Rebecca Minkoff (she/her) wears many hats. While many of us can remember when we longed for the Mac Crossbody as our first designer piece, the multi-hyphenate has now expanded well beyond the fashion world. Today, you can find her writing not one, but two newsletters tied to business and her personal life, hosting her Superwoman podcast with a slew of incredible guests, and taking the lead at the Female Founder Collective (which is having their annual summit on March 21st—an immersive day of workshops, panel discussions, networking, and more!).

In this exclusive, we chatted about her journey into design, the ins and outs of her businesses, and how she manages it all. Without further ado, Rebecca Minkoff!
 

How did you get started in fashion?
I fell in love with design at eight years old and started sewing. Then, I studied fashion seriously in high school and moved to New York at 18 to intern for a designer. I dropped out of school to work and eventually my design on an “I Love New York” shirt worn by a famous actress on Jay Leno helped propel my name. I started with apparel, then moved into bags, and now we’re a global brand with various products.

What were some challenges you faced as an up-and-coming designer?
Raising capital was tough, and we had to bootstrap our growth. Stores had a lot of power and would demand exclusives, which was really challenging in the beginning.

Tell us more about the Female Founder Collective.
I started it in 2018 to empower women through education, community, and resources. We now have 25k members, in-person events, and a paid membership. It’s about getting women the education and support they need to grow their businesses.
 

You also have newsletters. What are they about?
I have a LinkedIn newsletter sharing founder horror stories and a Substack called A Little Bit of Everything that covers the personal side of my life, from my morning routine to my favorite supplements.

Are there any trends you’re loving at the moment?
I love the return of leather and exaggerated styles! I also like shoulder pads and baggy styles, although I struggle with the oversized trend a bit because I have a larger bust.

Do you have any fashion predictions for the remainder of 2024?
I think the use of skins like leather and shearling will continue, and we’ll see cleaner silhouettes. There’s a trend of showing more skin, and I definitely don’t see that going away.