Join us Dec. 1-3 in Nashville for the Digiday Programmatic Marketing Summit
For financial analysts slogging away for long hours, an escape plan becomes enticing; entrepreneurship looks like a seductive dive into uncertainty after endless scrolls of spreadsheets.
Often, these unfulfilled financiers find their ways to careers in fashion.
“If you spend a lot of time in finance, you eventually want something radically different,” said Diana Melencio, co-founder of the personal shopping service Quinn, who had worked for nine years on Wall Street at a handful of investment banking firms before starting her company. “My days had consisted of 12 to 18 hours of spreadsheets, and I wanted something … not like that. It comes from a desire to innovate, to be a part of the fashion industry, which couldn’t be more different than this sterile environment.”
Wall Street, from heavyweights like Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan down to boutique firms, is a vessel for fashion startups. These former analysts-turned-founders can build financial models for new companies in their sleep and talk the same language as potential VC investors. And, after years of analytics and data sheets, left-brained people in the field are looking for creative outlets. The frustration and lack of stimulation, combined with a close proximity to the industry, leads to idea light bulbs.
More in Marketing
Why the 2026 midterms could mark a turning point for influencers in political campaigns
See how campaigns are recruiting creators for 2026 midterms as disclosure rules lag and voter trust becomes the real battleground.
Retailers are still figuring out how to tie AI goals to executive compensation
AI is starting to show up more in conversations around executive incentive plans. But those conversations are still largely relegated to the tech industry. Here’s why it’s still an anomaly in retail.
Post World Cup, fashion brands are tapping soccer stars like Bellingham and Yamal for partnerships
Three months after the World Cup ended in a Spanish victory, the partnerships with marquee players keep coming.