Episode 29 – Elif Akaydin • Patent of Heart | Building a Purpose-Driven Handbag Brand Across Global Artisan Networks

The Best Collaborations Start Before the Work Does

Ariane and I have known each other for years — long before Lys Link, long before any of this made professional sense. What started as a friendship in Montréal eventually became something else entirely: a working relationship built on mutual trust, shared standards, and the kind of honesty that only comes from knowing someone well enough to tell them the truth. We are a flight apart. We have never worked in the same room. And yet this past year has been one of the most aligned professional experiences I have had. There is something particular about working with someone who already knows how you think — and who pushes back when they disagree, not to create friction, but because they care about the outcome as much as you do. This Canada Day felt worth marking. Not because of geography or celebration — but because of what this year has quietly become. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit clairelysbastienwald.substack.com [https://clairelysbastienwald.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 38 – Dario Markovic Ristic • Eric Javits | D2C Growth, Accessory Operations, and Smarter Inventory Planning

🎙️ In this episode of The Fashion Translator, I spoke with Dario Markovic Ristic, CEO of Eric Javits, about leading a heritage accessory brand through D2C transformation, operational complexity, and the next layer of AI-driven growth. Eric Javits has been built over more than four decades, but the brand’s recent evolution reflects a very modern reality: even established fashion businesses cannot rely only on product, reputation, or wholesale visibility anymore. When physical retail was disrupted, the company had to move quickly from a primarily B2B model into a direct-to-consumer structure — building customer data, digital operations, and a leaner business model while continuing to manage design, manufacturing, retail partnerships, supply chain pressure, and seasonal product timelines. From supplier consistency to inventory forecasting, the conversation highlights how growth in accessories is no longer only about adding more products or entering more categories — it is about understanding where complexity lives, where money is tied up, and where better systems can make the business healthier. We explore: • How Eric Javits shifted from a wholesale-led model into D2C during a moment of major market disruption • Why owning customer data became a critical operational layer for a long-established brand • The hidden work behind accessories — from materials and testing to sampling, supplier reliability, and production timelines • Why consistency, speed, and long-term manufacturer relationships still matter in a market under constant pressure • How AI, automation, connected infrastructure, and inventory intelligence are shaping the next phase of more profitable growth In accessories, the story behind the product is increasingly tied to the systems underneath it — from supplier decisions and stock planning to the way brands use data to grow with more discipline. ✨ If you’re growing a fashion or accessory brand and trying to move from momentum into healthier, more structured scale, feel free to reach out 🎧 Listen to the full episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thefashiontranslator [https://youtube.com/@thefashiontranslator] or Substack: https://substack.com/@clairelysbastienwald/notes [https://substack.com/@clairelysbastienwald/notes] Guest: 👤 Dario Markovic 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dario-markovic-ristic/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dario-markovic-ristic/] Brand: 🌐 https://ericjavits.com/ 🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericjavits/ [https://www.instagram.com/ericjavits/] 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eric-javits/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/eric-javits/] ✨ Connect with Claire Lys to explore how AI, systems, and innovation can support fashion brands — or to be featured on The Fashion Translator: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-lys-bastien-wald/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-lys-bastien-wald/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit clairelysbastienwald.substack.com [https://clairelysbastienwald.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 37 – Joseph Alexander Rein • LW PEARL | Luxury Craft, Digital Product Development, and Retail-Ready Fashion

🎙️ In this episode of The Fashion Translator, I spoke with Joseph Alexander Rein, Founder and CEO of LW PEARL and LW PEARL Atelier, about building a fashion business at the intersection of luxury craft, textile development, digital product workflows, and retail expansion. Joseph brings a rare perspective into the conversation: one shaped by couture-level garment work, embroidery, luxury, and the realities of bringing a brand into market. Through LW PEARL Atelier, his team works across high-touch textile development, embellishment, embroidery, swatches, prototypes, and runway-driven deadlines. Through LW PEARL Brand, that same craftsmanship is being translated into a scalable lifestyle and womenswear business with retail potential. The conversation moves beyond the usual conversation around creativity and technology. Joseph speaks directly to the tension many fashion businesses face: how to preserve artistry while making decisions around costing, repeatability, merchandising, buyer materials, production, and commercial viability. From hand embroidery and Swarovski surface treatments to 3D rendering, AI-generated imagery, and buyer lookbooks, the conversation highlights how the next phase of fashion will depend less on choosing between craft and technology — and more on knowing where each one belongs in the process. We explore: • Why emerging designers often struggle to translate editorial creativity into commercially viable product • How PLM, 3D CAD, Adobe tools, and AI can support the pre-production process before sampling begins • Why embroidery, shine, texture, and textile movement still require physical swatches and deep material expertise • How LW PEARL Atelier operates behind the scenes with luxury clients, rapid prototyping, and specialized artisans • Why buyer lookbooks, retail presentations, and AI-assisted content are becoming key growth tools for fashion brands This episode looks at luxury fashion through the full system behind it: the textile craft, the product development discipline, and the commercial shift pushing brands to make creativity more precise, repeatable, and retail-ready. ✨ If you’re translating a highly crafted product into retail, buyer presentations, or a more scalable commercial structure, feel free to reach out. Guest: 👤 Joseph Alexander Rein 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephalexanderrein/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephalexanderrein/] Brand: 🌐https://lwpearl.com/ 🌐https://lwpearlatelier.com/ 🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lwpearlatelier/ [https://www.instagram.com/lwpearlatelier/] 🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lwpearlbrand/ [https://www.instagram.com/lwpearlbrand/] 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lw-pearl-brand/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/lw-pearl-brand/] ✨ Connect with Claire Lys to explore how AI, systems, and innovation can support fashion brands — or to be featured on The Fashion Translator: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-lys-bastien-wald/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-lys-bastien-wald/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit clairelysbastienwald.substack.com [https://clairelysbastienwald.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 36 – Janice Tam • TrueToForm | 3D Fit Prediction, Body Scanning, and the Future of Apparel Sizing

🎙️ In this episode of The Fashion Translator, I spoke with Janice Tam, Co-Founder & CEO of TrueToForm, about how body scanning, 3D fit prediction, and sizing data are reshaping the way apparel brands approach fit online. Fit is often treated as a size chart problem. But for apparel brands, it sits much deeper — inside customer confidence, e-commerce conversion, product development, return rates, and the emotional first experience someone has with a brand. Janice shares how TrueToForm helps brands measure customers remotely, predict fit through 3D avatars, and make size charts more accurate over time. The conversation also explores why static sizing data is no longer enough, especially for emerging brands serving specific body types, niche demographics, or digitally native customers. We explore: • Why sizing and fit remain one of the biggest friction points in online apparel • How 3D body scanning can help customers understand fit before purchasing • Why size charts built on static datasets often fail to reflect real target demographics • How fit technology can support both e-commerce teams and product development teams • Why the next layer of apparel AI still needs human judgment, QC, and fit expertise As apparel commerce becomes more data-informed, the real shift is not only in helping customers choose the right size — it is in turning fit from a reactive return problem into an evolving product development system. ✨ If you’re building an apparel brand and trying to reduce returns without losing sight of customer experience, fit data, product decisions, and sizing systems need to work together from the start — feel free to reach out. Guest: 👤 Janice Tam 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janice-hy-tam/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/janice-hy-tam/] Brand: 🌐 https://www.truetoform.fit/ 🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truetoform_fit/ [https://www.instagram.com/truetoform_fit/] 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truetoform-fit/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/truetoform-fit/] ✨ Connect with Claire Lys to explore how AI, systems, and innovation can support fashion brands — or to be featured on The Fashion Translator: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-lys-bastien-wald/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-lys-bastien-wald/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit clairelysbastienwald.substack.com [https://clairelysbastienwald.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 35 – Cayla O'Connell Davis • Subset | Why Sustainable Fashion Starts Long Before the Product

🎙️ In this episode of The Fashion Translator, I spoke with Cayla O’Connell Davis, CEO & Co-Founder of Subset, about the operational reality behind sustainable fashion — and why material standards, certifications, chemical safety, and supply chain decisions are becoming impossible to separate from brand credibility. This conversation goes far beyond marketing claims. From organic cotton sourcing and customer education to textile recycling systems and the hidden chemicals in everyday garments, Cayla shares what it actually looks like to build a product around long-term responsibility instead of short-term convenience. We explore: • Why sustainability becomes meaningless without supply chain transparency • How material choices, certifications, and chemical safety shape brand trust • The hidden operational cost behind building “better” products • How fast fashion reshaped consumer expectations around price and consumption • Why education is becoming one of the biggest responsibilities for modern brands • How textile recycling systems are evolving beyond landfill models In fashion, the next shift is not only about what brands say — it is about whether their systems can support the claims they make. ✨ If you’re navigating how sustainability translates into real operational decisions inside a fashion business, feel free to reach out. Guest: Cayla O’Connell Davis 📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caylaoc/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cayla-o-connell-davis-b919a823/ Brand: 🔗 https://wearsubset.com/ 📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearsubset/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearsubset/ ✨ Exclusive offer for The Fashion Translator community: Use code: TFTPOD20 Receive 20% off your order on Subset. ✨ Connect with Claire Lys to explore how AI, systems, and innovation can support fashion brands — or to be featured on The Fashion Translator: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-lys-bastien-wald/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit clairelysbastienwald.substack.com [https://clairelysbastienwald.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]