Fashion’s Whiplash: Kathleen Chan on AI, Tariffs & Fixing Broken Supply Chains

“The 100% tariffs have poured fuel on an already raging fire… it’s put this whiplash effect into every sourcing manager and production team.”

Kathleen Chan, CEO & Founder of Calico

 

Global apparel supply chains are “very, very broken.” Kathleen Chan is out to fix them. As founder of Calico, she’s building an AI-driven “force multiplier” to bring resilience, speed, and clarity to one of the world’s most volatile industries.

In this conversation with David Savage, Kathleen shares:

  • How tariffs and economic instability create a whiplash effect in fashion

  • Why Calico’s inbound leads surged 300% in the last year

  • The role of AI and vetted factory networks in rebuilding resilience

  • Lessons from her early entrepreneurial journey

  • Why VC priorities are shifting to sustainable growth and leaner teams

This is a rare inside look at how technology is rewriting the rules of global apparel manufacturing, and the human decisions driving that change.

 

Tech Talks Podcast 

Tech Talks is a podcast that probes the minds of tech leaders, hosted by Technology Evangelist David Savage. Each week, the show releases three episodes with new guests, covering the latest tech news, exploring new products and cultural transformations that drive the tech industry.

Founded in 2015 Tech Talks has published over 650 episodes and attracts over 18,500 streams a month from a global audience. The podcast offers insights and ideas from leading technologists on culture, innovation, finance, growth, sustainability, and more, providing a platform for the c-suite, founders, and senior figures to hear from others facing similar challenges and tap into a wider community.

Find out more about Tech Talks here.