Women2Watch Interview: Kayte Malik

This month, we're excited to feature Kayte Malik, founder and CEO of Dresscode Tech, in our Women2Watch spotlight! Kayte will be joining us in this year's Innovation Lab as one of the many forward-thinkers who have broken new ground with wearables, accessories, technology and solutions. Kayte's company, Dresscode Tech, is leveraging the world of fashion accessories to introduce girls to the world of coding. We can't wait to hear from Kayte and the other innovators in the iLab in New York on September 20th!

Who are you, what do you do, and who do you do it for?

My name is Kayte Malik and I make technology beautiful as the founder and CEO of Dresscode Tech. Dresscode believes there is beauty in innovation and technology.  The company merges fashion and technology to excite and educate women and girls about computer science, coding and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

Dresscode has created fashion forward coding bracelets that have stings of binary code on them with empowering messages like "I am Bold," "I am Smart," and "I am Brave."
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The User takes the code to our learning portal on the Dresscode websites and enters it to unlock coding lessons in the following programing lessons: HTML, CSS and Java Script. 

How did you get to where you are?

Dresscode is a perfect convergence of my passion for innovation, my love of fashion and my background in technology strategy, software product development, retail and eCommerce.  It started as a class project while working on my executive MBA at The University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. ​

Prior to business school my non-linear career path included strategy, technology, consulting and marketing roles for Fortune 100 companies including Bank of America, Sears and Macy’s.   ​

Why are you doing what you're doing?

In business school I saw need to excite and expose more women and girls to technology, innovation and coding, and thought that fashion would be a great way to do that.  For as long as I can remember when it came to technology I was usually the only girl in the room. In college, I was one of two women in the CS program and ultimately ended up switching majors because I felt like I didn’t belong. Then in the corporate world I was usually the only woman on a project. I want women and girls to know that technology can be beautiful and the opportunities are endless if one knows how to code.

What advice would you give to other aspiring Women2Watch?

Whether it is fashion, retail, technology or any other industry, it is so important be never stop learning and always be curious. Curiosity is where ideas come from and it is ideas that solve problems. ​

Also, be strategic about your business network is important, make sure that the people you surround yourself with will make you better and help you achieve your goals.

Any other thoughts you'd like to share with our audience?

Since being named a Women2Watch, Dresscode has been featured in Uniqlo on Michigan Ave in Chicago, was selected to be an 1871 WiSTEM company, and has been able to expose over 1500 women of all ages to coding and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) through the Dresscode platform, speaker series and other events, giving them basic coding skills while using fashion as a catalyst to excite them about technology and innovation.

As a company we have been able to give back monetary awards to fund STEM education for women and girls in addition to product awards to 6 different organization nationally. Dresscode is in the process of building out a new strategic initiative where we will be able to expose even more women and girls to technology.  Stay tuned—we’ll be announcing more about this initiative soon!

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Remodista Community Day attendees will meet Kayte and other innovators in sustainability, wearables, accessories, technology and solutions in New York. Can't make it to the New York event?Follow us on Facebook for exclusive interviews with featured companies in our iLab, coming on September 20th.

Interested in learning more about Kayte and Dresscode Tech?

Visit Dresscode Tech's website
Find Kayte Malik on LinkedIn

Press:
Forbes | Thrive Global | aPlus | 1871
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Social:
Instagram: @DresscodeTech 
Twitter: @DresscodeTech
Facebook