The Interview —
Jessie Zeng, CEO and Co-Founder of Choosy Jessie Zeng

Welcome to Talking Top 10, a recurring series in which we feature the founders, CEOs, creators, and leaders who are shaking up their industries. Ahead, read our Q&A with CEO and Co-Founder of Choosy Jessie Zeng, and keep scrolling to shop her Top 10 must-haves.

At the age of 25, CEO and Co-Founder of Choosy Jessie Zeng, created the very first fashion brand whose styles are designed using both machine learning and community validation. Through Artificial Intelligence, Choosy expertly defines top trends and harnesses community influence and feedback to deliver affordable styles that people actually want to wear. Utilizing Choosy's modern technology, they are able to design and produce a full line of clothing in just three weeks, meaning their customers are the first to style the newest fashion trends. Jessie previously worked in electronic trading for Citigroup, focusing on Foreign Exchange and precious metals before deciding to break away from the industry and use her background in tech and passion for style to start Choosy.

Keep scrolling to read more about Jessie and shop her Top 10 must-haves, and don't forget to follow @itsjessiezeng and @choosy on Instagram!

January 13, 2020

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R&S

How did the idea for Choosy come about?

Jessie

While I was working in consulting in China, I kept seeing headlines on how fashion companies were burning billions of dollars of inventory a year. I knew that there must be a smarter way to prevent this waste using data. I was inspired to use technology to usher retail into a data-driven, more thoughtful future.

R&S

Tell us about Choosy’s design process. How long does it take for a piece to go from an idea to an actual style at someone’s doorstep?

Jessie

Our Artificial Intelligence scouts what’s trending on social media which we then use to design our styles and produce limited runs. It can take as little as three weeks to go from inspiration to delivery because of our small runs and network of small scale factories.

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R&S

How is Choosy able to practice sustainability while operating at a fast-fashion pace?

Jessie

Fast-fashion means generating thousands of styles a month at unsustainable paces. In contrast, we use technology to narrow down on top trends and can create smaller runs so supply meets demand. Our speed comes from being focused, thoughtful, and nimble

R&S

What’s a typical workday like for you?

Jessie

It varies day to day! I walk my dog Archer in the morning, head to the office and catch up with my teams. I’ll plan my week and work according to different team needs.

R&S

Which celebs and influencers inspire Choosy’s designs the most?

Jessie

We scan images across social media so no one person inspires our designs!

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R&S

Besides the fact that Choosy is Instagram-focused, what would you say is the biggest difference between Choosy and popular fast-fashion brands like Zara and H&M?

Jessie

Definitely the use of technology to create styles! We are able to limit our styles and item runs while delivering trends to our customers quickly.

R&S

What’s your all-time favorite style from Choosy and what inspired the design?

Jessie

All of our pants are great, but I particularly love our Day and Night pants. We knew that people were looking for two-tone garments and a utility fit.

R&S

What’s your best advice for someone looking to start their own business?

Jessie

Don’t put yourself in a box, and don’t be afraid to combine your interests across fields! Coming from a finance background has allowed me to view fashion with a different perspective and build something for an industry that I love.

R&S

Are there any plans to add shoes, bags, or accessories into the works?

Jessie

We just launched our first bag, the Lizzi Pouch. Stay tuned for more updates!

R&S

What’s next for Choosy? Any exciting collections or collaborations we should be on the lookout for?

Jessie

We’re really excited about Spring and new partnerships with influencers. Follow @choosy on Instagram to be the first to know exciting news and updates!

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