Dear Friend,
Last week I had my first official event featuring an awesome Veronika Harbick of Thursday Finest. She co-founded one of the very first companies succeeding in the on-demand production of clothing and accessories, using 3D knitting technology. We heard about how she built her start up from the ground up, which accelerators she participated and what she got out from them, learned about the importance of your network and found out how smart branding, specific communication style and the meaningful emotional connection to the end consumer are crucial for a vertically-integrated direct-to-consumer business. Nikka believes that the fashion industry can become more sustainable if large companies start embracing on-demand production. This will completely change the way people consume fashion and move towards a more conscious consumption.
Next week, on Oct. 3rd I'm organizing my next event "The Future of Mass Customization in Fashion w/Bespokify". RSVP soon, since only the first 10 tickets are free! I am so lucky to host Marc Close, who is my dear friend and a co-founder of our future-looking concept of HaveItMade which we came up with during the fashion tech edition of Start Up Weekend 2 years ago. Marc is coming all the way from Thailand, where his industry-shifting company is currently based. In preparation for the event, please check out Marc's outstanding Op-Ed article on Business of Fashion unveiling why fashion companies have to be technology-focused in order to succeed in this evolving industry.
News Digest:
- How The Fashion Industry Is Shifting Toward Sustainable Wardrobes - PSFK
- What’s the best way to approach artificial intelligence technology? - Decoded Fashion
- How data is changing the very model of the modern merchandiser - Glossy
- Why The Next Big Streetwear Brand Could Be A Wearable Tech One - Forbes
- Why a fashion label’s success now rests on identity, not innovation - SCMP
- How M.Gemi turned its physical stores into data troves - Glossy
- H&M’s new brand, Arket, names the factory that made its clothes. But the name isn’t enough - Quarz
- eBay moves into luxury with fashion start-up Spring - Racked
- Three seasons in, see-now-buy-now is going nowhere - Glossy
Events
Tuesday, September 26th
6:30 - 8:00pm Productivity meets Personal Finance
My good friend Josephine Saffert and a fantastic coach is going to teach a few techniques on financial literacy, how to discover and close the gap between where you are now and where you want to be. She will be there to hold you accountable and help you create lasting change. So let's meet & make progress together! Price: Free Location: Rise New York, 43 West 23rd Street
6:30 - 8:00pm What's In A Name? Well, Actually, Everything
Designers Simon James Spurr, Matthew Orley & Chris Gelinas Talk About the Risks & Rewards of Calling a Brand by Their Name. Douglas Hand will serve as the panel moderator. Price: Free Location: Cardozo School of Law, 55 Fifth Ave
Wednesday, September 27th
6:00pm Content 2019 - Future Of Brands, Now
With David Rosenberg (Head of Biz Dev, Giphy), Carissa Flocken (Founder, EntryPoint), Jessica Peltz-Zatulove (MDC Ventures), Franke Rodriguez (CEO, Anomaly), Dan Grossman (Product, Snap), Sahil Patel (Tech Reporter, Digiday), Analisa Goodin (Founder, Catch & Release), Mike Shields (Tech Editor, Business Insider). Price: Free Location: Galvanize NY, 315 Hudson St
6:30 - 8:00pm Business of Beauty
Join us for lessons in bespoke beauty, as we discuss the ins and out of what beauty is today with beauty industry trailblazer Nicky Kinnaird, founder of SpaceNK. Price: Free Location: Story, 144 10th Ave, at 19th Street
Thursday, September 28th
8:30am - 10:00am Retail Tech at STORY - In Conversation with YouCam + Vengo
Join Alice Chang, founder of Perfect Corp – the mirror magicians behind the YouCam Makeup – Magic Mirror and Brian Shimmerlik founder of Vengo Labs, creators of the Next Gen vending machine to talk how technology is changing the consumer experience. It’s no secret that as retailers seek new avenues for consumer experience, technologies are finding in-store applications that blur the physical and digital. From AR to VR and everything in between, we’ll explore how these founders are on the frontlines of retail tech innovation and what that means for the consumer experience. Price: Free Location: STORY, 144 10th Ave, at 19th Street
7:00pm - 9:00pm 5to9 Live Recording w/ Dessert Goals
5to9 is interviewing Liang Shi, a Cash Marketing Designer (don't worry, you'll find out what that means at the event) at Square. But you probably know her from her side hustle, co-founding of Dessert Goals Price: $10 Location: Galvanize, 315 Hudson St
7:00pm - 9:00pm NY Tech Meetup & Afterparty
This month we invite you to meet the Techstars NYC Summer 2017 class at the Community Demo Day as they show off their businesses & their progress made during the Program. Then stay for the afterparty where you can network with the demoers, sponsors & each other! Price: $10 Location: SVA Theatre, 333 W 23rd St
Sunday, October 1st
11:30am - 2:00pm Brunchwork w/ Target & Adore Me
Fill your weekend with inspiration & intention. Join us for an unforgettable farm-to-table brunch withTodd Waterbury (Target's Chief Creative Officer) & Gary Bravard (Adore Me Cofounder & VP). Price: $40 Location: WeLive, 110 Wall St
Monday, October 2nd
6:30pm - 8:00pm Sustainable Fashion Club NYC: Roundtable Discussion Series - 15 minutes of fame
My sister meetup - highly recommend attending it to be more involved in changing our industry towards a more sustainable future. Announcing a Roundtable Discussion Series where members will lead an in-depth talk about the particular topics of interest in sustainable fashion. After each talk, members will take turns to ask questions and share any thoughts or comments. Price: Free Location: Union Fare, 5 E 17th St
Tuesday, October 3rd
8:00am - 5:00pm Glossy Forum
The Glossy Forum brings the intersection of tech and luxury to life. It’s time to toss out the old playbook - digital has changed the rules. For brands, experimental pop-up stores are replacing 20-year-long leases, as shopping malls switch out shuttered department store spaces in favor of experiences. Direct-to-consumer retailers are cutting ties with the middlemen in favor of a closer connection to their customers and more control over the supply chain. Even owning your own clothing has become optional: A slew of data-driven retail companies want us to upload our closets to the cloud. As innovative startups shake up the landscape and legacy brands struggle to adapt, the retail business as we’ve known it is becoming a thing of the past. Price: $1295 Location: Convene Conference Center, 730 Third Ave
6:30 - 8:30pm The Future of Mass Customization in Fashion w/Bespokify
Excited to host Marc Close of Bespokify, a B2B automated custom pattern-making technology that lets brands, retailers, tailors and dressmakers upload a 3D body model or measurements, design and/or customise a garment, and generate a custom pattern ready for production. We're going to speak about the current state of customization, where the fashion industry is heading and why mass customization will play a key role in forming the industry in a few years. We'll hear Marc's unique perspective on why on-demand production is going to be the key to the transformation of many fashion businesses. Price: $0-$15 Location: SPRING HQ, 360 Park Avenue South (btw 25 & 26 st), 16th Floor
Wednesday, Oct. 8th
Friday, October 6th
Fashion Tech Forum provides a platform for discovery and inspiration for the leaders of fashion, retail and technology sectors to collaborate to build communities and the disruptive, sustainable brands of the future. FTF provides an environment for the most curious, committed and bold innovators, who are willing to understand the inherent cultural differences between fashion and technology creators so they can create authentic conversations and true collaborations. Price: $650 Location : Culver City, CA
Thursday, October 19th
6:30 - 8:30pm How to Build and Protect Your Wealth
You’ve worked really hard to get to where you are today. Maybe you’re starting a family, accumulating some money, are working on building up a nest egg. Regardless of where you are financially, this workshop will help you figure out how to start thinking about your income as a tool to build wealth and help you create a family legacy that lasts beyond your lifetime. Price: Free Location: General Assembly, 902 Broadway, 4th Floor
Monday, October 23rd - Thursday, October 26th - LONDON!!
11:00am - 9:00pm #FASHHACK WEEK - Fashion Tech Bootcamp
The FashHack Week is a 1-week programme of day workshops and evening events, taking place from 23. October to 26.October. It is aimed at fashion & retail tech startup founders to accelerate their companies. In just one week you will learn from the leading fashion tech mentors, founders and investors. With the best tools and approaches at your disposal, you’ll take giant leaps toward growing your fashion tech business. - Receive mentorship and collaborate with participating fashion tech companies, investors, and the fashion tech experts. - Take part in workshops and panel discussions on issues relevant to fashion technology companies, such as growth, marketing and scalability, technology and user experience, branding, and broader industry trends. Price: £47.48 – £155.85 (Get a discount using my unique code NYStartups) Location: Old Street, LONDON, UK
Cool Finds:
- Fashion Debrief 2017 by PSFK
- Omnichannel Strategy 2017 by Digiday
- Levi's® Commuter™ Trucker Jacket (by Project Jacquard) — is about to go on sale at Kinfolk in Brooklyn, NY
Stay Inspired,
Nataliya