Style Meets Software: Inside Rochester’s Newest Fashion Tech Startup
- Connected Know
- Apr 8
- 4 min read
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — After more than a decade in the tech industry, Kyla Brown is applying her product mindset to a new challenge: fixing how people shop online. As the founder of Closet OS, a Rochester-based fashion technology startup launched in 2025, Brown is building a platform designed to make personal style more intuitive, personalized, and efficient.
Closet OS sits at the intersection of retail, fashion, and technology, aiming to modernize an e-commerce experience that Brown believes has remained largely unchanged for decades. “Most online shopping still relies on static product pages and endless scrolling,” she said. “Shoppers are expected to sort through thousands of
items to find what works for them.”
Brown’s goal is to reverse that dynamic, using technology to deliver a more tailored experience that helps users curate their personal style with greater precision.
Before launching Closet OS, Brown spent over 10 years at Codecademy, joining the company when it was a 40-person startup and staying through its growth to more than 250 employees and its acquisition by Skillsoft in 2022. Her time there exposed her to product development, scaling operations, and the evolving role of technology in shaping user experiences.
Following the acquisition, Brown made a deliberate pivot. She earned a personal styling certification from the London College of Fashion and began working directly with clients. She is styling women, teaching online courses, and developing digital tools, including GPT-based products, to assist with everyday wardrobe decisions.
“Moving into fashion technology felt like a natural transition,” Brown said. “It allowed me to bring together my professional background in tech with my personal passion for style.”
That convergence led to the creation of Closet OS. The company recently reached an early milestone with the launch of its beta platform, which Brown built herself. “Getting the product into users’ hands was a major moment,” she said. “Now I’m focused on incorporating feedback and preparing for a broader app launch.”
Brown is currently a member of the NextCorps incubator, where she has been developing Closet OS alongside other founders and mentors in the Rochester startup ecosystem. She also gained early recognition by winning the AI Startup Jam, an experience that helped accelerate both her visibility and integration into the local innovation community.
As a solo founder, Brown says the biggest challenge has been the constant need to learn. “Every month requires a deep dive into something new, intellectual property, security, finance,” she said. “You become a jack of all trades while you build the right team.”
Her approach is grounded in a simple principle: focus. “The best advice I’ve received is to stay in your lane,” Brown said. “There’s always new technology, new trends, but you have to stay aligned with your core mission.”
For Brown, that mission is clear: build a better, more intelligent shopping experience that reflects how people actually think about style.
Despite experience in larger cities and international travel, Brown chose to build Closet OS in Rochester, where she was raised between Henrietta and the city. “Nowhere compares,” she said. “This is a community that values work ethic, integrity, and long-term thinking.”
She also points to the strength of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem and creative community. “There are so many people here building meaningful businesses,” she said. “That energy matters.”
Outside of work, Brown remains closely connected to Rochester’s retail and food scenes. She frequently shops at local boutiques such as Second Look, Peppermint, Women of Color International, and Staple Vintage, and highlights entrepreneurs like Alexxis Ellison of Baby Cakes Bakery and Teshelle Bumbry of Part One Consulting as standout community builders.
Her favorite restaurant is Arnett Cafe in the 19th Ward, a family-owned spot known for Southern-style dishes like shrimp and grits, fried catfish, and chicken and waffles.
When working or meeting with other founders, Brown rotates between local cafés including Melo, Layali, Winter Swan, and Clementine.
As Closet OS moves from beta to full launch, Brown represents a growing wave of Rochester founders bringing product-driven thinking into traditionally underserved industries. Her focus is not just on building a company, but on reshaping how consumers interact with fashion in a digital-first world.
Fast Facts
Category | Detail |
Founder | Kyla Brown |
Company | |
Founded | 2025 |
Headquarters | Rochester, NY |
Industry | Retail (Fashion & Apparel) |
Position | Founder |
Education | Syracuse University |
Hometown | Rochester, NY |
Favorite Restaurant | |
Favorite Local Businesses | |
Favorite Activity | Shopping local boutiques |
Coffee / Founder Meetups | |
About the Founder Spotlight
The Connected Know Founder Spotlight is a weekly feature highlighting the entrepreneurs, innovators, and business leaders shaping Rochester’s startup and business ecosystem. Each profile offers insight into the people behind local companies driving growth, creativity, and long-term economic momentum.
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