Dear Friend,
I've attended ReMode conference in LA on Nov.13-14 - focused on sustainability and technology in fashion, and that was the exact industry gathering we all needed so much! With talks on blockchain, circularity, on-demand production, innovative fabric technologies, new approaches to marketing and business models - this conference covered pretty much all the topics that make me have high hopes for this industry's transformation that is taking place! We are in this time where we cannot ignore technology as a driving force of innovation in sustainable fashion development and this conference was an indication of the importance of bringing tech companies and sustainable development initiatives together. Listen to the podcast episode we recorded with Fashion is Your Business and Pierre Nicolas Hurstel where we discussed his upcoming conference. You can also learn more about what ReMode had to offer this year on their website! Check out my blog post of this newsletter to see more pictures.
I've recorded 11 episodes for Fashion Is Your Business Podcast on location at ReMode and will be sharing with you those episodes once they start to come out! It was an incredible experience to interview the heads of the most innovative companies in our industry and I hope you are going to love the interviews as much as I enjoyed taking them.
Talking about innovation, I have a strong sense that VR&AR are the future of e-commerce experience, and today this is a reality, not some kind of a far-fetched idea! And the company I love and support, Obsess VR has launched is a new shopping site that's going to make shopping online more fun than ever before. Founded by an ex-Vogue and ex-Google alum, Neha Singh, Obsess brings you new virtual stores every week They are opening early access to a small group of people and have invited Balanced Fashion readers to be part of shaping the future of online shopping. If you are interested in checking out the Obsess site, sign up here.
For our next Balanced Fashion event, (date has to be postponed to January) we are collaborating with Jessica Couch, a fit technology expert at Luxor + Finch on an event focused on fit technology for sustainable fashion. It's not a secret that a poor fit is a huge issue in the fashion industry, so come to our panel to find out what innovative technologies are out there to help your brand improve your fit and decrease return rate. Get your ticket now and use the discount code BFFriends50off for a 50% off an early bird price! We had to push the event date to early December, will keep you posted on the confirmed date!
TOP NEWS:
Sustainability & Ethics
For Retailers And Brands, Sustainability Needs Good Tech - Forbes
- As fashion moves toward sustainability, streetwear’s major players are notably silent on environmental impacts - Glossy
- Sustainable fashion searches surged in 2018 - Forbes
- The double-edged sword of discounting - Business of Fashion
- How to convince a fashion brand to go fur-free in 2018 - Fashionista
- From Gucci to Walmart, these brands & retailers took a stand on social issues this year - Footwear News
- Bangladesh clothing factories face squeeze if safety push blocked - Business of Fashion
- Trawling for trash: the brands turning plastic pollution into fashion - The Guardian
- Sustainability is luxury’s duty, says Kering - The Current Daily
- ThirdLove publishes a scathing open letter to Victoria’s Secret in a New York Times ad - AdWeek
Business & Technology
- The crash and burn of Dolce & Gabbana - New York Times
- Why holiday windows still matter - New York Times
- Black Friday, Cyber Monday Sales Hit Another High, But It's Not Time To Celebrate Yet - Forbes
- The existential void of the pop-up ‘experience’- New York Times
- Asos rolls out Fit Assistant tool - Fashion United
- How retailers can tell stories by reading emotions - RetailDive
Consciousness Movement:
- The art of woke wellness - The Atlantic
- Why Decentralization Matters - Medium
TOP EVENTS:
Tuesday, November 26th
6:00pm Conscious Action - Nonprofit Expo
This panel of forward-thinking leaders from various nonprofit organizations will discuss how they identified a cause/need, and an opportunity, where they knew they could do something – and they did - to astonishing effects. Price: Free Location: TBD
Thursday, November 29th
12:30pm - 5:30pm The Year Ahead In Luxury
Looks like this is going to be a pretty insightful talk due to the following speakers: With Robert Chavez (CEO, Hermes of Paris), Maurizio Reggiani (CTO, Automobili Lamborghini), Chris Rovzar (Editorial Dir., Bloomberg Pursuits), Dominique Levy (Owner, Levy-Gorvy Gallery), Gabriela Baiter (Founder, Whereabout), Robin Standefer & Stephen Alesch (Principals, Roman & Williams). Price: Free/Need to Request an Invitation Location: TBD
6:30pm - 8:30pm Women of Color in Sustainable Fashion
MUST GO, it's going to be an epic panel! Check the lineup in the event link. Dominique Drakeford is a sustainable style influencer, and the creator of Melanin And Sustainable Style (MelaninASS), an evolutionary platform that discusses the issues and celebrates the success of communities of color in Sustainable Fashion and Beauty spaces. She is also the co-founder of Sustainable Brooklyn, and will be moderating this panel of women-of-color. Price: Free Location: Eche Verde, 162 Allen Street
6:30pm The Future Of Retail
It promises to be an interesting talk and hopefully they're going to touch on sustainability - with Batsheva Hay (Founder, Batsheva), Jean June (Exec Beauty Editor, Goop), Mara Hoffman (Designer & Founder, Mara Hoffman), June Haynes (Luxury Retail Consultant). Price: $30 Location: Blender Workspace, 135 Madison Ave, 8th Fl
7:00pm Blockchains & The Future Of Organizations
Always fascinating to hear from Blockchain experts! Panel with Jake Brukhman (Founder/CEO, CoinFund), Kjerstin Erickson (Founder/CEO, Public Market), Oliver Goodenough (Dir. Center For Legal Innovation, Vermont Law School), Yossi Hasson (MD, Techstars Blockchain), Katherine Wu (Dir., Messari). Price: $15 Location: The Alley, 119 W 24th St
Tuesday, December 4th
SewEthico Think Tank is a new monthly series that will help sustain sustainable businesses! Sounds great to me! Claire Brooks, Content Creation Expert will be speaking about creating an awesome content for brands. Also, all Cat Bradley's event are top-notch. Price: $16-20 Location: The Arlo Nomad, 11 East 31st St
7:00pm – 8:30pm Leading Thoughtfully: A Panel Discussion on Leadership for a Better World
Definitely must go - the line up is FANTASTIC!! This panel will explore what it means to lead thoughtfully and create growth for our companies, ourselves, and the planet. Featuring Stephanie Bendetto from Queen of Raw, Amy DuFault of the Brooklyn Fashion and Design Accelerator, Kellie Hayden blogger of The Wholehearted Wardrobe, and Leslie Harwell from Alante Capital. Price: Free Location: The Better Shop, 155 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY
Thursday, January 9th (TBC)
6:00 - 9:00pm Fit Tech and Sustainability in Fashion: Balanced Fashion event in collaboration with Luxor + Finch
Balanced Fashion event = MUST GO! (not biased at all.. :)) More details are coming soon! Price: $20 ($10 Early Bird + use discount BFFriends50off for 50% off) Location: TBC
COOL FINDS:
- Fashion Revolution's Consumer Survey Report
- Obsess VR Shops - Beta site experience sign up
Stay Inspired,