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The fashion world is transforming faster than ever. Creativity now works alongside innovation, as technology and data reshape how brands are imagined, produced, and scaled. A new generation of founders is driving this change, visionaries who combine design, technology, and entrepreneurship to redefine the business of fashion.
This new wave of fashion entrepreneurship is led by ambitious fashion startups and fashion tech startups using AI to rethink everything from production to customer experience. Their journeys reveal how startups use AI for growth and how bold ideas evolve from idea to business plan, shaping the next era of creativity and commerce.
Carmen Busquets: The Quiet Architect of Fashion-Tech
In a world obsessed with names on labels, Carmen Busquets built her influence behind the seams. She is the rare kind of fashion entrepreneur who reshaped the industry not through design but through vision, conviction, and an instinct for the future. Long before fashion tech startups became mainstream, she was already redefining what the digital business of fashion could look like.
Origins and the Vision to Redefine Luxury
Carmen’s story began in Venezuela, where in 1990 she founded Cabus, a boutique that stocked European designers during an era of strict import restrictions. It was a bold move that reflected her early understanding of global fashion dynamics. Even then, she was quietly testing the DNA of future fashion startups, proving that entrepreneurship in fashion could transcend borders.
Her philosophy was simple yet powerful. Fashion may be global, but it must remain human. Trust, curation, and storytelling, she believed, would always anchor the industry, even as technology began to shape its future.
The Defining Investment: Net a Porter
In 2000, when luxury e-commerce was seen as a long shot, Carmen invested £250,000 in a young company called Net a Porter. A decade later, her stake grew to £5.9 million after its acquisition by Richemont, earning her a sixteenfold return.
That moment marked a turning point not only in her career but in how the business of fashion approached digital transformation. Carmen’s success illustrated how fashion entrepreneurship is not just about design; it is about vision, timing, and an unshakable belief in innovation.
Her story continues to inspire founders exploring AI driven ventures, from AI business plan generator tools that shape strategy to startup business plan examples that help creative ideas become scalable realities. She anticipated how AI in creative industries would merge data, emotion, and design into one unified narrative.
Beyond Net a Porter: Building a Legacy
After her success, Carmen launched Cabus Ventures, investing in platforms like Moda Operandi, Farfetch, Cult Beauty, and The Business of Fashion. Her investment strategy blended luxury with sustainability and innovation, proving that fashion entrepreneurship can grow without losing authenticity.
Her leadership style focuses on:
• Sustainability as strength: aligning profit with purpose.
• Craftsmanship as identity: ensuring heritage brands stay relevant.
• Innovation as culture: viewing technology as a creative enabler.
Tensions and Timeless Lessons
Despite her quiet demeanor, Carmen’s journey has been far from effortless. She has spoken about the emotional toll of high stakes negotiations and the challenge of balancing artistry with scale. Yet, these pressures also shaped her endurance and influence.
Key lessons for founders
• Being first is risky, but conviction and consistency define markets.
• Investing beyond capital, in networks, trust, and brand reputation, multiplies influence.
• True values such as craftsmanship and sustainability are not afterthoughts; they are competitive advantages.
Carmen Busquets proves that the most powerful figures in fashion are not always those who walk the runway. Some are the visionaries who design the path the industry follows.