Dear Friend,

I am happy to announce the soft launch of NatAliya.ai - an artistic project combined with coaching for conscious entrepreneurs via IGTV and YouTube channel where I'll speak about conscious consumption, ethical and sustainable fashion, business development, innovation, technology, art, culture, diversity, human rights, and spirituality. The intention behind NatAliya.ai is to raise global consciousness through authentic storytelling, personal and business coaching, as well as intuitive channeling, tarot + astrology energy readings.

This is the kick-off video that I published Monday, April 23rd to honor the Earth Day and the beginning of the Annual Fashion Revolution Week. This is a launch of the video series called "[Fashion] Revolution Starts Within" focused on stories we tell to ourselves through garments that we own. One of the most triggering topics for me right now is how wasteful our industry is and how few people are aware of it. I’ve worked in the fashion industry my whole life and with my own unconscious fashion choices let by the societal standards I have been directly contributing to the terrible environmental impact. The time has come to bring everything I own onto the surface and create space for what is TRUTH for me right NOW.

In this video series, I shed light on the unconscious stories I have been telling myself for years by creating parallels with the fashion items that I own. I am sharing authentic stories of some of these items as I sort through my closet, and bring into awareness of how these stories ran my life, just like programs running in our computers.

After I recorded a bunch of videos for this series, and really cleaned up my closet - I have set aside a whole suitcase of items I’d like to bring new life to, mend, re-think and reinvent. So I’m inviting designers to participate in this movement and help me create a new, more current wardrobe that reflects my values. I’ve not bought anything new (non-vintage or consigned) for 1.5 years now and look forward to bringing a new life to my style! As a Thank you, I'd be able to support the designers with coaching, business development, and promotion. So if YOU are that designer or you know anyone who would be interested in participating in this project - please do reply on this email and let's connect!

In the weeks ahead, I’m extending this video series towards going through closets of my friends and would like to support your work in my videos and in my sustainable fashion network in the future. I'm inviting you to join the #FashionRevolution & #BalancedFashion movement, go through your closets and post videos/photos with #ClosetStories hashtag telling stories about items you own and share if you still resonate with these stories or if they're expired. Curious to hear from you!!

Balanced Fashion Events Announcements:

This Tuesday, April 30 from 1pm till 2pm, in honor of last week's Fashion Revolution Week and the #WhoMadeMyClothes movement, I will be volunteering at the FabScrap warehouse, one-stop textile reuse, and recycling resource - we will be sorting fabrics and having amazing conversations. Join me!

On Tuesday, May 13th I'm hosting an in-person Balanced Fashion event in NYC's beautiful conscious coworking space, The Assemblage. The event will be focusing on the topic I am very passionate about: The Future of Blockchain for Circularity & Transparency in Fashion Industry. Many of my readers know that I strongly believe that blockchain technology is going reinvent the fashion product cycle by providing transparency and traceability of the supply chain, helping maintain digital wardrobes and boost the emerging sharing economy, securing IP rights and authenticity for fashion designers, enabling efficient omnichannel communications, providing novel ways of funding collections... in other words - provide faster and more efficient ways for brands to move further towards sustainable supply chain and embrace the circular economy. I'm hosting a talk with Neliana Fuenmayor, founder of A Transparent Company. Email me if you're interested to learn more and get notified when tickets go on sale and RSVP here.

Listen to my latest Fashion Is Your Business podcast interview with Stacy Flynn, CEO & Co-Founder of Evrnu. In this interview, we are speaking about molecular regeneration of garment waste by converting it into a high-quality resource applicable for apparel, home, and industrial end-use…which is the ultimate link connecting fashion lifecycle that closes the loop and helps make fashion truly circular. Companies like Evrnu give me hope for the bright future of our industry.

TOP EVENTS:

Monday, April 29th

5:30pm Retail Tech

With Michael Reidbord (President, FTC), Lukas Agrapidis (VP Direct to Consumer, Theory), Oren Paran (Head Of Technology & Innovation, Big Shopping Centers). Price: Free Location: SOSA NYC, 149 5th Ave, 9th Fl

Tuesday, April 30th

1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Volunteering at Fabscrap - Fashion Revolution - Fabric Sorting

Come to the Balanced Fashion community event at FABSCRAP, a one-stop textile reuse, and recycling resource. We will be volunteering 3 hours of our time to help them sort fabric scraps at their warehouse. As a thank you, to us, the volunteers FABSCRAP will let each of us keep up to 5 pounds of any fabric we like! So get your DIY ideas ready! ;) Space is super limited, only 10 people can come to volunteer at a time - so please respond "Going" on the Facebook event if you're actually going. Price: Free Location: FABSCRAP Brooklyn Army Terminal, Unit 5H-4, 140 58th Street, Brooklyn

Thursday, May 2nd

10am - 5pm NYC TechDay

The largest startup event in the US. Experience the latest technologies and discover revolutionary new startups. Listen to startup founders present live demos of their newest products and technologies. Gain insights from leading tech brands through Fireside Chats. Get unprecedented in-person access to the directors of top accelerator programs. Join a community of like-minded individuals with an interest in the tech ecosystem. Price: Free Location: Javits Center, Hall 1B - Enter on 11th Avenue between 37th and 38th Streets

6:00on - 8:00pm You're Charging The Wrong Price

So how did you set your prices? “I figured this is what the market will bear.” “Well, my competition is charging X so I charged X.” “My competitor is charging X so I undercut them!” “It cost me X to make and I want a profit of Y so I charge this amount.” All of the methods above have something in common – they are all wrong. All are costing you money left on the table and all are costing you customers. Come to Professor Emanuel’s Value Based Pricing seminar and learn in one night how to correctly set prices for now and forever. Price: Free Location: Baruch College, 55 Lexington Ave

Saturday, May 4th

Future Fashion Dumbo Opening

DUMBO, BROOKLYN, NEW “Future Fashion : For People Who Love Life On Earth” sets out to create a space dedicated to dressing for good. From simple socks to glorious gowns – each designer strives to make fashion harmless. The focus is on those that through their design and manufacturing work, imagine a world where we can all make a living without destroying life on earth. Featured companies, organizations, and designers include Field to Fragrance, GAS with Cocccon, Imane Ayissi, Maggie’s Organics, Mara Haseltine, TL Brooke, and Xoomba. Price: Free Location: 52 Bridge Street Brooklyn, NY

Thursday, May 9th - Sunday, May 12th

11am - 7pm Allpamamas - Collection launch Showroom

Allpamamas is an ethical clothing brand based in Ecuador. It is the result of a creative collaboration between artisans from rural communities and designers Maria Puente (Spain) and Vanessa Alarcón. Together they experiment with sustainable design practices and traditional textile techniques. Experience their garments, learn about their creative process and travel to the Ecuadorian Andes in their interactive showroom. This is the first stop of their global launch exhibitions (NYC-> Quito-> Berlin -> Madrid). Price: Free Location: 104 Forsyth St

Thursday, May 9th

5:00pm – 9:00pm FashionHub "Future of Fashion Conference"

FashionHub is, May 9th, 2019. Join us to learn how technology is becoming the catalyst for personalization of fashion & beauty solutions and discover the latest new products from innovative brands.FashionHub comprises fashion show by 4 designers, speakers panel led by experts in the space, digital presentations and a tabletop expo by leading brands. It is an event and opportunity to connect with the creative experts and forward-thinking fashion & beauty tech community. I will be speaking at this event about Textile future and Sustainable supply chain. Price: $29, Use code ELUCD for 40% Location: LIM College, 216 E 45th St

Friday, May 10th

9:00am Principles of Fair Fashion

This course provides an overview of what sustainability actually means and how your organization can move beyond Corporate Social Responsibility to integrate sustainable practices across all business units. The discussion will use real-life case studies from the Fair Fashion Center to demonstrate clear linkages between economic value creation as well as environmental and social sustainability. Price: $150 Location: Glasgow Caledonian New York College (GCNYC), 64 Wooster St

Monday, May 13th

7:00pm - 9:00pm Balanced Fashion: Blockchain for Circularity & Transparency in Fashion Industry (Email for a ticket link: nataliya@balancedfashion.com)

Come to our "Blockchain for Circularity & Transparency in Fashion Industry" event at The Assemblage to learn more about the way Blockchain can bring much upgrade to the fashion system and make it more circular, transparent and sustainable for our Planet. Nataliya Makulova, the founder of Balanced Fashion and conscious fashion advocate and futurist and a special guest, Neliana Fuenmayor, founder of A Transparent Company are going to shed light on the value behind these technologies in the context of fashion. Topics we will cover: · The new era of transparency in fashion, purpose and trust · Shifting mindset - from linear to circular · Incentives to be trustworthy: decentralization and transparency · Blockchain, smart contracts and other technology for transparency · Standardization and common language for the new technologies · Smart labels and consumer feedback · Recycling, up cycling and sharing economy Price: $30 (Free for Assemblage Members) Location: The Assemblage Nomad, 114 E 25th St

Monday, May 20th

6:00pm NYC FTC Sustainable Fashion Community Meeting at LIM College 2019

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 Location: LIM College, 216 E 45th st

Wednesday, May 29th

6:30pm - 9:00pm Building a Fashion Startup

If you’re building a fashion startup, join us on May 29th as we discuss what it takes to launch and grow a fashion startup with some of NYC’s smartest entrepreneurs. We’ll discuss: Designing & prototyping your product, Finding manufacturers, Competing in a crowded space, Planning for direct-to-consumer or other distribution channels, Marketing for your product, Fundraising options for beauty startups Price: $20 - $65 Location: Alley Chelsea, 119 West 24th Street, 2nd floor

6:30pm - 9:00pm SewEthico Event

Save the date for this event by Cat Bradley, featuring... me! More details will be released in the next newsletter. Price: TBD Location: Arlp SoHo, 231 Hudson St

FASHION TECH FINDS:

New Standard Institute - A global community driving the fashion industry to achieve science-based environmental & social targets
The Fashion Initiative - non-profit that raises awareness of the environmental and social impacts of fashion
Do Epic Good’s debut documentary explores sustainable fashion
Open Apparel Registry - Access the global map of apparel facilities

Stay Inspired,

Nataliya Makulova
Founder of Balanced Fashion, Conscious Fashion Tech Consulting Agency

Conscious Fashion | 4.29.19 - 5.20.19 | NatAliya.ai Launch - Fashion Revolution Starts Within

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