At the height of NYFW, Janine Just Inc. presents TechStyle NYC, a day-to-night leisure of experiences at the nexus of fashion & technology, drawing influential media, bloggers, & celebrities into one fashion-forward event. Set above the bustle of fashion week, the lounge offers a welcome reprieve to VIPs to discover, the new, next and now among the emerging brands curated into the showcase. The event had a wonderful turnout and attendees enjoyed the chance to celebrate NYC’s fashion week in techsy style!
But just who are the brands that attended the event? What’s their take on the event industry? And what did they think of TechStyleNYC? We took the opportunity to interview a few of the attendees and over the next few days will be featuring their interviews, read on for a peek inside the experience:
We talked to Lisa Binderow, Founder & CEO of nicepipes
First of all, please tell our readers about you – what is the company all about?
nicepipes apparel so deeply understands fitness enthusiasts that we create products our customers didn’t know they needed but now can’t live without.
I was inspired to create our performance fabric leg & arm warmers, or “pipes,” on a chilly morning walking to go teach my class. My cropped pants were not cutting it, I didn’t want to buy a new workout wardrobe and I wasn’t a fan of wool or acrylic leg warmers after a sweaty workout. I figured there had to be a better way to stay warm before, during and after class.
So, I designed nicepipes – leg warmers and arm warmers made from the same, awesome, sweat-wicking fabric as yoga pants.
What were the 3 keys to getting the company off the ground – where did you invest your time?
Branding – developing the look, voice, and feel of nicepipes was crucial to launching the company. I wanted to be sure it was authentic and empowering but also light and witty.
Product Development – making sure we had the BEST fabric that was sweat wicking, compression, but soft and supple. I had to be sure that it was stretchy and wouldn’t slip during my workout
Balance & Support – The key to survival as an entrepreneur and launching a company is finding a healthy balance so that you don’t implode and finding support in friends, family, or whomever will look at you and say, “you rock!” when you need to hear it most.
Just having participated in TechStyle NYC, what role do live events play in your branding and marketing initiatives?
As a start up we are always looking for opportunities and fun ways to get the word out about our pipes. Live events are great because it gives us a chance to tell our story in a more personal way and people are able to see the product in action. Also, nicepipes is made up of fitness professionals and we are all used to teaching and working with students. Its such a treat for us to be out of the office and interacting with people!
What was a successful social media campaign you hosted that showed great engagement and traction?
Leading up to the launch of our Fall 2015 apparel line we gave a little sneak peak every day for 3 weeks — we used super cropped photo so you can only sort of tell what the product was. It helped build the excitement and get people interested in what was coming next.
Finally, what is your favorite app?
My favorite apps are Wunderlist and Headspace. One I use to keep my life in order and the other I use to forget everything on the lists!