on building successful businesses in niche fashion markets. She emphasizes the critical role of operations and supply chain management in creative entrepreneurship, and the resilience needed to scale. For her, it’s crucial for emerging fashion talent to continuously listen to the feedback loop and use data to grow.  Dorcas is on a mission to make supply chains sexy again, showing how strategic operations, thoughtful execution, and community-driven collaboration are just as exciting and essential as the designs on the runway.The Backbone of Creative Business- in this episode, we discuss why: • Operations matter – supply chain and operational strategy are the foundations of growth in the fashion industry. • Data is king – understanding customer behavior through feedback loops drives better decisions. • Scale down, execute excellence – resilience comes from doing fewer things at a higher standard. • Representation in entrepreneurship – systemic challenges for global ethnic majority founders demand allyship and collaboration.Connect with Dorcas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorcas-payne/--------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 podcast@beyondform.io. If you’re an entrepreneur or fashion tech startup looking for studio support, check out our website: beyondform.io