Sustainable Fashion: Creating Value, Reducing Externalities

Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Invites

IN THIS EPISODE:

There has been an increasing level of attention paid to the negative environmental impact of the fashion industry. And as consumers increasingly seek out brands that are environmentally conscious, change is in the making. In this episode our host, Philip Guarino, is joined by Stephanie Sarka CEO & Co-Founder of 1 Atelier. Together they talk about these trends and how her innovative handbag company is addressing this increasing opportunity- and delighting customers. 1Atelier’s is out to build a stronger connection with their market by extending the joy of creation. Their customers are able to design a one of a kind bag made from sustainable materials and methods. With the fight against global warming, consumers are now more conscious of how products are made and how they can decrease their carbon footprint. It's no wonder that business models and value chains are evolving to meet these demands. Tune in to hear from this retail expert and entrepreneur on the pathway to making your venture more sustainable — and how to attract customers while you do it!

GUEST BIO:

Stephanie Sarka is the Co-Founder & CEO of 1 Atelier, where they are leveraging technology to reinvent luxury.Graduating from Stanford, Stephanie started in M&A at Goldman Sachs. Realizing that she is a builder, not a banker, she spent a year running marketing for IFF in Paris before getting her MBA at HBS. She then worked at Coach for 7 years as Handbag Product Manager and GM of Mark Cross, the American luxury goods brand. Stephanie co-founded GoTo.com in 1998, where they invented the “Paid Search” business model. They took the company public in 1999 and grew it to ~$1 billion in revenue before selling it to Yahoo for $1.6 billion in 2003.