Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, two bold visionaries of their generation, joined forces to change how fashion interacts with sustainability through their brainchild — Phia. Born from a shared passion for digital innovation and a commitment to environmental consciousness, their journey is one of brains, beauty, and brilliance working toward a better world.
Both graduates of Stanford University, Phoebe and Sophia stood out not just for their academic excellence but for their relentless drive to question the status quo. While many of their peers were swept up in traditional career paths, Phoebe and Sophia were busy imagining a future where fashion didn’t cost the Earth — literally.
Phoebe Gates, known for her creativity and keen interest in ethical tech, brought her knowledge of product development and digital ecosystems to the table. From a young age, she showed a rare combination of artistic flair and technological intuition. Her vision for fashion went beyond aesthetics — it was about accessibility, transparency, and circularity.
Sophia Kianni, a fierce climate advocate and policy influencer, entered the scene with a proven track record in mobilizing youth around sustainability. Her voice had already echoed across global platforms, and she knew the power of narrative in transforming habits. With a firm grasp on climate science and public engagement, Sophia’s contribution gave Phia its ethical soul and activist heartbeat.
Together, they created Phia, a next-gen digital fashion platform that is redefining what it means to shop consciously. Phia is not just an app or a website — it’s a community-driven marketplace where every item tells a story, and every user becomes a part of a larger movement. Aimed especially at Gen Z consumers, Phia simplifies secondhand shopping and reselling, turning it into something stylish, intuitive, and socially rewarding.
In a world obsessed with fast fashion, Phoebe and Sophia dared to slow it down. Phia’s platform offers a sleek interface that lets users digitally showcase their wardrobe, discover pre-loved pieces with personality, and resell with ease and purpose. AI helps users match styles, track fashion impact, and even get virtual styling tips — all while reducing waste.
Currently in beta testing, Phia is already buzzing with anticipation. Set to officially launch in 2025, the platform has drawn attention from early adopters, climate influencers, and digital fashion creators who see in Phia a refreshing fusion of purpose and tech.
But for Phoebe and Sophia, this is just the beginning.
Their dream is not just to build a company — it’s to reshape the fashion economy. One where empathy leads, where excess becomes obsolete, and where every young person knows that choosing secondhand isn’t a compromise — it’s a statement of power and principle.
With humility and boldness, they are nurturing a startup culture grounded in collaboration, climate action, and authentic storytelling. Their team is young, diverse, and deeply aligned with the mission — not just to make fashion better, but to make the world better through fashion.
Phoebe once said, “We don’t want people to shop more, we want them to shop smarter.” Sophia added, “Every dress has a past. And with Phia, we give it a future.”
Through Phia, they are not just selling clothes. They are building a world where the threads we wear carry less guilt, more meaning, and infinite style.
Two young women. One radical idea. A fashion revolution is unfolding — stitched with hope, code, and courage.
Phoebe and Sophia are not just co-founders — they are culture shapers, reprogramming the way a generation thinks about fashion, sustainability, and identity.
One of the most exciting elements of Phia is how it bridges the digital and physical world of fashion. Users can create digital wardrobes, cataloging their clothes virtually, mixing and matching pieces before they even touch them. It’s like having a personal stylist and climate advisor in your pocket — helping you look good and feel good about your choices.
They are also pushing boundaries by integrating blockchain technology to track the life cycle of each garment. Every item on Phia will carry a transparent history — who wore it, how it traveled, and how much carbon it saved by being reused. This concept of a “digital fashion passport” is a game-changer, giving each piece a digital identity and adding storytelling to style.
To empower young voices, Phoebe and Sophia launched a Gen Z Style Council within Phia — a group of young creators, activists, and designers from around the world who guide the platform’s growth, ensuring that it stays grounded in real culture, not just trends. This gives users a chance to influence fashion from the inside, not just consume it.
Their platform is also deeply inclusive. Whether someone wears vintage, plus-size, or gender-neutral fashion, Phia is a space where every body and every story belongs. The app doesn’t just filter by size or brand — it filters by values: eco-friendly, upcycled, woman-owned, LGBTQ+ creators, and more.
Phoebe and Sophia believe that fashion isn’t just about looking good — it’s about doing good. That’s why Phia includes a built-in impact tracker, showing users how their sustainable choices contribute to waste reduction, water conservation, and emissions cuts. With every swap or sale, users collect Phia Points, which can be used to support eco-charities, plant trees, or fund educational campaigns.
To educate and inspire, Phia also runs virtual masterclasses featuring designers, stylists, climate scientists, and change-makers who share real-world advice and behind-the-scenes insights on how to thrive in ethical fashion. These workshops help users understand their power as consumers and creators.
Phoebe and Sophia have also begun collaborating with emerging digital fashion designers who create wearable AR fashion pieces. These exclusive Phia drops combine imagination and innovation, allowing users to wear fantasy fashion online without ever producing physical waste.
They’ve turned reselling from a side hustle into a badge of honor — where owning something pre-loved isn’t second best, it’s next-level smart. Stories are valued over tags, and sustainability is the new luxury.
What makes Phia truly inspiring is the belief that fashion can heal — our planet, our confidence, our communities. For every fashion rebel, quiet thrifter, climate warrior, or curious trendsetter out there, Phia isn’t just a platform. It’s a movement.
In the end, Phoebe and Sophia are not just entrepreneurs. They are architects of a new era, proving that style and sustainability can coexist — beautifully, boldly, and brilliantly.
