A world-class line-up of speakers is coming together for our Virtual Showcase on 15 April.
We are delighted to welcome Joshua Kane, who will take part in two panels: one focusing on the potential offered by new digital platforms for fashion designers, and a second exploring the skills and support that new fashion brands need to succeed that will be streamed to Instagram Live.
The day of panel discussions will bring together speakers from fashion design, manufacturing, immersive technology and a wide range of backgrounds across the industry.
Patrick Grant, director of Community Clothing, will join a panel focusing on the benefits and future potential of local manufacturing. A new short film, produced by Future Fashion Factory in collaboration with Community Clothing, will premiere just before the session, exploring how high-quality garments are made by skilled staff in a UK clothing factory.
Panels will also cover topics including circular economies and sustainability, as well as traceability and transparency in fashion supply chains. Members of the Future Fashion Factory network of over 300 fashion businesses and professionals will also highlight some of the innovative projects they have developed with support from the Programme.
Among the speakers confirmed so far are:
- Laura Culligan, Director of Global Strategy, Burberry
- Adam Mansell, Chief Executive, UKFT
- Shailja Dubé, British Fashion Council Institute for Positive Fashion
- Danielle Elsener, zero-waste fashion designer and winner of the Activate Movement grant from Evian and Virgil Abloh
- Jenny Holloway, Chief Executive, Fashion Enter.
Other highlights of the showcase will include:
- A virtual showroom of outfits made with Yorkshire cloth or by Yorkshire design brands, created in partnership with BrandLab 360
- An online Expo where members of the Future Fashion Factory network will highlight their own innovations and development
- The launch of Future Fashion Factory’s next Innovation Funding Call.
Professor Stephen Russell, Director of Future Fashion Factory, said:
“The last year has accelerated the pace of change in our sector. From digital fashion to building back with viable circular economies, urgent discussions are underway about how the UK’s world-renowned fashion industry can thrive and grow sustainably as part of the ‘new normal’.
“We’re thrilled that so many excellent speakers will be joining the conversation with us.”
