Dear Friend,
Sorry for the delay in sending this email out, I had a 9 day-long digital detox last week while I was Burning Man where there was no internet connection.
On August 18th and 19th Balanced Fashion held our first ever 2-day course on Sustainable Fashion Business Development at The Canvas, by Querencia Studio. The goal of the course was to help entrepreneurs in the fashion field to more easily navigate in the oversaturated fashion industry, learn more about sustainable practices and to better understand all the technology that is available for fashion brands to benefit from. I opened the course with a presentation overviewing the current state of our industry and explained how we got here and gave examples of some of the top players and innovators in sustainable fashion. After that, I led two sessions focused on the aspects of business development for fashion brands, which included a deep dive into wholesale and direct-to-consumer business models.
Our first guest speaker, Megan Murphy-Bratich, Co-Founder of Get the People, a purpose-driven creative agency, talked about digital branding. Top takeaways: simplicity wins, a strategy is the brother of creativity, credibility begins with aesthetics.
Day one concluded with a presentation by Faye Lessler, Founder of Sustaining Life, a blog focused on holistic sustainable living and fashion. Top takeaways: Importance of collaboration over competition, if you don’t pay influencers, then you’re not an “ethical” brand and that brands have to let go and allow influencers to take control of the narrative to preserve the authenticity of what is being communicated to their audience.
The second day was kicked off with a talk by Cat Bradley, Founder of Sewethico, a consulting, providing business essentials for ethical fashion designers. Top takeaways: a business plan is a must, angel investors and venture capitalists DO invest in fashion companies, crowdfunding is always a great idea to prove the product concept.
For the following session, Jessica Schreiber, the Co-Founder of FABSCRAP came in to speak about the way FABSCRAP, a non profit organization that contributes to a circular fashion development by collecting, sorting and recycling pre-consumer waste generated by fashion companies. Top takeaways: unused commercial waste in fashion is significantly larger than residential waste, and it can be downcycled, recycled and up-cycled, depending on the fiber and quality of fabric; spandex is a non-recyclable material - Jessica advices designers to completely avoid using it in garment creation.
After a fascinating Q&A session with Jessica about her business, I continued with my talk on the aspects that make a fashion brand sustainable, covered various certificates in fashion to officially prove the sustainable and ethical practices to the customers, and spoke about various ways of brands can be socially involved while creating and selling a great product.
The last guest speaker of our weekend course was Sylvia Heisel, the Founder of Heisel, an expert in 3D printing for fashion, a design and product development lab. Top takeaways: fashion production automatization is here to stay and how data collection & utilization will be more and more important for fashion product creation.
I'm very happy how our first large-scale Balanced Fashion course came together and grateful to the amazing space, The Canvas who hosted us, for the wonderful guest speakers and for the lovely, smart and curious attendants. Without you all, this course wouldn't have happened! Read the full recap of the course + see photos here.
Finally, we are preparing an ambitious event for the September that will be promoting a concept of Balanced Fashion Week. More details in the next newsletter - stay tuned!
News Digest:
Sustainability & Ethics
- Eileen Fisher concept store teaches consumers how to recycle and repurpose garments - Glossy
- How Brands Are Going All Out to Embrace Sustainable Fashion - Entrepreneur
- Fur: A reality check - Business of Fashion
- Why Instagram’s ‘outfit of the day’ hashtag is bad for fashion – and bad for the soul - TheGuardian
- Gen Z’s Passion for Sustainable Products Is Fueling the Shift Toward Streetwear - Adweek
- Everlane is launching ‘clean silk’ in a move toward greater sustainability - Fashionista
- Could rental fashion help us become more sustainable? - Harper’s Bazaar
- Walmart tried to make sustainability affordable. Here’s what happened - Quarz
- Black designers have to work twice as hard – & are still ‘emerging’ -Refinery29
Business & Technology
- Why Farfetch Could Command A $6 Billion IPO - Forbes
- Online retailers are using empty mall spaces to test products - Digiday
- How fashion retailer H&M is betting on artificial intelligence and big data to regain profitability - Forbes
- Store, café or art gallery? The rise and rise of the concept store - FashionUnited
- ‘Stories’ was Instagram’s smartest move yet - Recode
- Why Tech Products For Women Are Underfunded And Why This Is A Great Opportunity - Forbes
- The high-tech future of fashion manufacturing - Quarz
- Fashion GPS Founder's Fashion-Tech Journey - Business of Fashion
Events:
Wednesday, September 5th
6pm – 8pm Wear Your Values Workshop
Facilitated by Remake Ambassador, Ruby Veridiano, this workshop serves as an introduction to sustainable fashion. Using a rich mix of multimedia and hands on exercises, participants will walk away armed with facts and stories of how the industry is affecting both people (especially women) and the planet and understand the connection between the women’s empowerment movement and sustainable fashion. Price: Suggested Donation $20 Location: Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator, 630 Flushing Avenue, Suite 704
10am – 4:30pm CLO Virtual Fashion Training Workshop
CLO Virtual Fashion is committed to innovating the way we communicate fashion through our true-to-life 3D garment simulation technology. Please bring your laptop, 3 click mouse and charger for training. Lunch and snacks will be provided each day. Price: $40-$50 Location: Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator, 630 Flushing Avenue Suite 704
Thursday, September 6th
5:00pm - 9:30pm FashionHub "Fashion Meets Technology" | NYFW Event
It is an event and opportunity to connect with creative, expert and forward-thinking fashion tech community, i.e. The event features excellent fashion experts who will enumerate application of VR/AR, smart textile, IoT, fashion software, effective e-commerce, Artificial Intelligence, sustainability, 3D Printing and the future of fashion. Price: $55 Location: FashionHub 23 West 24th Street
6:30pm - 9:00pm Be Social Change Event: New York Sustainability Connector
Join Be Social Change, Impact Travel Alliance, and Slow Money NYC on September 6th for the New York Sustainability Connector, a facilitated networking event focused on connecting NYC’s sustainability community to create new collaborations and grow each other’s networks. The night will include interactive networking, healthy snacks, drinks from socially-conscious businesses and most importantly: a room packed with inspiring, like-minded people from organizations that are innovating and making a sustainable impact for a greener New York! Join us in strengthening New York’s sustainability sector by creating meaningful connections, building new partnerships, and sharing ideas and resources. Price: $25 Location: Prime Produce 424 W 54th St
Friday, September 7th
10am – 7:30pm Wear Your Values Panels & Pop-Up
This New York Fashion Week, join Remake and the Human Rights Foundation for a series of panels to discuss the intersection of fashion, human rights and technology. The event will also include a pop-up by sustainable designers which will remain open until Saturday afternoon. Price: Suggested Donation $20 Location: Athleta, 126 5th Avenue
6pm – 9pm hiTechMODA Industry Panel & Cocktail Party
Join us for a fascinating discussion about the emerging disruptions and directions which will burst the outdated and frayed seams of the garment industry and change the way we see and experience the business of fashion. Price: $20 Location: LIM College of Fashion Maxwell Campus, 216 East 45th Street
Saturday, September 8th
11am – 4pm FABSCRAP Turns Two: Pop-Up Sale & Volunteer Appreciation Reception
We're having our first ever pop-up fabric sale on the Upper East Side, and we hope this will be a convenient option for all those in Manhattan. Remember to BOY-Bag! We'll have light lunch and drinks available as a small token of our gratitude for all the hours our wonderful community has contributed to our mission. Price: Free Location: CANVAS, 904 Lexington Avenue
Saturday, September 8th - Monday, September 10th
Fashion Tech Week NY: "Internet of Fashion"
The expo includes panel discussions, networking mixers, keynote speakers, demos, fashion tech competition, VIP opening reception, closing party and runway show. Highlights the applications of 3D printing, augmented/virtual reality, retail tech, robotics, wearables, IoT and sustainability in the fashion ecosystem. Price: $29-$99 Location: NYC, TBD
Sunday, September 9th
7pm – 11:30pm NY Fashion Week Networking Party by Fashion Mingle
This exclusive event is held every season of NYFW to provide networking opportunities for fashion industry professionals. The event will feature speed networking to help you make a #MingleMatch with professionals in PR, media, production and more. Price: $50-$100 Location: Row NYC, 700 8th Avenue
Monday, September 10th
7pm - 10pm Fashion Tech Week
This will be our 3rd Annual 4 day Fashion Tech Week NY Expo, The expo includes panel discussions, networking mixers, keynote speakers, demos, fashion tech competition, VIP opening reception, closing party and runway show highlighting the applications of 3D print designed apparel, accessories and footwear. Augmented/virtual reality, retail tech, robotics, wearables, IoT and sustainability in the fashion ecosystem. The expo is an opportunity to connect with the innovators/innovative forward-thinking fashion-tech community. Price: $49 Location: 43 W.13th Street
Wednesday, September 12th
6:30pm – 8:30pm WAYE Talks: The Future of Fashion & Sustainability
Fashion’s most influential forces will come together to lead the conversation on driving a shift towards a more sustainable future in fashion- the second most damaging industry to the earth’s climate. Price: Free Location: Arlo SoHo, 231 Hudson Street
Thursday, September 13th
7pm – 9pm Adalinda Fashion Show
A Showcase of Designers Committed to Social Progression and Environmental Awareness. Price: $15 Location: 2 East Broadway
Monday, September 17th
6:30pm – 8:30pm NYC FTC Sustainable Fashion Committee Meeting
Join the NYC Fair Trade Coalition every 3rd Monday of the month for an evening of planning, organizing, and collaboration. Learn how to get involved and push the sustainable fashion movement forward! Price: $8 (free for NYC FTC members) Location: LIM College, 216 E 45th Street
Tuesday, September 18th
6pm – 6:30pm The Rise of Sustainability
Sustainability is now woven into the fabric of how the most innovative and successful companies operate, and the fashion and jewelry industries are no exceptions. Join our experts to learn about innovations in sustainable fashion and jewelry, the companies that are driving the movement and the circular economy, plus how you can contribute as a conscious consumer. Price: Free Location: The RealReal, 80 Wooster Street
Friday, September 21st
11am – 1pm Repair and Re-dye: Breathe new life into old textiles
Bring your tattered and worn favorite garments and try mending techniques from traditional Japanese sashiko, felting, or improvisational stitching. Indigo vats will be available for on-site dipping. Learn about the economic benefits and the shift in consumer behavior from disposable fashion to one of personally embedded value. Price: Free Location: Parsons Making Center, 2 West 13th Street, 2nd Floor
Wednesday, September 26th– Friday, September 28th
9am – 5pm Sixth Annual International Conference on Sustainable Development
The aim of the conference is to identify and share practical, evidence-based solutions that can support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The ICSD provides a unique opportunity to bring together stakeholders from government, academia, the United Nations, international agencies, NGOs, and grassroots organizers to share practical solutions towards the achievement of more sustainable and inclusive societies. Price: Free for full-time students or $260-$310 Location: Lerner Hall, 2920 Broadway
Thursday, September 27th
7pm – 8:30pm Fashion Addicts Anonymous
This community led forum is a place to discuss sustainability, sustainable fashion, our experiences and feelings towards the topic, questions we have, and solutions and actions we can take to push the movement forward! Price: Free Location: Think Coffee, 248 Mercer Street
Cool Finds:
- The Frontlash, Stylist's Laura Jones Jones new site focused on ethical and sustainable fashion
- Compare Ethics - a digital platform where you can shop in line with the values that matter most to you.
Stay Inspired,
Nataliya