Dear Friend,
Happy to share an article I wrote based on my recent talk about the conscious future of fashion retail at the International Retail Forum in Moscow. It highlights key technology solutions that are shaping the conscious future of our industry. People keep asking me: "How technology contributes to sustainable fashion development?". This article serves as quite a detailed answer. And that's what I do at Balanced Fashion consulting - help companies utilize appropriate technologies and platforms to become more innovative, efficient and sustainable.
I have 3 events scheduled and would love you to join all of them, if possible! :) I'm in Europe right now for the next few months and won't be physically present at these events, but the amazing community of passionate people will be there, as always.
March's my next Balanced Fashion event was rescheduled for the 29th of March and will be focused on the future of direct-to-consumer, essentials-focused sustainable fashion brands. Speakers include Nina Faulhaber, Co-Founder,, ADAY, Althea Simons, Founder, Grammar, and Veronika Harbick, Co-Founder, Thursday Finest. Moderator: Allison Vicenzi, Founder, Vicenzi . It will take place at an amazing Remade in Brooklyn - a nonprofit community fixer space, where they teach skills and share tools to help people repair clothing, electronics, and furniture. They campaign for sustainable and ethical consumption and zero waste.
I'm also organizing another volunteering event at FABSCRAP on March 30th at their new warehouse location in Brooklyn. Come help sort fabrics, it's so much fun! And have a great time connecting with the members of our community. The previous two events were truly amazing, full of socializing and learning about fabrics recyclability.
Finally, super excited about our upcoming April's event on April 26th at Freehold Brooklyn. It is a collaboration between Balanced Fashion and Get The People Agency as a part of the Global Fashion Revolution Week. The topic is how strong brand storytelling can reshape the future of sustainable fashion. It is going to be an immersive evening of networking, conscious fashion, compelling conversation, all-star panelists, cocktails, pop-ups, community building and an after party.
News Digest:
Sustainability:
- How your fast fashion habit is harming more than the earth - Vogue Australia
- How disposable fashion created an environmental emergency - Fashion United
- Fashion's 7 Priorities To Achieve Sustainability - Business of Fashion
- Adidas Wants to Somehow Make Everything From Recycled Plastic - Racked
- Sustainable Fashion Takes Charge in Australia - Business of Fashion
- How Close Is Sustainability to Becoming a Business Imperative in Fashion? - Sourcing Journal
- How long does it take to make clothes? - Treehugger
- How H&M is Leading the Charge for Sustainable Fashion - Forbes
Technology:
- SXSW 2018: The future of automation and its impact on consumers - TheCurrentDaily
- Zara to launch an Augmented Reality app in its stores - Evening Standard
- As Instagram Shopping goes global, brands look to optimize mobile commerce strategies - Glossy
- Alibaba's Jack Ma and Joe Tsai Are Pumping $20 Million Into Rent the Runway - TechCrunch
- Brands are finally embracing augmented reality, but not without speed bumps - AdWeek
- Nordstrom is investing in technology to support personalization and customer service - Glossy
- Artefact London becomes world’s first tailor to accept crypto payments - TheIndustry
- ‘People are never going to want to buy something via voice’: Alexa hasn’t caught on for fashion brands - Glossy
Events
Tuesday, March 27th
1:00pm – 5:30pm New York Mompreneur / Womenpreneur / FashionTech Startup Conference
Always wanted to start a tech startup? Now we have a complete blueprint for you start your own Fashion Tech startup. During our tech startup program you will learn and navigate through tools, software, hardware, platforms, resources, projects, processes, methods and strategies to penetrate your own Fashion Tech Startup into the market. Price: $99+ Location: TBD
6:00pm Internet Of Fashion - Hands-on Designing Fashion Tech
At the internet of Fashion meet up hosted at Microsoft you will learn how to design fashion tech, AR/VR, business strategies, and gaming. The May meeting focus will be designing innovative wearable with 3D print technology. Designers that have already successfully introduced their wearable s in the consumer market will share the process of creating fashion that integrates 3D technologies. Price: Free Location: Microsoft, 677 Fifth Avenue
6:30pm How To Quit Your Job And Go Full Time Freelance
If you’ve been dreaming about quitting your job, starting a business, and creating work you’re passionate about, but don’t know where to start, this workshop is for you! Price: $10 Location: General Assembly, 902 Broadway, 4th Floor
7:00pm Sustainable Fashion Club: Show and Tell
You've got ideas, we've got 'em too! Calling all entrepreneurs! Do you have a business in sustainable fashion? Or an idea you think is worth pursuing? Our community is coming together to present our work and get/give honest feedback. Show up, hear from each other, and support local sustainable fashion businesses! Price: Free Location: Breather, 100 Crosby Street, Suite 502
Wednesday, March 28th
6:00pm Blockchain Of The Future - Smart Cities, Media, Smart Contracts
At the internet of Fashion meet ups attendees will learn Designing Fashion tech, AR/VR, AI, Business strategies, Blockchain, Drones and Robotics. The meetings focus are different technological advancements. Expert designers that have already successfully introduced their products/services into the consumer market will share the processes of creations that integrate technologies. Price: $34 Location: Ebay HQ, 625 6th Ave
6:00pm Future Of Wearable Technology
SAP Next-Gen - in partnership with Women of Wearable Tech (W.oW) - brings to you an interactive science fiction workshop during which you will hear from a group of innovators in the wearable technology space and then you yourself will use your SciFi creativity to dream up new concepts that will define the future of what we wear. Price: Free Location: 10 Hudson Yards 48th floor
6:00pm How To Create Products Customers Love
How do today’s most successful tech companies—Amazon, Google, Facebook, Netflix, Tesla—design, develop, and deploy the products that have earned the love of literally billions of people around the world? Join us for an evening of thoughtful discussion with product management expert, founder of Silicon Valley Product Group, and author of Inspired, Marty Cagan. The conversation will be led by Steven Cohn (CEO, Validately) & Thor Ernstsson (CEO, Alpha). Price: $25 Location: Silicon Valley Bank, 387 Park Ave South, 2nd Fl
Friday, March 30th
2:00pm - 4:00pm Envisioning Holograms - Designing Breakthrough Experiences For Mixed Reality
Designing for mixed reality is a completely new experience for everyone involved, and takes some experimentation to get right. You won’t nail your first mixed reality project by relying solely on your previous mobile or web design expertise as a guide. Mixed reality requires a different kind of design thinking for its unique challenges. That starts with Envisioning. Price: Free Location: New School University, 63 5th Ave
Sunday, April 8th
11:30am – 2:00pm Brunchwork At General Assembly
Fill your weekend with inspiration and intention! Join us for an unforgettable sweetgreen brunch with: David Rosenberg - Director of Business Development at GIPHY Dheerja Kaur - Head of Product at theSkimm. Price: $45 Location: General Assembly, 902 Broadway, 4th Floor
Tuesday, April 10th
6:30pm Winning Women - Investing In Women
New York Women Social Entrepreneurs (NYWSE), an international nonprofit supporting the next generation of women change-makers presents Winning Women a monthly community event featuring stories by women-led startups, female entrepreneurs, Founders, CEO, Managers that use social missions to drive growth. At Winning Women, women share their lessons learned to an audience that ranges from 20-60s year old female and males who are eager to learn how to become better leaders, start a business, or juggle their passion project and day job. Price: $50 Location: The Farm SoHo, 447 Broadway, 2nd Fl
Wednesday, April 11th
6:00pm - 8:30pm Retail X Series - Building Your Retail Advisory Board
Friday, April 13th
6:00pm - 9:00pm Sustainable Fashion Silent Auction & Clothing Swap
The NYC Fair Trade Coalition x Harlem Undressed invites you to bring your positive vibes (and lightly used clothes) and help us grow the SUSTAINABLE FASHION MOVEMENT! We’re auctioning off one of a kind items from designers committed to; the SDG's, pushing their ethics forward and supporting fair trade both near and far. *10% of sales will be donated to the NYC Fair Trade Coalition. Price: $25-$50 Location: La Maison d'Art 259 West 132nd Street
Sunday, April 15th
11:30am Brunchwork w/ SoulCycle
You're invited to an unforgettable brunch with SoulCycle's SVP Strategy and Growth Abby Levy. Enjoy a fireside chat with Abby, curated connections, a business challenge and pitch off...over a seasonal, locally-sourced meal. Price: $45 Location: Galvanize, 303 Spring St
Monday, April 23rd
In Intro to Social Entrepreneurship, Marcos Salazar, CEO of Be Social Change + Career Coach, will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the social entrepreneurship space and share insights on the fundamentals for creating a successful social venture (for profit and nonprofit). Price: Free Location: Centre for Social Innovation, 601 West 26th Street, #325
Tuesday, April 24th
7:30pm WorkLife w/ Malcolm Gladwell
With Malcolm Gladwell (Author, The Tipping Point & Outliers) & Adam Grant (Prof. Mgmt & Psychology, Wharton). Join the two bestselling authors and podcast hosts for a wide-ranging conversation about work, spanning questions of how to deal with narcissism at work, what it takes to build effective teams and strong relationships, and why we’re so often wrong about our colleagues’ personalities (and our own). Price: $35 Location: Kaufmann Concert Hall, 1395 Lexington Ave
Thursday, April 26th
6:00 - 9:00pm How badass brand storytelling can reshape the future of sustainable fashion.
Get The People + Balanced Fashion Present: A Fashion Revolution Week event. An immersive evening of networking, conscious fashion, compelling conversation, all-star panelists, cocktails, pop-ups, community building and an after party. Price: $20 Location: Freehold, 45 S 3rd St, Brooklyn
Cool Finds:
Stay Inspired,
Nataliya