StarZero All shows Try the podcast clipper →

Mar 3, 2014 · 24m · mad

Vijay Subramanian, Rent the Runway // Data Driven NYC 23 // January 2014

Vijay Subramanian · 18m spoken Matt Turck · 2m spoken
0:00 / 0:00
▶ Watch on YouTube →

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

In this Data Driven NYC keynote and Q&A session, Vijay Subramanian, Chief Analytics Officer at Rent the Runway, explains how the fashion rental platform leverages advanced data science, predictive algorithms, and custom reverse logistics to solve complex challenges in product recommendation, garment fit, and inventory management.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. Matt holds 11.8% of the talking time here. How this is scored →

Matt as informed peer 1.0 Guest teaching 2.5 Guest disagreement 1.5 Matt pushing back 0.5
05100:0010:0020:001:47–4:39 · Matt as informed peer 0/10 Rent the Runway Business Model and Customer Journey Overview This segment is an uninterrupted keynote monologue by Vijay Subramanian explaining the Rent the Runway business model and customer journey. Since the host does not participate, host expertise and pushback scores are 0. The tone is entirely informative and collaborative.4:39–10:41 · Matt as informed peer 0/10 Analytical Challenges in Product Discovery, Fit, and Inventory Buying Vijay continues his presentation, covering product discovery, sizing fit, and inventory buying algorithms. As a solo presentation, host metrics remain 0. Vijay offers mild critique of third-party sizing software vendors but maintains a neutral, pedagogical tone.10:41–14:35 · Matt as informed peer 0/10 Reverse Logistics and Inventory Availability Forecasting Vijay details reverse logistics operations and stochastic inventory availability forecasting in a monologue format. Host-side scores remain 0 due to no host involvement. The speaker gently highlights how unique and complex their logistics problem is compared to traditional e-commerce.14:35–24:43 · Matt as informed peer 4/10 Keynote Conclusion on Big Data Hype and Strategic Data Leadership Matt Turck initiates Q&A by asking intelligent questions about monetizing data assets with fashion brands, which Vijay clarifies is unviable due to legacy brand operations. Later, Vijay defends his reverse logistics data model against an audience member who suggests inventory management is just simple subtraction.1:47–4:39 · Guest teaching 0/10 Rent the Runway Business Model and Customer Journey Overview This segment is an uninterrupted keynote monologue by Vijay Subramanian explaining the Rent the Runway business model and customer journey. Since the host does not participate, host expertise and pushback scores are 0. The tone is entirely informative and collaborative.4:39–10:41 · Guest teaching 2/10 Analytical Challenges in Product Discovery, Fit, and Inventory Buying Vijay continues his presentation, covering product discovery, sizing fit, and inventory buying algorithms. As a solo presentation, host metrics remain 0. Vijay offers mild critique of third-party sizing software vendors but maintains a neutral, pedagogical tone.10:41–14:35 · Guest teaching 2/10 Reverse Logistics and Inventory Availability Forecasting Vijay details reverse logistics operations and stochastic inventory availability forecasting in a monologue format. Host-side scores remain 0 due to no host involvement. The speaker gently highlights how unique and complex their logistics problem is compared to traditional e-commerce.14:35–24:43 · Guest teaching 6/10 Keynote Conclusion on Big Data Hype and Strategic Data Leadership Matt Turck initiates Q&A by asking intelligent questions about monetizing data assets with fashion brands, which Vijay clarifies is unviable due to legacy brand operations. Later, Vijay defends his reverse logistics data model against an audience member who suggests inventory management is just simple subtraction.1:47–4:39 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Rent the Runway Business Model and Customer Journey Overview This segment is an uninterrupted keynote monologue by Vijay Subramanian explaining the Rent the Runway business model and customer journey. Since the host does not participate, host expertise and pushback scores are 0. The tone is entirely informative and collaborative.4:39–10:41 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Analytical Challenges in Product Discovery, Fit, and Inventory Buying Vijay continues his presentation, covering product discovery, sizing fit, and inventory buying algorithms. As a solo presentation, host metrics remain 0. Vijay offers mild critique of third-party sizing software vendors but maintains a neutral, pedagogical tone.10:41–14:35 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Reverse Logistics and Inventory Availability Forecasting Vijay details reverse logistics operations and stochastic inventory availability forecasting in a monologue format. Host-side scores remain 0 due to no host involvement. The speaker gently highlights how unique and complex their logistics problem is compared to traditional e-commerce.14:35–24:43 · Guest disagreement 4/10 Keynote Conclusion on Big Data Hype and Strategic Data Leadership Matt Turck initiates Q&A by asking intelligent questions about monetizing data assets with fashion brands, which Vijay clarifies is unviable due to legacy brand operations. Later, Vijay defends his reverse logistics data model against an audience member who suggests inventory management is just simple subtraction.1:47–4:39 · Matt pushing back 0/10 Rent the Runway Business Model and Customer Journey Overview This segment is an uninterrupted keynote monologue by Vijay Subramanian explaining the Rent the Runway business model and customer journey. Since the host does not participate, host expertise and pushback scores are 0. The tone is entirely informative and collaborative.4:39–10:41 · Matt pushing back 0/10 Analytical Challenges in Product Discovery, Fit, and Inventory Buying Vijay continues his presentation, covering product discovery, sizing fit, and inventory buying algorithms. As a solo presentation, host metrics remain 0. Vijay offers mild critique of third-party sizing software vendors but maintains a neutral, pedagogical tone.10:41–14:35 · Matt pushing back 0/10 Reverse Logistics and Inventory Availability Forecasting Vijay details reverse logistics operations and stochastic inventory availability forecasting in a monologue format. Host-side scores remain 0 due to no host involvement. The speaker gently highlights how unique and complex their logistics problem is compared to traditional e-commerce.14:35–24:43 · Matt pushing back 2/10 Keynote Conclusion on Big Data Hype and Strategic Data Leadership Matt Turck initiates Q&A by asking intelligent questions about monetizing data assets with fashion brands, which Vijay clarifies is unviable due to legacy brand operations. Later, Vijay defends his reverse logistics data model against an audience member who suggests inventory management is just simple subtraction.

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

0:00 · Matt 55.3% · guest 44.7%0:00 · Matt 55.3% · guest 44.7%3:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%3:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%6:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%6:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%9:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%9:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%12:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%12:00 · Matt 0% · guest 100%15:00 · Matt 33.3% · guest 66.7%15:00 · Matt 33.3% · guest 66.7%18:00 · Matt 1.5% · guest 98.5%18:00 · Matt 1.5% · guest 98.5%21:00 · Matt 3.4% · guest 96.6%21:00 · Matt 3.4% · guest 96.6%24:00 · Matt 21.9% · guest 78.1%24:00 · Matt 21.9% · guest 78.1%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 21:30 Refuting simple inventory subtraction premise

When an audience member questions why reverse logistics requires data science rather than simple linear subtraction, Vijay firmly rejects the premise by explaining that physical garment degradation makes future inventory availability highly stochastic.

 Hardest push from Matt ▶ 16:55 Probing brand data adoption

After Vijay dismisses brand interest in data analytics, Matt Turck pushes back gently by asking if progressive subsets of brands are evolving toward data-driven design.

 Biggest teaching moment ▶ 16:22 Educating on fashion brand mindsets

Vijay educates the host on the internal operations of fashion designers, explaining that traditional brands rely on six-month creative cycles rather than data analytics.

 Matt holds his own ▶ 15:48 Identifying proprietary data asset monetization

Matt Turck demonstrates strong industry insight by highlighting the valuable dataset Rent the Runway accumulates on garment durability and fit, asking if it can be monetized as a B2B revenue stream.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicMatt as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementMatt pushing backWhy
Rent the Runway Business Model and Customer Journey Overview 0000 This segment is an uninterrupted keynote monologue by Vijay Subramanian explaining the Rent the Runway business model and customer journey. Since the host does not participate, host expertise and pushback scores are 0. The tone is entirely informative and collaborative.
Analytical Challenges in Product Discovery, Fit, and Inventory Buying 0210 Vijay continues his presentation, covering product discovery, sizing fit, and inventory buying algorithms. As a solo presentation, host metrics remain 0. Vijay offers mild critique of third-party sizing software vendors but maintains a neutral, pedagogical tone.
Reverse Logistics and Inventory Availability Forecasting 0210 Vijay details reverse logistics operations and stochastic inventory availability forecasting in a monologue format. Host-side scores remain 0 due to no host involvement. The speaker gently highlights how unique and complex their logistics problem is compared to traditional e-commerce.
Keynote Conclusion on Big Data Hype and Strategic Data Leadership 4642 Matt Turck initiates Q&A by asking intelligent questions about monetizing data assets with fashion brands, which Vijay clarifies is unviable due to legacy brand operations. Later, Vijay defends his reverse logistics data model against an audience member who suggests inventory management is just simple subtraction.

Statements from this episode (8)

Assertion Not checkable as stated
Subramanian: Photo reviews are heavily used by Rent the Runway shoppers
“You actually upload a picture review, and this actually is a very commonly used feature for us. People coming to the website organically, posting pictures, talking about the event, writing reviews, which is really consumed a lot by users when they actually bro…”
Vijay Subramanian Mar 3, 2014 ▶ 3:54
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Rent the Runway does not make money on a dress's first rental
“As a rental business, we don't make money on the first rental, right? So, I mean, the dresses have to go through many life cycles of rentals for us to make money.”
Vijay Subramanian Mar 3, 2014 ▶ 4:47
Opinion
Subramanian: Sizing is only 30% of the online apparel fit problem
“Sizing, I think, is one part of the problem. I actually think it's only 30% of the problem. The bigger problem is, does this dress work for me? Does it actually fit me? Does it flatter me? And I think they're missing the mark by focusing too much on sizing.”
Vijay Subramanian Mar 3, 2014 ▶ 8:34
Insight
Shortening garment turnaround cycles directly reduces required inventory capital in rental models
“The shorter that is, the less inventory I have to buy to support demand, basically.”
Vijay Subramanian Mar 3, 2014 ▶ 11:56
Disclosure
Rent the Runway built custom reverse logistics after finding no software options
“We actually tried to, by the way, buy this, you know, off the shelf. We tried, went out, we looked. No one is doing reverse logistics in this kind of scale, so we had to build everything from scratch.”
Vijay Subramanian Mar 3, 2014 ▶ 12:17
Prediction Not checkable as stated
Subramanian in 2014: Big data requires C-level data executives to succeed
“And honestly, to me, this whole hype will all be real and make sense if, in five, 10 years from now, There is, like, C-level execs, more like me, who are, who actually own the data function, own the science function, and if that actually happens, then this who…”
Vijay Subramanian Mar 3, 2014 ▶ 15:23
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Subramanian: Designer fashion brands do not deeply care about data
“A lot of the brands don't care as much about data that deeply. I mean, they have their own sort of philosophy of how they want to design stuff. They do it six months in advance.”
Vijay Subramanian Mar 3, 2014 ▶ 16:27
Disclosure
Rent the Runway's 2014 open source stack: MySQL, Mongo, Redis, and R
“Our entire transactional stuff is, is, is on MySQL. We use Mongo for a product catalog. We use Redis to serve recommendations. We use R to do the matrix factorization. Should I touch everything? I think I did. We use tons of Python scripts for parsing the revi…”
Vijay Subramanian Mar 3, 2014 ▶ 17:39
Made with StarZero

Turn any episode into a week of clips.

This entire site, over 400 conversations 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