My job comes with the privilege of meeting amazing founders and mentors in the retail industry. We were introduced through common investors( thank you, Richard) and it's been amazing to see Danielle’s journey. She has a deep understanding of the Australian fashion landscape, and I always walk away learning something new. So, I requested she join us as a guest editor and share some of her thoughts with our community.

We met on a crisp winter morning in Sydney at 7 AM, and I can now confirm that Harbour coffee is the only Sydney coffee that comes close to our Melbourne chef-d'œuvre du café. With the stunning harbour as our backdrop, we talked through various topics. Instead of focusing on one, we decided to go all in and cover many aspects of retail innovation. We’ve structured the conversation in a Q&A format. Enjoy!

Van

In Conversation with Danielle Johansen

Retail innovation drives growth. Who better to chat about this than Danielle Johansen, founder of Threadicated, an innovative retail startup that helps customers style up and gives brands a window to sell to engaged, relevant, and ready buyers.

Vandana: Danielle, Retail innovation and growth - how do you see one influence the other?

Danielle: You know, Van, it’s all about standing out. At Threadicated, we use AI to personalise styling. It helps us connect with our audience in a way that feels fresh and unique. When you find that special innovation that clicks with your business, growth just happens. It’s like offering something so cool that people can’t help but come back for more.

Vandana: Fascinating! So, a partnership between tech startups and established fashion brands drives benefits for both?

Danielle: Oh, so many. For one, it’s a great credibility boost for both sides. At Threadicated, partnering with well-known brands has given us instant trust with our customers. And for the established brands, our tech, like advanced styling algorithms and customer analytics, helps them reach new audiences they might have missed. It’s like combining the best of both worlds – tradition and innovation – to create something really powerful. Some of these brands have very established ways and find it hard to accept change – we've loved showing them how Threadicated's deep customer analytics connect their brand and styles with the ideal customer – often a customer who may never have considered the brand before Threadicated. Tech has the power to move a very archaic industry forward while delivering better experiences for customers. 

Vandana: What about customer experience and brand loyalty? Do brands feel like they are giving up control of the buyer experience?

Danielle: Customers have more options now than ever, so if the experience isn’t great, they’ll just go somewhere else. They often don’t even know what they want, so it’s important to try out different innovations and see what sticks from a brand perspective. At Threadicated, we’ve nailed this with personalised styling. By tailoring each interaction to meet our customers' unique style needs, we make them happy and create a strong emotional connection with our brand. Keeping the customer experience at the heart of everything you do is what really builds long-term loyalty - both for us as a platform and brand as the product.

Vandana: Danielle, what do you think about automating sourcing processes to stay relevant and agile?

Danielle: It’s absolutely essential for a business like ours, Van. Automating tasks like order processing and supplier communication is crucial for us. It cuts down on errors and frees up our team to focus on the creative stuff. It’s all about making sure we’re always providing the best service to our customers. And this is why we are so excited about our upcoming partnership with Andisor. Being able to access great quality product data straight upfront from suppliers across the globe makes our stylists' pool of offers much wider. The agility of the merchandise mix and easy ordering/ tracking is a big win for a fast-paced business like ours!

Vandana: As are we! We exist to make our buyers successful, and every opportunity to connect people and empower thriving, sustainable businesses is a privilege. Ok, Fav story or quote for our community?

Danielle: I'll go with the story. I was really impressed with how blockchain transformed supply chain transparency. It’s incredible that brands can now track their products from raw materials all the way to the final garment. This means they can ensure ethical sourcing and fair working conditions at every step. Pretty incredible!

Vandana: Last but not the least - what trend are you betting on?

Danielle: I’m super excited about applications merging AI and AR in the fashion world. AI-driven personal styling and AR for virtual try-ons are the future, making shopping more interactive and fun. Plus, the push towards sustainability through tech-driven transparency and eco-friendly materials is a trend we’re fully behind at Threadicated. 

Danielle is gearing up to announce an exciting fundraise. If you're an investor looking to get in on a fantastic opportunity, now’s your chance. Reach out to her at danielle.j@threadicated.com for the investment pack.

At Andisor, we’re always on the lookout for dynamic buyers to partner with. If you’re a buyer or simply curious about how we can support Threadicated, let’s connect and explore the possibilities.