Betsy Garcete Cohen, a native Washingtonian, is the founder of ZOPHIA. Shortly after obtaining her undergraduate degree in Psychology, Betsy seriously considered medical school and a career in neurosurgery. Having been drawn to fashion from a young age however, she made the decision to change course and pursued her childhood passion instead.

Having been raised in a family of strong Latina women, Betsy wanted her fashion to be an expression of the same strong, empowering femininity she grew up admiring and emulating. In 2010 and while attending Catholic University in a Masters in Management program, Betsy launched ZOPHIA, naming it after her Grandmother who was a highly skilled seamstress from Peru. Inspired by the women she met in her program, she wanted to design a product that would cater to women of all sizes and help them to feel confident about their own unique shape and body type. After two years of testing different products and researching the market intensely, in 2013, ZOPHIA proudly launched the powerskirt collection.

With a real passion for the business of fashion, Betsy enjoys the challenges of the entrepreneurial world. As an advocate for women, Betsy also feels strongly in working with other female entrepreneurs and helping them pursue and achieve their own dreams. She, her son and husband currently live in Maryland.

Betsy Cohen—who loved wearing garments made by her grandmother—offers custom clothing not only so clients get a proper fit but also to fight what she sees as the wasteful inventories of fast fashion. Plus, she says, “it’s that beautiful experience of building a relationship with the person that makes your clothing.”