Build It: 5 Key Lessons in Fashion Tech
Welcome back, fashion tech enthusiasts!
The Build It series, hosted by Peter Jeun Ho Tsang, Founder of Beyond Form, brought together founders, innovators, and clients from across the globe to share how they’re building solutions at the intersection of fashion and technology. Through conversations that spanned manufacturing, design, entrepreneurship, and data-driven innovation, several powerful themes emerged.
Here are the top five lessons that stood out from the series.
Listen to the full conversation:
1. Pakistan Is Emerging as a Manufacturing Goldmine
Conversations with Abdul, CEO of WiMetrix, alongside AM Group and Shakham Industries, revealed the untapped potential of Pakistan as a global manufacturing hub. Data-powered solutions such as WiMetrix are giving factories unprecedented visibility into productivity and efficiency, enabling both brands and manufacturers to strengthen margins and scale sustainably.
However, modernization in manufacturing doesn’t fall on one player alone—it requires collaboration across stakeholders. For brands exploring new supply chain opportunities, Pakistan presents a compelling option, particularly when working with factories that embrace data-driven operations.
2. Emotional Resilience Is Essential for Entrepreneurs
Brian, CEO of New York Culture Club, shared a candid story of being scammed while attempting to finance his fashion IoT startup. His experience highlights the harsh realities many entrepreneurs face: setbacks are inevitable.
The critical lesson here is not just about conducting due diligence but about emotional regulation. When challenges arise, taking the time to step back, reflect, and learn can transform a negative experience into long-term resilience. In the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship, the ability to pause and recalibrate is often as valuable as the business idea itself.
3. A Strong Pitch Requires the Right Audience
Chelsea, CEO of Launderd, spoke about her difficulties raising capital for her repair platform. Many of the investors she approached—often older, traditional voices in the industry—simply did not connect with her idea. Instead of meaningful engagement, she was met with surface-level feedback and polite dismissal.
Her story illustrates the importance of alignment between founder and investor. A successful pitch is not just about having a polished deck, it’s about ensuring the audience is the right fit, at the right time, and within the right context. For founders, careful targeting of investors can make the fundraising journey significantly more effective.
4. Failure Should Be Viewed as a Pivot Point
Beatrice Newman, now Head of Education at Beyond Form, emphasized that failure in fashion, or any business, is not the end but rather a turning point. With her own brand Korlekie, she followed the traditional approach taught in fashion schools: launch a collection, release it into the market, and hope for traction. When this model fell short, she pivoted to a more digital-first strategy, connecting directly with consumers and building her business organically.
Her experience underscores the value of iteration and adaptation. Behind the glossy image often associated with fashion lies a more realistic truth: growth comes from testing, stumbling, and evolving. Learning to pivot strategically is what sustains long-term success.
5. Data Only Works When It’s Truthful
In a discussion with Pritesh, founder of AIMIRR, and fashion fit technologist Katy, one of the most critical themes of the series came to light: the central role of accurate data in fashion tech. From AI-driven fit recommendations to AR try-on experiences, the effectiveness of these innovations depends entirely on the quality and truthfulness of the underlying data.
Katie highlighted a striking gap where most brands design products for younger, fully able-bodied consumers, leaving older generations underserved. This oversight reflects how blind spots in data can reinforce systemic biases in product design. For fashion tech founders, the call to action is clear: ensure data collection is inclusive, accurate, and reflective of real consumer needs.
Closing Thoughts
Across the Build It series, five consistent lessons surfaced: the rise of Pakistan as a manufacturing hub, the need for entrepreneurial resilience, the importance of pitching to the right audience, the value of failure as a pivot point, and the imperative of truthful, unbiased data.
These insights reveal both the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of fashion technology. They also underscore a broader truth: innovation in this industry depends not just on tools and platforms, but on the people who build, adapt, and learn from them.
Want to Learn More and Connect?
Join us at BF to innovate, collaborate, and propel the fashion industry into the future. Whether you’re a creative, technologist, or entrepreneur, we’re building the next generation of solutions that will reshape how fashion is designed, produced, and experienced. Connect with Peter on LinkedIn to explore opportunities and be part of the movement.
