The co-lab career stories

“It’s important to look at the upside of failures,” says Denise Baca, VP of Wholesale (North America) at G-Star RAW, interviewed by fellow co-lab member, Bianca Kofman. Originally from Mexico, Denise and her family moved to Texas when she was 5 years old. She attended Baylor University, where she studied Finance and International Business. During a college internship in Dallas, she became acquainted and interested with the Neiman Marcus HQ through friends who worked there. Upon college graduation, she was accepted into Neiman’s executive program, ultimately becoming an Assistant Buyer and getting her start in the fashion industry. After five years at Neiman’s, she took the leap to NYC and has held various VP and Director roles - focused on retail, sales and wholesale - for a bevy of amazing brands, including Gucci, Miu Miu and Prada. Listen along as she talks about her incredible career, the importance of focusing on the positive side, and her passion for sustainability.

Caroline Priebe is the Founder and Director of Sustainability at The Center for the Advancement of Garment Making, offering brands sustainable/circular business strategies, creative consulting and learning opportunities. An early adapter to sustainable design (1999), Caroline began her career strategically working for sustainable fashion pioneers including Zero + Maria Cornejo, Rogan, Loomstate, and her own brand, ULURU. Caroline has previously taught sustainability classes at Parsons and currently teaches via The Sustainable Leader Masterclass. Listen along as fellow co-lab member, Lori Adelman, chats with Caroline on her diverse experience.

“What I want to do with my life is work with amazing, like-minded, well-intentioned creative people to tell really great stories,” says Andy Comer, most recently SVP of Marketing and Creative Services at Tommy Bahama. Listen today as fellow co-lab member and Luxury Executive, Steven Waldberg, interviews Andy on his career trajectory and what advice he would give his 20-year-old self. Originally from Kentucky, Andy attended Oberlin College in Ohio, moved to New York City after college to begin his impressive career, and now resides in Seattle. Andy has extensive experience in digital media and editorial, having led GQ’s initial website and digital presence, as well as serving as Nordstrom’s Creative Director from 2013-2015.

Ever wondered what a job in Trend Forecasting looks like? Abbey Cook is a lifestyle trend forecaster and creative consultant with over 15 years experience in developing cultural trends, storytelling and design forecasts for major brands and retailers. A graduate of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Abbey's lifelong love of fashion led her to her career path. Listen along as she talks with fellow co-lab member, Amanda Vlavianos, about her career journey and her recent venture to consulting.

Jim Kuerschner is the President of KULE, an emerging womenswear label by CFDA member Nikki Kule. Today he sits down (virtually) with fellow fashion executive, Blair Lawson of Beautycounter. Prior to KULE, Jim managed retail operations and in-store technology for Inditex, bringing RFID technology to Zara stores across the US and Canada. Kuerschner started his career with Puig, first in PR at Nina Ricci, and later in sales and merchandising at Carolina Herrera. He is a business mentor with the CFDA and a graduate of NYU and Harvard Business School. Listen as he shares his career story and what KULE has in store next.