Nancy Rhodes

Nancy Rhodes is the Founder and CEO of Alternew, an AI-powered platform modernizing fashion’s care and repair economy. With nearly two decades of experience across design, retail, and sustainability, Nancy and her team are redefining how brands convert customers, reduce returns, and build loyalty while extending product life through technology and craftsmanship.

Alternew partners with apparel and lifestyle brands to unlock new revenue streams through care and repair. By connecting customers to trusted tailoring, restoration, and maintenance services, the platform transforms post-purchase care into a profit driver. Its AI-powered agent provides personalized guidance and product recommendations, while data tools track engagement, product life, and compliance metrics, turning after-sales support into measurable loyalty and profit.

Before founding Alternew, Nancy spent 17 years designing footwear and accessories for icons like Kenneth Cole and Beyoncé, with products sold across Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom to Target, Costco, and Marshalls. Her time working throughout the global fashion supply chain exposed how much value is lost after the point of sale and led her to create a technology solution that brings care and craftsmanship back into the customer journey.

Nancy holds a Master’s in Sustainability from IENYC, where she wrote her thesis on “Democratizing Fashion Customization.” She has been recognized as a Top Retail Expert by RETHINK Retail and has shared insights with Vogue Business, Sourcing Journal, and Bloomberg TV.

Her work brings circularity to life in practical ways, helping brands connect the dots between customer experience, data, and long-term impact while proving that care and repair isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do.