StarZero All shows Try the podcast clipper →

Aug 11, 2022 · 47m · how-i-built-this

HIBT Lab! Universal Standard: Polina Veksler

Polina Veksler · 28m spoken Guy Raz · 14m spoken
0:00 / 0:00

gold bands on the timeline = statements, start to end. Hover to read, click to jump. CC turns on captions

In this episode of How I Built This Lab, host Guy Raz interviews Universal Standard co-founder and CEO Polina Veksler about dismantling retail fashion silos to build an all-inclusive apparel brand spanning sizes 00 to 40. Veksler details her journey from finance to fashion, overcoming supply chain bottlenecks, defying skeptical investors, and building a sustainably profitable direct-to-consumer powerhouse.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. Guy holds 34.7% of the talking time here. How this is scored →

Guy as informed peer 2.6 Guest teaching 2.6 Guest disagreement 0.3 Guy pushing back 0.6
05100:0015:0030:0045:001:36–6:40 · Guy as informed peer 2/10 Polina Veksler Immigration Journey and Early Finance Career Guy and Polina have an agreeable conversation tracing her childhood emigration from the Soviet Union to Florida and her early career in finance. Guy adds some historical context regarding Soviet restrictions on Jewish traditions.6:40–15:05 · Guy as informed peer 1/10 Meeting Alex Waldman and Uncovering the Sizing Divide Polina educates Guy on the stark realities of women's apparel sizing, explaining how the majority of American women are excluded from mainstream retail. Guy admits his lack of familiarity and is surprised by industry statistics.15:06–23:56 · Guy as informed peer 3/10 Podcast Mid-Roll Sponsor Break and Program Preview Guy asks about the operational and financial hurdles of designing across sizes 00 to 40. Polina details manufacturing challenges including loom sizes, pattern grading, and fabric widths in Peru and China.23:58–30:33 · Guy as informed peer 3/10 Direct-to-Consumer Launch, Viral Press, and Investor Skepticism Guy probes into unit cost blending and DTC launch economics. Polina explains how resetting the industry sample medium to size 18 allowed them to normalize garment pricing across all sizes.30:34–35:18 · Guy as informed peer 1/10 Second Mid-Roll Sponsor Break and Story Preview Polina shares lighthearted stories about early startup resourcefulness, including nationwide trunk tours and pretending to be customer service reps when major buyers called.35:18–39:30 · Guy as informed peer 5/10 Building Profitability, Customer Loyalty, and Industry Competition Guy demonstrates market knowledge by citing Old Navy's 2021 size-inclusive initiative and subsequent 20% sales decline. Polina defends the industry's trajectory, arguing early entrants will win long term.39:31–46:30 · Guy as informed peer 3/10 Circular Sustainability, Diverse Representation, and Future Brand Vision Guy brings up environmental impacts in garment manufacturing. Polina details the brand's circular Fit Liberty exchange model and their core principle of never using the 'plus size' label.1:36–6:40 · Guest teaching 1/10 Polina Veksler Immigration Journey and Early Finance Career Guy and Polina have an agreeable conversation tracing her childhood emigration from the Soviet Union to Florida and her early career in finance. Guy adds some historical context regarding Soviet restrictions on Jewish traditions.6:40–15:05 · Guest teaching 6/10 Meeting Alex Waldman and Uncovering the Sizing Divide Polina educates Guy on the stark realities of women's apparel sizing, explaining how the majority of American women are excluded from mainstream retail. Guy admits his lack of familiarity and is surprised by industry statistics.15:06–23:56 · Guest teaching 3/10 Podcast Mid-Roll Sponsor Break and Program Preview Guy asks about the operational and financial hurdles of designing across sizes 00 to 40. Polina details manufacturing challenges including loom sizes, pattern grading, and fabric widths in Peru and China.23:58–30:33 · Guest teaching 3/10 Direct-to-Consumer Launch, Viral Press, and Investor Skepticism Guy probes into unit cost blending and DTC launch economics. Polina explains how resetting the industry sample medium to size 18 allowed them to normalize garment pricing across all sizes.30:34–35:18 · Guest teaching 1/10 Second Mid-Roll Sponsor Break and Story Preview Polina shares lighthearted stories about early startup resourcefulness, including nationwide trunk tours and pretending to be customer service reps when major buyers called.35:18–39:30 · Guest teaching 2/10 Building Profitability, Customer Loyalty, and Industry Competition Guy demonstrates market knowledge by citing Old Navy's 2021 size-inclusive initiative and subsequent 20% sales decline. Polina defends the industry's trajectory, arguing early entrants will win long term.39:31–46:30 · Guest teaching 2/10 Circular Sustainability, Diverse Representation, and Future Brand Vision Guy brings up environmental impacts in garment manufacturing. Polina details the brand's circular Fit Liberty exchange model and their core principle of never using the 'plus size' label.1:36–6:40 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Polina Veksler Immigration Journey and Early Finance Career Guy and Polina have an agreeable conversation tracing her childhood emigration from the Soviet Union to Florida and her early career in finance. Guy adds some historical context regarding Soviet restrictions on Jewish traditions.6:40–15:05 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Meeting Alex Waldman and Uncovering the Sizing Divide Polina educates Guy on the stark realities of women's apparel sizing, explaining how the majority of American women are excluded from mainstream retail. Guy admits his lack of familiarity and is surprised by industry statistics.15:06–23:56 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Podcast Mid-Roll Sponsor Break and Program Preview Guy asks about the operational and financial hurdles of designing across sizes 00 to 40. Polina details manufacturing challenges including loom sizes, pattern grading, and fabric widths in Peru and China.23:58–30:33 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Direct-to-Consumer Launch, Viral Press, and Investor Skepticism Guy probes into unit cost blending and DTC launch economics. Polina explains how resetting the industry sample medium to size 18 allowed them to normalize garment pricing across all sizes.30:34–35:18 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Second Mid-Roll Sponsor Break and Story Preview Polina shares lighthearted stories about early startup resourcefulness, including nationwide trunk tours and pretending to be customer service reps when major buyers called.35:18–39:30 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Building Profitability, Customer Loyalty, and Industry Competition Guy demonstrates market knowledge by citing Old Navy's 2021 size-inclusive initiative and subsequent 20% sales decline. Polina defends the industry's trajectory, arguing early entrants will win long term.39:31–46:30 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Circular Sustainability, Diverse Representation, and Future Brand Vision Guy brings up environmental impacts in garment manufacturing. Polina details the brand's circular Fit Liberty exchange model and their core principle of never using the 'plus size' label.1:36–6:40 · Guy pushing back 0/10 Polina Veksler Immigration Journey and Early Finance Career Guy and Polina have an agreeable conversation tracing her childhood emigration from the Soviet Union to Florida and her early career in finance. Guy adds some historical context regarding Soviet restrictions on Jewish traditions.6:40–15:05 · Guy pushing back 0/10 Meeting Alex Waldman and Uncovering the Sizing Divide Polina educates Guy on the stark realities of women's apparel sizing, explaining how the majority of American women are excluded from mainstream retail. Guy admits his lack of familiarity and is surprised by industry statistics.15:06–23:56 · Guy pushing back 1/10 Podcast Mid-Roll Sponsor Break and Program Preview Guy asks about the operational and financial hurdles of designing across sizes 00 to 40. Polina details manufacturing challenges including loom sizes, pattern grading, and fabric widths in Peru and China.23:58–30:33 · Guy pushing back 1/10 Direct-to-Consumer Launch, Viral Press, and Investor Skepticism Guy probes into unit cost blending and DTC launch economics. Polina explains how resetting the industry sample medium to size 18 allowed them to normalize garment pricing across all sizes.30:34–35:18 · Guy pushing back 0/10 Second Mid-Roll Sponsor Break and Story Preview Polina shares lighthearted stories about early startup resourcefulness, including nationwide trunk tours and pretending to be customer service reps when major buyers called.35:18–39:30 · Guy pushing back 2/10 Building Profitability, Customer Loyalty, and Industry Competition Guy demonstrates market knowledge by citing Old Navy's 2021 size-inclusive initiative and subsequent 20% sales decline. Polina defends the industry's trajectory, arguing early entrants will win long term.39:31–46:30 · Guy pushing back 0/10 Circular Sustainability, Diverse Representation, and Future Brand Vision Guy brings up environmental impacts in garment manufacturing. Polina details the brand's circular Fit Liberty exchange model and their core principle of never using the 'plus size' label.

speaking balance: gold is Guy, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)

0:00 · Guy 68% · guest 32%0:00 · Guy 68% · guest 32%3:00 · Guy 30.7% · guest 69.3%3:00 · Guy 30.7% · guest 69.3%6:00 · Guy 24.8% · guest 75.2%6:00 · Guy 24.8% · guest 75.2%9:00 · Guy 12.3% · guest 87.7%9:00 · Guy 12.3% · guest 87.7%12:00 · Guy 22.5% · guest 77.5%12:00 · Guy 22.5% · guest 77.5%15:00 · Guy 52.2% · guest 47.8%15:00 · Guy 52.2% · guest 47.8%18:00 · Guy 34.2% · guest 65.8%18:00 · Guy 34.2% · guest 65.8%21:00 · Guy 32.3% · guest 67.7%21:00 · Guy 32.3% · guest 67.7%24:00 · Guy 34.6% · guest 65.4%24:00 · Guy 34.6% · guest 65.4%27:00 · Guy 34.9% · guest 65.1%27:00 · Guy 34.9% · guest 65.1%30:00 · Guy 33.2% · guest 66.8%30:00 · Guy 33.2% · guest 66.8%33:00 · Guy 28.2% · guest 71.8%33:00 · Guy 28.2% · guest 71.8%36:00 · Guy 33.2% · guest 66.8%36:00 · Guy 33.2% · guest 66.8%39:00 · Guy 26.5% · guest 73.5%39:00 · Guy 26.5% · guest 73.5%42:00 · Guy 31.5% · guest 68.5%42:00 · Guy 31.5% · guest 68.5%45:00 · Guy 63.2% · guest 36.8%45:00 · Guy 63.2% · guest 36.8%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 29:52 Pushing past venture capitalist skepticism

Polina recounts rejecting investor pushback that urged them to abandon full inclusivity in favor of building a standard plus-size label.

 Hardest push from Guy ▶ 38:15 Guy citing Old Navy's sales drop

Guy presses Polina on the commercial viability of universal sizing by bringing up Old Navy's high-profile 20% sales slump when attempting the model.

 Biggest teaching moment ▶ 12:09 Educating the host on sizing reality

Polina surprises Guy by pointing out that 70% of American women wear size 14 and above and the average size is 18, demonstrating how disconnected mainstream retail is from actual consumers.

 Guy holds their own ▶ 38:15 Guy highlighting specific corporate case data

Guy brings hard commercial data and industry precedent to the conversation, specifically referencing Old Navy's failed 2021 inclusive sizing rollout.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicGuy as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementGuy pushing backWhy
Polina Veksler Immigration Journey and Early Finance Career 2100 Guy and Polina have an agreeable conversation tracing her childhood emigration from the Soviet Union to Florida and her early career in finance. Guy adds some historical context regarding Soviet restrictions on Jewish traditions.
Meeting Alex Waldman and Uncovering the Sizing Divide 1600 Polina educates Guy on the stark realities of women's apparel sizing, explaining how the majority of American women are excluded from mainstream retail. Guy admits his lack of familiarity and is surprised by industry statistics.
Podcast Mid-Roll Sponsor Break and Program Preview 3301 Guy asks about the operational and financial hurdles of designing across sizes 00 to 40. Polina details manufacturing challenges including loom sizes, pattern grading, and fabric widths in Peru and China.
Direct-to-Consumer Launch, Viral Press, and Investor Skepticism 3311 Guy probes into unit cost blending and DTC launch economics. Polina explains how resetting the industry sample medium to size 18 allowed them to normalize garment pricing across all sizes.
Second Mid-Roll Sponsor Break and Story Preview 1100 Polina shares lighthearted stories about early startup resourcefulness, including nationwide trunk tours and pretending to be customer service reps when major buyers called.
Building Profitability, Customer Loyalty, and Industry Competition 5212 Guy demonstrates market knowledge by citing Old Navy's 2021 size-inclusive initiative and subsequent 20% sales decline. Polina defends the industry's trajectory, arguing early entrants will win long term.
Circular Sustainability, Diverse Representation, and Future Brand Vision 3200 Guy brings up environmental impacts in garment manufacturing. Polina details the brand's circular Fit Liberty exchange model and their core principle of never using the 'plus size' label.

Statements from this episode (11)

Assertion Supported
Veksler: About 70% of American women wear size 14 and above
“About 70% of American women are size 14 and above.”
Polina Veksler Aug 11, 2022 ▶ 12:09
Assertion Supported
Veksler: The average woman in the US wears a size 18
“The average woman in the U.S. Is a size 18”
Polina Veksler Aug 11, 2022 ▶ 12:21
Assertion Contradicted
Veksler: US inclusive-size apparel market is about $100 billion
“It's about a hundred billion dollar market, and that's just in the U.S. Just in the U.S.”
Polina Veksler Aug 11, 2022 ▶ 16:25
Assertion Supported
Veksler: Universal Standard's sizing spans from 00 to 40
“Our smallest size currently is a double zero, and then we go all the way up to a size 40.”
Polina Veksler Aug 11, 2022 ▶ 20:49
Insight
Universal Standard blended manufacturing costs by making size 18 its medium
“The average woman in America is a size 18, so that should be our medium, and we would then manufacture clothing up and down from that, and then making that size 18 our medium, we were able to blend our costs from the very beginning.”
Polina Veksler Aug 11, 2022 ▶ 24:51
Disclosure
VCs rejected Universal Standard's inclusive pitch, urging a plus-size-only model
“The response was that this is going to be really difficult. And look, they're not wrong, because inclusive fashion has traditionally been very difficult, but that it was going to be very costly, the inventory was going to be impossible to manage, consumers are…”
Polina Veksler Aug 11, 2022 ▶ 29:59
Disclosure
Veksler: Universal Standard recently reached profitability
“Yes, we recently reached profitability.”
Polina Veksler Aug 11, 2022 ▶ 35:33
Disclosure
Universal Standard grew 60% YoY without heavy paid customer acquisition
“So we were still growing at about 60% year over year since we started, but we were never one of those startups that focused a lot on customer acquisition.”
Polina Veksler Aug 11, 2022 ▶ 35:55
Disclosure
Universal Standard acquired early customers primarily through free t-shirt giveaways
“So our main way for probably two, two and a half years of acquiring customers was giving out free t-shirts.”
Polina Veksler Aug 11, 2022 ▶ 36:43
Prediction Not checkable as stated
Veksler: Inclusive fashion brands will master the model within 5 to 10 years
“I do believe that in five years or 10 years from now, these brands that are venturing into inclusivity and trying this, they will get it right, because fashion is only moving in this direction, and inclusivity is the future of fashion, so those brands who I th…”
Polina Veksler Aug 11, 2022 ▶ 38:54
Disclosure
Universal Standard lets customers exchange clothes for free if sizing changes
“So what we do is we allow our customers to buy for the size that they are today. And then if their size happens to go up or down, we allow them to exchange for a new garment for free.”
Polina Veksler Aug 11, 2022 ▶ 41:36
Made with StarZero

Turn any episode into a week of clips.

This entire site, over 800 episodes transcribed, diarized, checked and made playable, runs on the StarZero media pipeline. Drop in your own episode and the podcast clipper finds the moments worth sharing, cuts them, captions them, and reframes them for every feed.

Try the podcast clipper Learn more