Yuliya Raquel

Yo, have you heard about Yuliya Raquel? She’s the real deal in the fashion tech world. This woman’s been crushing it for over 20 years, and her story is kinda like a rollercoaster of innovation, passion, and hustle.

Yuliya started out as a fashion designer and creative director, founding IGIGI back in 2000, her own plus-size fashion brand. She didn’t just stop there. She’s been dressing celebs like Gabourey Sidibe, Jill Scott, and Ashley Fink, big names on the red carpet. That’s some serious cred, right? But what’s dope about her is she’s all about pushing boundaries, merchandising, branding, marketing, e-commerce, and now, sustainability and on-demand fashion. She’s been about making fashion more inclusive and accessible long before it was trendy.

Then, she jumped into the tech side of things, co-founding companies like Tailornova and BootstrapFashion. These are known for automating fashion design using AI, 3D, XR, you name it. Basically, she’s trying to change how clothes are made, making the process faster, smarter, and more sustainable. You can tell she’s got that startup bug, always looking for the future trend to shake up the industry.

And get this, she’s a Y Combinator alum (W19). That’s like the gold standard for startups. Being part of YC means she’s not just dreaming; she’s executing, scalings, and building real tech solutions. She co-founded COUTURME, a YC company aiming to totally change the fashion game with AI, 3D, XR, stuff that sounds straight outta sci-fi but is actually happening. Her vision? democratize fashion, give power back to designers and consumers, and make the whole industry more sustainable.

Her process says a lot about her drive. She’s someone who saw the flaws in the industry, exclusivity, waste, slow innovation, and decided to do something about it. Starting her own brands, jumping into tech, and then joining YC shows she’s relentless. She’s about creating tools and platforms that make fashion more inclusive, sustainable, and accessible. Plus, she’s not just talking about it, she’s been featured in major mags like Glamour, Oprah Magazine, SF Chronicle, so she’s recognized as a legit innovator.

Beyond the biz stuff, she’s also a fierce advocate for women’s empowerment and democratizing fashion. She believes everyone should have access to style and self-expression, regardless of size or background.

Long story short? Yuliya Raquel is one of those rare entrepreneurs who’s blending creativity with hardcore tech to totally shake up her industry. She’s built brands, pioneered fashion automation, and now, with COUTURME, she’s leading the charge into the future of fashion tech. No cap, she’s both a creative genius and a tech innovator, and her process proves that with enough hustle and vision, you can really change the game.