7 New York VCs Take Style Seriously

• New York’s Venture Capital scene is experiencing rapid growth as more West Coast businesses move in.
• Venture capitalists from New York say they get their inspiration from the vibrant arts scene.
• These are seven New York VCs that take their style seriously.

What is the dress code of a venture capitalist?

Answer: All Birds sneakers. Patagonia fleece vest. Yuval Noah Harari’s original, Sapiens, in hand. 

AngelList, a startup website founded by an enterprising product engineering engineer, believed these few items were what made a Silicon Valley venture capitalist. Insider claims that he made a bundle of them and tried to sell it online for $500. 

However, venture capitalists aren’t always able to see the benefit in looking like one another. 

At the summit of VCs held in New York this autumn, guests arrived wearing bright floral dresses, tailored pantsuits and slim-fit jackets as well as designer sneakers. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, this was the first meeting of many city’s dealmakers. It was easy to feel the pressure to impress. 

Alexa vonTobel, the founder and managing director for Inspired Capital and one the main organizers, said that there is a broad range of people who come together to create the tech community in New York. She believes that the display of personal style is a good indicator of this diversity. 

New York City is a big city, so street fashion can vary from one area to another. The concentration of artists — and the artistically minded — creates space for uninhibited expressions of style. People-watching is a great way to get inspired. 

Venture capitalists in the city are also taking liberties with their style. 

Sita Chantramonklasri is the founder of Siam Capital. Her unique sense of style pushes against the stereotype of tech-people who belong to the visual archetype. 

Insider spoke to her by email: “There shouldn’t be any standard about who looks like or sounds like a venture capitalist investor.” “We need to be able to attract a broad range of investment opportunities in order to be the best-positioned investors,” she said.

Good style is often associated with flashy insignias and rarefied displays wealth. For investors — especially those who work with up-and-coming founders — deciding what to wear can be a delicate balancing act. 

Ben Sun, cofounder and chief organizer of Primary Capital, said, “I work with founders, and a lot of founding founders don’t make a lot of money.” “You don’t want to be that guy who’s wearing the $2,000 jacket. Because I’ve been there, I feel a bit self-conscious. I was a founder.”  

Insider spoke to many investors who preferred to have a high-low’ approach when it comes to clothes. This means mixing luxury pieces with less expensive ones.

Insider heard from most venture capitalists that whether it is a leather skirt or a pair of sneakers or a fleece vest, their work style comes down to personal power. 

Susan Lyne co-founder of BBG Ventures stated, “So much what we call style actually boils down to gathering yourself for work and making sure that you feel as powerful, as effective, as comfortable as possible.” 

These seven venture capitalists take their style and investments as seriously as they do.