Episode
From Vera Wang to Her Own Sustainable Label: Launching a Fashion Brand During Naptime
- Published
- Jul 7, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3377
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Summary
Sonja Nesse got into fashion — the industry she'd dreamed about since she was 16. Then she saw the inside: the waste, the conditions, the clothes made to last two washes. It conflicted with everything she valued. Instead of walking away, she carved out the work that brings her joy and built Neranese, a sustainable small-batch label made in Los Angeles that puts people and planet first. ABOUT THE GUEST: Sonja Nesse is the founder and designer of Neranese, a small-batch clothing line made in Los Angeles from low-impact and deadstock materials. She trained at UW-Madison and Fashion Institute of Technology, started her career designing for Simply Vera Vera Wang, and earned a Masters Degree in Design Management from Pratt Institute in New York City. Today she runs Neranese alongside a full-time design role and freelance brand consulting — while raising three girls, including twins. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [02:57] How creative reinforcement at home — and practical parents — turned a 16-year-old's sketches into a career plan [08:15] The morning of the 2008 crash: watching 75% of her company get laid off in a single day [15:11] The waste she couldn't unsee: 300 yards of fabric ordered "just in case," and the neon dye a factory begged her not to use [20:28] Launching Neranese during her baby's naps — and why her first collection missed the mark (nobody wanted dresses; they wanted tie-dye sweats) [25:55] Twins, a NICU, a move the same week as her C-section, and the phone call that erased the job she was counting on [29:13] Her dad's advice — never say no to an opportunity — and how it built her three-stream career [30:40] Why "what works for now" beats a 15-year plan — and the retirement party already on her calendar [36:19] The 12 people who touch a single dress before it reaches…