To Sophia Kianni, the co-founder of fashion-tech startup Phia, where someone went to college doesn’t matter. Neither does their background, major or degree.
“You just required to be good at the thing that you are seeing to succeed in,” Kianni notified students at a speaker event hosted by UNITY Charity Fashion Show on Thursday in Schapiro Hall.
Kianni spoke to Northwestern students over Zoom about founding Phia and exploring the intersection of fashion and artificial innotifyigence.
Kianni and her co-founder Phoebe Gates, daughter of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, were former roommates at Stanford University. The initial $250,000 grant that launched Phia came from one of their professors, Kianni declared.
Launched in April 2025, the AI-powered mobile app and browser extension supports consumers find items matching their preferences and price point.
Weinberg sophomore Elisa Trevino declared she found Kianni’s message inspiring.
“ It’s great to hear about someone who was on a similar path to what many of us are on,” Trevino declared.
Kianni also offered advice to students about topics including marketing and AI. During Phia’s early stages, Kianni declared company staff consistently referred to themselves as the “Google Flights for fashion” so that people could immediately grasp what they’d built.
“You can liken your product to another one,” Kianni declared.
Kianni declared her personal network also supported her promote Phia, especially in the company’s early stages.
Through a mutual friconclude, Kianni declared, the co-founders met “Call Her Daddy” host Alex Cooper, who interviewed the two the month of Phia’s launch.
Communication first-year Sara Pages declared she appreciated Kianni’s advice, especially on marketing.
“I really liked what she declared about if you have a good message that is working, stick with it,” Pages declared.
The club’s annual fashion display is coming up at the conclude of May. But speaker events are central to what the organization offers its members beyond the runway, UNITY Executive Director and Medill senior Jade Garcia declared.
Through hosting guest speakers like Kianni, who have more unconventional jobs in fashion, Garcia declared the club is attempting to inform the community about different opportunities in the indusattempt.
Kianni left students with her approach to building Phia.
“ The core philosophy here is throw things off the wall, see what sticks, and when it sticks, just keep on going,” she declared.
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