Fashion, music and photography… Mazdack Rassi, Co-Founder and Creative Director of MILK Studios (standing at the crossroads of the fashion, music, photography and film worlds), and Co-Founder of MADE Fashion Week, joins Pavan Bahl, Rob Sanchez and Marc Raco, along with the entire Open Source Fashion team, as guests of Ben and Jack’s Steakhouse in New York City for the 100th episode of Fashion Is Your Business. The Past Rassi reviews how the MILK studios team started and grew to a bi-coastal set of ten companies focusing on content media and as a cultural center, and how it creates and collaborates across verticals, holds incredible parties, and gives high attention to building and feeding community. He discusses community vs. customers, building ecosystems, an amazing Motorola fun event rave in Bushwick and a Creators Project with Vice, and ingredient companies vs. idea companies. The Present The growth of companies inside of MILK, following a charted path vs. a direction of partners, being one of the original creator spaces, and incredible building sale story, having a change in vision of business, being hungry kids wanting to change everything, and a parental-like energy shift of touching work vs. doing it, Loving what you do knowing who you are as person, and the best thing you can do in business. What most surprises Rassi about the fashion industry including its major transition, figuring out the digital community, seasons, speaking with customer base, how brands are antiquated and slow-moving, missing the will to change, will some brands will die off, and whether influencer marketing is a fad. The Future Why creating original content that resonate with that community is essential, shooting multiple media for multiple platforms, whether still photography for fashion is dying, starting from creativity with new talent, getting the right people in the room, and having a problem saying no. That’s time Kanye dropped his album “Yeesuz” in one night, the story behind the Target light show at the Standard Hotel, and how tapping into the community to get involved in creations matters as much as getting street cred by delivering. Big News and Steak A HUGE announcement on a new team member and initiative, tips to talking to industry to get them from no to yes, why the review button should be close to the shop button, the critical nature of so embracing the digital reality, and knowing that innovation cannot involve creating on consensus. Moving from service to product, the genesis and rationale for creating the brand MILK Makeup, making MILK a brand, and how the product line humbles Rassi. An inside look at Industry City and the upcoming Camp David co-working-type space for creators. What people need today to create, origin of the Camp David name, community vs. movement, MANA in Jersey City, and what the 2019 L-Train closure will do to Brooklyn. Also, the future of fashion shows, and their need for commerce. Sleeping at Night, Luxury and Star Wars Off the Grid Questions covers what keeps Rassi up at night and what makes him sleep well, the importance of family, breaking bread and friendship, escaping Iran and politics, war, unplugging, what real luxury is, living with intent, his surprising greatest project, and the greatest and worst Star Wars moments. Plus, unexpected inspiration from backpackers from Tokyo. References: Zanna Robert Rassi Scott Stringer Mother Intel Kanye West Yeezy Line Patti Smith Platon Theophilos London Google Play Music Shaun White Jeremy Scott Tyler the Creator Legs Media Velem Workflow American Express Daft Punk Geremy Jasper and Georgie Greville Amazon NET-A-PORTER Jay Z Beyonce Ralph Lauren Burton Snowboards Matt Williams Liz Bacelar Apple Steve Jobs John Deere Sephora Birchbox Urban Outfitters Jamestown Developers Belvedere Capital Adam Neumann Rebecca Minkoff