37. Future Reference: Digital Wardrobe, the Future of Resale, and Building a Fashion Tech Company from Google to Startup with Founder Claire Illmer

37. Future Reference: Digital Wardrobe, the Future of Resale, and Building a Fashion Tech Company from Google to Startup with Founder Claire Illmer

Author: Victoria Smith January 5, 2025 Duration: 38:52

Hello and welcome back to Fashion and Founders The podcast. My name is Victoria Smith and this week I'm joined with Claire Illmer, the Co-Founder and CEO of Future Reference.

Claire's experience before founding Future Reference includes working at Google for five years, at YouTube in search and discovery, and at ThredUp in search and discovery as well. She is now building a fashion tech company revolutionizing how we sell our clothes. 

Future Reference is a digital wardrobe and a cross listing platform. Their software allows you to digitize your wardrobe by just connecting your email as they pull your online receipts. 

Not only that, but they make the resale listings for you. So you just click on the product in your closet that you decide to sell and they cross list it to their partners like Depop, eBay, Poshmark, etc. They are solving a problem I think so many people have faced when trying to sell their clothes.

Also right now, while you're looking at your wardrobe on Future Reference, you can go check out your wardrobe wrapped. So basically Spotify wrapped, but for the items in your closet. They have so many data points on your wardrobe from resale value, amount spent per item, color palette, and so much more.

I am loving using future reference. I think it's just at the beginning of all the potential that they have and it is so exciting. I can't wait to see all of their success. I'll let Claire share more. So let's get into the episode.

Follow Fashion & Founders:
Podcast IG: @fashionandfounders
Podcast Website: fashionandfounders.com
Victoria TikTok: @vfsmith11
Podcast LinkedIn: Fashion and Founders
Victoria Pickle Closet: @victorias
Podcast Substack: Fashion and Founders
Locker Links: Locker

Follow Future Reference:
IG: @futurereference.xyz
TikTok: @futurereferencej.xyz
LinkedIn: Future Reference
Website: https://www.futurereference.xyz/

Follow Birdy Bandanas:
IG: @birdybandanas
Website: https://birdybandanas.com/

Thank you for listening!


Ever wonder how a clothing line actually gets made or what it takes to build a brand from a sketch to a global name? Fashion & Founders The Podcast, hosted by Victoria Smith, pulls back the curtain on the entire process. This isn't about seasonal trends or red carpet looks; it's a deep exploration of the machinery behind the glamour. Each episode features candid, long-form conversations with the founders, investors, and operators who are actively building the future of apparel and wearables. You'll hear real stories about the hurdles of fundraising, the complexities of ethical manufacturing, the explosive growth of resale, and the practical application of AI in design. Victoria guides discussions that connect the dots between capital, technology, and creativity, covering essential topics from sustainability to career navigation within the business of fashion. Tune in for a grounded perspective on an industry in constant flux, where ideas meet execution. This podcast delivers substance for anyone curious about the foundational work that makes fashion function.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 89

Fashion & Founders The Podcast
Podcast Episodes
The Business of Being an Influencer with Hannah Lizzy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:25
In this episode, Victoria sits down with Hannah Krohne, Hannah Lizzy on TikTok, a fashion creator who turned TikTok into a launching point for her career. Landing roles at David Yurman, Danielle and Alix in styling, and…
CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund: What It’s Really Like to be a Finalist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:46
In this episode, Victoria sits down with Ashley Moubayed, founder of Don’t Let Disco and a CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund finalist. They discuss her journey from building the brand as a side hustle to becoming a full-time found…
OOTD: Viral Fashion Content Strategy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:43
In this episode, Victoria sits down with the team behind OOTD, one of the fastest-growing fashion media platforms capturing street style around the world. What began as candid outfit videos filmed on the streets of New Y…
Matilda Djerf: Behind the Brand [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:38
In this episode, Victoria sits down with Matilda Djerf, the founder of Djerf Avenue, to discuss how she built one of the most recognizable aesthetics in modern fashion. They talk about launching a brand with strong value…
NYFW isn't "dead," but it is too expensive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:04
New York Fashion Week isn’t dead, but it is changing. In this solo NYFW recap, Victoria breaks down what felt different this season and how Fashion Week is getting too expensive. From major brands like Ralph Lauren and M…
Ganni Chief Sustainability Officer Lauren Bartley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:52
In this episode, Victoria sits down with Ganni’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Lauren Bartley. They discuss how the brand approaches sustainability and design, as they set trends rather than following them. Lauren unpack…
Copenhagen Fashion Week Trends and Takeaways [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:24
In this episode, Victoria recaps her experience attending Copenhagen Fashion Week from street style and behind-the-scenes access to the sustainability frameworks shaping the future of fashion. She breaks down what makes…
COVID Side Hustle to the Red Carpet: Undone by Kate [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:13
In this episode, Victoria sits down with Kate March, founder and designer of Undone by Kate. She shares how a pandemic project became a made-in-New-York bespoke, bridal, and special occasion brand. Kate shares her path f…
Marina Larroudé: Reinventing the Footwear Business Model [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:26
In this episode, Victoria sits down with Marina Larroude, founder of Larroudé, to unpack how she built one of fashion’s fastest-growing footwear brands by rewriting the rules. Marina shares her journey from interning at…
Rebecca Minkoff: Building a Household Name Fashion Label [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:16
In this episode, Victoria sits down with designer and founder Rebecca Minkoff to break down what it really takes to build a fashion brand and keep it alive through industry curveballs. Rebecca shares how an internship le…