An intimate and powerful conversation with industry leaders. Hear a first-hand account of the journeys, successes, and tips that led these accomplished women towards industry leadership.
Queens-born Batsheva Hay started her eponymous label in 2016 after leaving her job as a lawyer and deciding to experiment with designing dresses for herself and her daughter. Growing up, Batsheva’s artist mother would often take her to flea markets and vintage shops, dressing her in antique calico dresses, which became Batsheva’s uniform throughout her time at Stanford University and Georgetown Law School. After leaving her job at a big law firm, she began to redesign some vintage dresses, which were worn to bits, and quickly became obsessed with the design process. She bought her fabrics on eBay and at quilting shops, and she still uses vintage and limited-run cotton quilting fabric to make her clothing.
Batsheva initially made a small collection of four matching mother-daughter dresses and set up a simple website. As her dresses got more attention from magazines and retailers, her collections grew. Now she is designing four collections a year.
Batsheva lives on the Upper West Side with her husband, photographer Alexei Hay, who she collaborates with on brand imagery, and their two small children, Ruth and Solomon.
Powerhouse designer Elizabeth Sutton (b. 1989) is a millennial entrepreneur-artist born and raised in New York City. Sutton is changing the world of interiors one unique and colorful design at a time. Known for her bright, bold stylings, and good vibes ethos, Sutton's distinctive creations have been recognized by many famous publications like Architectural Digest, The New York Times, Forbes, Ocean Drive, and the top tastemakers from New York City to Los Angeles.
Sutton's client luminaries include Kourtney Kardashian, Paris Hilton, Pippa Middleton, Pitbull, Andrew Bocelli, and Iris Apfel. In addition, Sutton has won multiple "Best in Show" awards at designer showcases, has been featured in Bravo's Million Dollar Listing, was dubbed as "the artist and designer to know right now" by Forbes, and was listed as one of their inaugural "Next 1000" list.
Sutton's portfolio includes original artworks, acrylic prints and paper prints of original artwork, dazzling clutches, bold patterned rugs, office chairs, and coloring books.
She is committed to shaping spaces and experiences, while continually on the hunt for strategic partnerships and licensing deals to bring her unique design vision to life. Sutton's recent creative collaborations include TileBar, Janovic, The Whale, a high concept office building in Brooklyn, NY; and ongoing projects with the Eden Rock Hotel in St. Barths.
Sutton's work spans diverse industries and media. Her relentless drive to pursue her dreams, and a profound dedication to lifting people up, make her an artist of our time.
New York-based designer Roxanne Assoulin has been in the fashion business for more than 35 years, from her early days of crafting wrap leather bracelets for Henri Bendel and Bloomingdale's to designing private label jewelry for the likes of Marc Jacobs and Oscar de la Renta to J.Crew and Club Monaco. However, it’s the 63 years old’s cult namesake jewelry line, which launched in 2016, made her an instant Instagram darling and the talk of today’s It girls. A brand founded on kindness and intended to make people smile, Roxanne’s offering of vibrantly colorful and unique bracelets, necklaces, earrings, anklets, and build-your-own kits continue to inspire editors and the industry alike, and are highly coveted by the likes of Eva Chen, Leandra Medine and Karlie Kloss and beyond.
Rachie was born and raised in NYC. After making a few shifts in her career path, she started her fine jewelry business ‘Rachie Shnay’ in 2019 and has quickly built a massive following around her world renowned, “Mazel Collection.” Thousands of women internationally form her, “Mazel Club,” wearing her pieces with Jewish pride including Gal Gadot, Rachel Zoe, Debra Messing, Lizzy Savetsky, Noa Tishby, Emmy Rossum, Selma Blair, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Miss Universe and so many more! As a grandchild of four Holocaust survivors, Rachie has always been extremely passionate about spreading Holocaust education and awareness, inspiring others about the beauty of Judaism and supporting the State of Israel. She is a co-founder of, 'The Healer's Collection,’ a fashion accessory and wellness brand and continues to grow in new entrepreneurial ventures. She is all about spreading positivity and light and feels very lucky that through her business platform she has been able to create a network of women who are excited to embrace their Jewish identities in the most sparkly of ways and be their proudest and most fulfilled selves.
Christina Carmona is the owner of Island to East Side, a custom handbag company based in NYC, founded in 2017. Christina is a native Staten Islander and founded ITES out of her apartment on the east side of Manhattan, hence the name. Two years later she quit her corporate job to run ITES full-time, after juggling both a demanding fashion career by day and start-up company by night.
From the start, Christina knew that ITES had the opportunity to grow into something far greater than an e-commerce platform. Not only has she worked to build a strong community, but she has built a company that values a balanced lifestyle and aims to show the world that work and life are not so separate after all, which is why balance and happiness in the workplace is so important.
As a brand, each day Island to East Side aims to create unique content that showcases the entrepreneurial journey, team dynamics, amazing products, and collaborations with other brands. Island to East Side's custom handbags have been featured in countless print and digital publications and worn by celebrities, reality TV stars, influencers, and many more.
Chagit Leviev is a multifaceted business leader and philanthropist, shining bright as President & CEO of Leviev Group USA and as President of Leviev Diamonds. She spearheads the U.S. arm of the esteemed multi-billion dollar international conglomerate the “Lev Leviev Group of Companies”, headquartered in the heart of Fifth Avenue, NY,
with investments in a wide range of industries- from real estate and technology to diamonds and jewelry, renowned as one of the largest privately held diamond firms to control all facets of the diamond pipeline, from mine to market.
In addition to these roles, Chagit was previously named CEO of the iconic real estate development firm Africa Israel USA, where she led notable real estate developments and transactions including ‘District’ at 111 Fulton Street, 20 Pine - The Collection by Armani Casa, 15 Broad - Downtown by Philippe Starck, The Apthorp, 88 Leonard Street
and The Marquis Residences on Brickell Avenue in Miami and presided over the firm’s trophy sale of the former ‘New York Times’ building in Times Square.
Beyond her corporate achievements and holding board positions in various companies across diverse industries, she is actively engaged on the boards of numerous non-profit organizations. Her philanthropic focus is evident as she dedicates her time and resources to select non-profits, making a positive impact in areas she is deeply passionate about, ranging from community work and Jewish education to advocacy for
Israel and women's causes.
A native of Israel, Chagit's upbringing spans both Israel and Belgium, cultivating a global perspective complemented by her fluency in six languages. In addition to her professional achievements, she takes most pride in her role as a wife and mother of five and extends her influence to the digital realm as a social media personality, actively involving her audience in the philanthropic endeavors she is involved with as a busy
mom and businesswoman. Her multifaceted approach to leadership and philanthropy defines her as a remarkable force in both business and community engagement.
Instagram : @Chagit_Leviev
Galit Winer is the owner & inspiration behind the Kidichic and Udel brands. With her passion for fashion and design, she and her team create beautiful clothing at modest prices for all.
Kidichic is most known for its affordable and stylish children’s clothing. Originally developed in Israel, the company has seen rapid growth in America — opening six stores and an outlet store upstate for the summer in less than five years.
Suzannah Raff is a New York native and mother of four who is committed to living an authentic life spiritually, physically, and professionally. Over the years she has earned both a Master’s degree in Business along with a Master’s degree in Social Work. Cleo+Coco was born out of a passion to learn more about toxic ingredients, the negative effect they have on our bodies, and the benefits of plant-based ingredients to create authentic products that are safe and effective. After years of listening, experimenting, teaching, and learning, Cleo+Coco’s next generation of natural was born.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Freida Rothman is a second-generation jeweler, a mother of four, and an entrepreneur handcrafting glamour for the modern empowered woman. Inspired by the legacy of four grandparents — all Holocaust survivors — Freida’s designs honor strength and resiliency through contemporary accessories that reflect her native Brooklyn. Every design elevates Brooklyn grit into effortless elegance for your everyday.
Lauren Turk grew up in North Jersey and could never bring herself to leave. After working in real estate for ten years, she decided to open The Hang Out, a designer consignment boutique in Englewood NJ that offers authentic, high-quality, designer clothing and accessories to all budgets. Lauren always loved consignment stores for their higher sustainability (financial and environmental) and loves to hunt for - and share - hidden treasures. She believes that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to fashion, and she strives to connect her customers with items that make them feel their best. Her small business is a hangout for all to shop, share, and empower. (There’s also a lot of candy).
Daniella grew up in South Africa and emigrated to the US with her family at 17 years old. After completing her business degree at the University of Southern California, Daniella move to NYC to chase her fashion dreams.
Daniella worked for over 8 years on the digital marketing teams for brands like Shopbop & Rag & Bone before founding her own women’s footwear brand 3 years ago.
DANIELLA SHEVEL is a direct-to-consumer luxury footwear brand that focuses on comfort, functionality and uniquely beautiful design.
She has a store in the West Village and sells directly through her website online. All pairs are handcrafted in Italy and Brazil.