From the Sector

Following its successful beginnings in summer 2018 and its expansion in January 2019, TRADE UNION will be developed yet further as a dedicated space for selected brands and agencies.
 
“TRADE UNION is very close to our hearts,” explains SEEK Director Maren Wiebus. “Being able to work together to fill a space with life, interact with customers and products, and tell authentic stories in a laid-back, relaxing atmosphere – this open-minded, collaborative approach is ultra-modern and of the minute in its simplicity. We are all in the same big boat and can consider ourselves lucky that colleagues and customers are and have become friends. Together, we can achieve a lot this way.”

It has always been integral to SEEK’s DNA to continually work with partners and friends to develop new concepts that are perfectly suited to the demands of the market. The carefully curated setting of TRADE UNION, featuring brands such as Eat Dust, Porter-Yoshida & Co and Knickerbocker, is especially popular with the top buyers.
 
Felix Engelmann has supported the concept right from the off through his marketing agency Haptiques, and is full of passion and on board again with the concept this season.
“The TRADE UNION concept really came off for us in January. We worked well with our partners; the vibe was positive and nicely relaxed. I’m expecting the atmosphere in the summer to be just as fantastic and I’m sure it’ll be a good occasion with friends, partners and employees.”
 
In July, buyers can look forward to an expanded portfolio including Red Wing Shoes, a brand from Minnesota. European Marketing Manager Rik van Dijk comments:
“We can't wait to attend the inspiring setting, because our buyers really feel at home there. We need a location where you can take a step back, find a quiet place to sit and talk to everyone. The extra space at the TRADE UNION guarantees this. We’ve only heard good things from friendly brands and we’re really looking forward to the trade show.”

On March 7th, European Commissioner on the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises has been welcomed in Prato by the mayor Matteo Bittoni and by the Councilor for Productive Activities Daniela Toccafondi, together with the economic categories for a meeting organized by the Department of Economic Development with reference to the Fashion System.

By the end of the meeting, the only company visit planned has followed, and brought to the Manteco headquarter. Manteco is a firm leader in the production of wool and recycled fabrics since 1943.  Today led by Matteo and Marco Mantellassi, Manteco is able to value territory, sharing economy, sustainability, internationalization and the use of renewable energies – not only as an investment policy but also as a distinctive element for the identification of the company as an international reference point for the fashion textile sector.

The company visit was attended by European Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska, Justina Morek, member of the Commissioner's Cabinet, Beatrice Covassi, director of the Representation of the European Commission in Rome, Slawomir Tokarski, director for advanced and innovative manufacturing in the general direction of the internal market and European Commission industry, MEP Hon. Nicola Danti, dr. Alberto Biginelli, Councilor Daniela Toccafondi; The Mayor of Prato Matteo Bittoni, the Mayor of the Municipality of Montemurlo, Mauro Lorenzini.

The key topic of the meeting has been the circular economy  – that is to consider very close to Manteco – along with some others explored such as the value of Made in Italy, the importance of a responsible approach to reuse and the need for a traceability system. Noteworthy the visit to the Manteco Archive, during which the focus has been on raw materials, with reference to the tradition and experience that today are perfectly combined with the strong innovative drive and creativity. Upon request of the European Commissioner, the corporate approach with a view to circular economy, km0 production system and how it fits into the productive district were also dealt with.
 
«I visited a textile company that recycles or reuses waste materials to produce wool of the highest quality: this is an excellent example of circular economy. The circular economy is an extremely interesting subject everywhere in Europe, because we are leaders in sustainability, and we want our children and ourselves to be able to live in a country that is livable in the future, so that's why it is worthwhile to show stories in Europe of success like this, which is a good practice that we are putting into practice, starting with the big industries and the energy-intensive ones » - Elzbieta Bienkowska -

• Amazon, EasySize, Evo Pricing and Lectra explored diverse uses for customer data during a round table event organized by the ESCP Europe - Lectra ‘Fashion & Technology’ Chair Paris

Lectra, the world leader in integrated technology solutions dedicated to industries using fabrics, leather, technical textiles and composite materials, the French business school ESCP Europe and their joint ‘Fashion & Technology’ Chair examined the multiple ways the fashion industry’s ecosystem can use customer data, during a recent round table event at the start of the fifth Fashion Tech Week in Paris.

Elise Beuriot, senior category leader, EU Luggage, Amazon, Olivier Dancot, VP of data, Lectra, Fabrizio Fantini, founder and CEO, Evo Pricing, and Gulnaz Khusainova, founder and CEO, Easysize, agreed straight away on one key point: the analysis of customer data lends itself to limitless applications along the entire fashion value chain. Its impact is immense, whether in terms of customer satisfaction, competitiveness, revenues or waste limitation.

As early as the design phase, a wealth of data offers many sources of inspiration for stylists. For teams in charge of collections, “complex models allow the analysis of data like online traffic and purchase history in order to design and offer the products that consumers expect, which is a priority for a company obsessed by the customer, like Amazon,” stated Elise Beuriot. For sales, “decisions based on data trigger millions of orders. The impact on the inventory is enormous,” she added.

“Fashion is an industry where unsold items generate a lot of waste. Algorithms and big data analysis can reduce left-overs by anticipating demand several weeks ahead in order to optimize the price and replenishment,” observed Fabrizio Fantini. “Fashion companies who exploit data to inform their decisions become more efficient. They are better armed to protect their margins, but can also sell for less, and potentially reach a larger number of consumers.”

Other IT models aggregate customer data in real time ‘to determine, among hundreds of factors, those which have the biggest influence on buying decisions. Value doesn’t necessarily lie in the volume of data but in the depth of the analyses,’ claimed Gulnaz Khusainova. Easysize is careful that collected data is anonymous, she underlined, because ‘consumers need to keep control of their data, and know how it is used’.
For editors of software dedicated to fashion businesses, and suppliers of cutting machines designed for the clothing industry, “analyzing usage data from our solutions enables the offer to evolve, making each step in the value chain more efficient and perfectly adapted to the needs of the brands, retailers and manufacturers. What is at stake is better quality products, placed on the market as quickly as possible and at a reduced cost,” explained Olivier Dancot.

“It is easy to collect data, but difficult to extract actionable information. Everything hinges on data analysis,” concluded Céline Abecassis-Moedas, professor and co-scientific director of the ‘Fashion & Technology’ Chair and moderator of the round table. “Due to its emotional dimension—from the stylist’s inspiration to the consumer’s desire to buy—fashion is not an industry like others. However, all the components that make up its ecosystem can truly benefit from the judicious exploitation of customer data. Examples discussed this evening illustrate the diversity of what is possible.