Fashion Consort News Bytes

Fashion by definition, is the style or styles worn by the majority of a population at any given time. In other words, whatever most people are wearing right now—a particular, color, pattern, cut or silhouette—is “in fashion,” “in style,” “a la mode.”  Contrary to popular parlance then, fashion is more about fitting in than standing out. It emphasizes group identity, highlighting those groups who wield the most power, or social significance, in the moment. Fashion underscores and externalizes the cultural zeitgeist. And by recognizing what is “in fashion” companies are able to best engage their audience and make a profit. It seems then that fashion companies should simply be keen observers of the present in order to ensure their ongoing viability. And yet, it's not quite so simple in an industry where determining what to produce often begins two years before a product arrives. This requires companies then to be constantly ahead of the curve in terms of potential societal trends, in order to deliver appropriate styles. Experts in trend analysis help to facilitate this process—and have become highly sophisticated at mining data to do so--albeit still victim to global health pandemics and Mother Nature. But there is another interesting tool at play—and that is the role of marketing in selling a particular trend. It starts in the business-to-business space—mills selling brands what fabrics they determine will be “in style,” brands then selling retail buyers on the clothes made from these fabrics at trade shows or on the runway, and then retailers selling customers on these same looks. In short, it's the fashion industry, at large, that sells society on what will be “in fashion.” For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

Joshua Williams: Luxury brands are increasingly under stress to expand their market beyond their typical customer base. And in some cases, many brands have been effective, but in other cases, it's alienated the core customer. So, my question for you, Schanel, is can luxury brands retain their exclusivity, notwithstanding the consistency required around digital content distribution. Schanel Bakkouche: Thank you for having me again. Social platforms characterized by their mass appeal, accessibility, and availability, contradict the very concept of luxury. Obviously, if we think exclusivity of brand, we can think of iconic items from renowned luxury brands; and not everyone owns them. This exclusivity helps luxury brands to maintain their stature: known by all, but paradoxically consumed by a few.  I would mention a few points that are very important. First would be apply the personal touch and stay more authentic. Too often luxury brands will use one generic message.  Then another point that it's very important is use consumer data. I think that customer data needs to be used to gain insight into what customer browse and add to their shopping cart, the offers that resonate with them and they respond to. By using signals such as purchasing behavior, interest, context, and location, luxury brands can make consumer feel that the communication are explicitly tailored to them, to receive personal attention, not to be addressed as a member of a broader audience. You know, this mindset can help luxury brands approach content and service in more meaningful ways.  The other point would be experience. Obviously social media platforms are taking steps to embed the entire shopping journey from discovery to checkout. So, incorporating live streaming sales, integrated product catalog, and now even AR. So, the experience is very crucial point here again, to keep the exclusivity of luxury brands.  For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

Welcome back Schanel. It's so nice to have you. What is content snacking?  Schanel Bakkouche: Yes, of course. So, we all love snacks, right? So they can never compare to a lavish spread, but the instant gratification that snacks give is undeniable. It's the same with the way we consume content. If we take today Twitter and I think Twitter is very good example, who would have thought, a few years ago, that this just 140 character medium of expression will change the way we communicate with each other. I feel like, the discipline of word limits imposed on Twitter user has saved us from rambling often found on the internet. And which actually made it even a better tool today and even a more relevant tool. Joshua Williams: And you're absolutely right about Twitter in the sense that in many ways it's easier to consume. It comes in much more curated means. What does that mean for a luxury brand? How do they create strategies around content snacking, when usually their focus is on telling a much more lavish, as you said, story or narrative about their brand?  Schanel Bakkouche: I mean, I would say that due to the fact that we are living in a time where visibility matters most, the flip side is that competition and growth within the luxury industry here is forcing brands to find new ways of developing creative brand awareness. I think this is where, like, you know, content snacking means a lot for brands, to develop their marketing strategy because they just need to communicate differently. For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

On the surface, fashion collaborations might seem like an exciting way to generate new business and overall sales performance. Whether the collaboration is relatively obvious, such as Gucci and Adidas, or more surprising, such as Crocs and Balenciaga or Alexander McQueen and Target, they certainly create interest and engagement, typically in terms of generating new customers. And it's relatively clear that in terms of luxury brands collaborating with more mass brands, the goal is to connect with the aspirational customer. Dig below the surface, and the efficacy of these collaborations, and their ability to truly capture new customers and increase sales, is dubious at best, especially for the luxury brand. It's not like the typical Target customer all of the sudden shopped at the McQueen boutique, paying $1000s more for an item that was under $100 at Target. In fact, for many brands, these high-profile collaborations often raise a bar that cannot be easily or consistently recreated—forcing luxury brands to chase after their business, which is hardly the modus operandi of luxury brands and their quest for exclusivity. In fact, often these collaborations are a signal that all is not well with a brand—and that without relying on the affinity or success of another more accessible brand—they are not meeting their numbers. 

Hello, Schanel. It's so wonderful to have you.  We're talking about content marketing and how it shifted over the past few years, specifically in the luxury space. Content marketing is a buzz word in the marketing world, but what does it actually mean?  Schanel Bakkouche: First, thank you for having me. Content marketing or brand related content, is which consumers in all case or luxury consumers, actually choose to engage. So it has a value for the audience first, whether entertainment, information, or other value; and the brands second. Content can live in marketing and media channels; [00:01:00]it's not a channel itself, I would say. Content can be a spoke or a hub. It can be distributed through media or part of a destination. Importantly content is a means of engagement with current and prospective customer and give the luxury brands it's own voice.  Joshua Williams: Very interesting. So, what is the role then of content marketing for luxury brands specifically? Schanel Bakkouche: For luxury brands, the chief value of content marketing lies in its ability to reel in, persuade and evangelize the most discerning audience in the language and elevated aesthetic that is particular to luxury.  For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

Joshua Williams: Hello, Sass, welcome back. And who are we going to feature this month?  Sass Brown: The IOU Project.  Joshua Williams: Ah, the IOU Project. I know they're based in Madrid. Spain. Can you tell us a little bit about them and their founder?  Sass Brown: Absolutely. The founder is Kevita Parmar. She works predominantly with hand loomed madras cotton out of India. If you're familiar with the madras cotton, it's quite distinct, they're often candy colored checks and they're quite different from weaver to weaver. Each one is quite unique. And so what she does, she works with locally grown cotton from that region that is then hand-woven. So we're talking about a fabric that has literally no carbon footprint to begin with. But moreover, he really honors the makers, whether it's the maker of the garment or the weaver of the fabric as a truly vital component of her value chain of the garment. And as equal in terms of standing as the designer or the customer. So it's a very flat, democratic program or company, if you like. It's not hierarchical, where the designers at the top and the makers at the bottom. And so the website is fabulous. First of all, it's beautiful. It's very visually presented. And it features each of the garments, the makers of the garment. So you can dig into each garment and see who the weaver was. You can read a little bit about them. You can see who the maker was, the producer of the garment, the garment manufacturer, maybe watch a video. She specializes in small, little workshops in Portugal and Spain. And the fabric, as I said in India. So it's very much about authorship and provenance and respect for all of the components that go into making the garment and giving a face and a voice to each of those people, who are normally so hidden from the customer.  For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

Ask an average consumer what luxury fashion is, and they'll likely respond with well-known brand names such as Gucci, Yves St. Laurent and Louis Vuitton. But what makes these brands luxury? Well, that question is a bit harder to answer and elicits a wider range of responses: quality, craftsmanship, high price, exclusive, made in France, made in Italy, heritage…and the list goes on. In fact, fashion luxury isn't any one thing, and often lives more as a fluid concept in the abstract, than something that can be quantified or formalized.  However, if we shift the context from adjective to noun, we find some additional clarity. A luxury is something that a customer doesn't need, but chooses to buy nonetheless, to enjoy and find pleasure in. And while that may no longer be purchasing fine silver that requires polishing, or cashmere that necessitates brushing (especially when we don't have a wait staff to do these things for us anymore), it certainly can be applied to purchasing clothing that we don't need, but want. This might be purchasing a $20 black tee at Zara to add to an overflowing closet, or buying a $750 black Balenciaga logo tee-shirt simply because we can afford it. The latter is certainly not defined by its quality, craftsmanship, exclusivity, etc.—rather it's brand name and high price. And thus, it stands out as something a bit different than our traditional understanding of luxury fashion. Perhaps a more apt term for it is mass luxury, or even fast luxury, more connected to its fast fashion counterpart in terms of mass production and marketing, than not. And it's an approach that is gaining traction, the more digitized and globalized we've become, and the more growth traditional luxury brands seek, especially in Asia. For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

Chanel's recent announcement to precipitously inflate prices on their bags, and limit quantities customers can purchase, has hit the headlines, with some questions about how the luxury fashion industry continues to grow despite overall economic inflation. And in this case, considering the level of the price change, Chanel is not raising its prices to combat higher costs, but rather to become more exclusive, to break away from other luxury brands.  Luxury brands have always had three clear levers in which to build exclusivity. For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

Joshua Williams: Hello, Sass. Welcome back. Who are we featuring this month?  Sass Brown: We're featuring Elvis and Kresse.  Joshua Williams: Ah, the duo out of the UK who started with a very specific fabrication. Can you tell us a little bit about that?  Sass Brown: They did indeed. They started with decommissioned fire hoses, so very particular resource that of course, much like military equipment gets decommissioned quite quickly, because you're talking about health and safety here. So you don't want to a fire hose with a hole in it or a worn patch, so they get decommissioned quite quickly and there's very hard-wearing resource material. They make a whole line of accessories; bags, everything from little small wallets, all the way up to a great big weekend bags and totes out of these seamed together, decommissioned fire hoses.  And they have this fantastic sort of patina and wear on them from use. Of course, the whole story of where they came from and their function prior to being a bag. But they're really slick, beautiful bags and purses and wallets and totes that they make out of this material. They're really lovely.  For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

Fashion education is ripe for change. As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, it will require a much more flexible, multi-disciplinary, omni-channel approach, that is more in line with the shifts happening in the industry, especially in terms of digital tools and access. Institutions will need to rethink educational content and delivery to rebalance a liberal arts approach with more interdisciplinary vocational skills that are moored in a digital economy. And student tuition will need to be recalibrated to be more in line with post graduation expectations and salaries.  Universities will need to continue to build their faculty base, bridging the gap between industry and the academy and facilitating more crossover between both. This will require higher paying jobs that are more in consort with industry pay in order to attract top talent.  Businesses will need to incorporate more nuanced learning opportunities into their own employee offerings, rather than relying on external degree programs. This might include offering “bridge curricula” for post-graduates, partnering with universities to build curriculum and programming, rethinking internship programs and even offering paid apprenticeship programs. In turn, these efforts will help provide more opportunities for a company to teach hyper-focused skills as well as innovate. Studies also show that employees that have access to learning through their employers are most likely to stay at a company.  For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

Much like retail has had to evolve to meet the demands of shopping across physical and digital channels, education is also being forced to evolve. Contemporary students require new ways of learning, both in terms of content structure and delivery, that build more on the shifts in media than traditional education--leaving academic institutions largely unable to meet demands without reliance on external partnerships with ed-tech companies.  The current university model is heavily reliant on an in-person, on campus experience. Not only is this how it's “been done” for more than a century, it also provides institutions with multiplicitous profit centers from cafeterias, dorms, sports events and more. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, universities weren't able to bring students on campus, meaning profit was no longer coming from these sources--and in fact, had become a liability in the form of empty classrooms and dorms. It is no wonder that these institution's first priority then was to get students back in person. These preparations began in earnest once a shift to online learning was facilitated in spring 2020. By fall 2021, most universities were back open for business despite the Delta variant.  In all of this, the stark contrast was that university development over the past 50 years was largely focused on building new buildings and expanding the campus footprint, while the rest of the world was turning more digital. Universities were putting very little thought (and budgets) into the development of new digital learning technologies, modalities and support systems, including the purchase of video equipment, recording studios and even digital pedagogy. For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

In a recent New York Magazine article, author William Deresiewicz stated, “For educational institutions, master's programs are cash cows since their students get far less financial aid than undergraduates. For students, the master's program responds to a specific need: American workers are competing more and more with those around the world, and the more college graduates there are, the more you need to find a way to distinguish yourself from the mass.” This is particularly true when it comes to vocational studies, such as fashion, where master's programs have proliferated from a handful across the U.S., to a handful of offerings from hundreds of universities. For example, Parsons School of Design in New York City now offers twenty master's programs, including MFAs, MAs, MSs and MPSs. The MPS, or Masters of Professional Studies, is a relatively new moniker that is given to vocation-specific education, such as Fashion Management. It isn't an MBA, in that it lacks the focus on finances and statistics, and it's focus is on one industry only--fashion.  The cost of these programs, especially by high-profile universities from Columbia to RISD, are very high, often over $50,000 per year. And that adds up in a 2 or 3 year program. And while data suggests that students who graduate with a masters do make more than their counterparts, these high costs make a graduate program very risky, saddling students with debt that may take years to pay off. For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

Joshua Williams: Each month on NewsBytes, we feature a fashion brand that approaches business differently and innovatively or operates outside of the main fashion systems and capitals. I'm with Sass Brown, an expert in ethical fashion, sustainability and craftsmanship. She is the former Dean of Art and Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and the founding Dean at Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation. Joshua Williams: Hello, Sass. Who are we featuring this month?  Ah, Re;code, based in Korea. Can you tell us a little bit about them and what makes them unique.  Sass Brown: Yeah, they are a really fabulous company. And they work effectively with upcycled materials, revalued, discarded, and unused materials.  They're part of a larger conglomerate called Kolon Industries. They're a small subsidiary of it. And so they utilize the dead stock and the wasted materials from the other labels that are produced under the same umbrella company. So they use dead stock from their own warehouse. They use military waste. They use industrial waste, things like car seat covers and car airbags and seat belts and things like that. So, they do have some quite unique sources for their materials.  And they do use also post-consumer, or finished garments anyway. So they dismantle them and reconstruct and redesign them. You can see it quite clearly when you look at their designs. You'll often see half a jacket front, which is inside out, or, you see the pocket details or a sweater that's been applicated on top of a sweater up front that's been appliqued on top of a shirt, for example. So you can see the reconstruction quite clearly in their aesthetic.  Joshua Williams: How driven are they by a particular visual aesthetic or do they let the waste, the consumer waste that you're talking about sort of drive what that vision becomes?  Sass Brown: I think it's a bit of both. They have a very distinct aesthetic. You can pretty much tell a Re;code piece. They have a way of deconstructing and reconstructing their garments that's quite specific and quite unique and various aesthetically pleasing. For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

In the US, the GI Bill was passed to help World War II veterans acclimate back into civilian life. One of the key components of this bill was to provide servicemen with access to an affordable college education. This had the effect of greatly increasing the amount of people with a college degree from the 1950s on, ultimately shifting education from a privilege of the rich, to a rite of passage for most Americans. And this access to education had the effect of increasing the middle class, while also shifting the economy from blue collar to white collar jobs.  However, as the economy shifted away from the factory to the office in the 1970s and 80s, blue collar jobs also became less desirable. This required companies to offshore their factories--and had the added benefit of cheaper labor, with less governmental regulation. By the 1990s, this meant that most fashion related production--textiles and apparel--no longer happened in the U.S. or in Europe; it had shifted primarily to China and India and then further into southeast Asia. This shift in production brought a wave of money to these countries, effectively shifting their economies and facilitating the birth of their own middle classes, as well as the fortunes of many.  In time, the new business owners of China and India and their children and grandchildren became the fastest growing consumer segment in the world. Not only were they buying more things, they were also going to college in higher numbers. For those that could afford it, attending top schools in London, Paris and New York--especially to study fashion--was the primary objective. These schools were seen as the penultimate in design and business education--and offered well-known brand names on resumes.  For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

Due to the specialized nature of retail and fashion, training “on the job” has always been an integral part of the industry. In some cases, this learning was informal, particularly in family run businesses, but it was also formal through apprenticeships, where young people were hired to learn a trade at an atelier with the goal for them to become full-time employees. These individual apprenticeships also led to internal certification programs--especially at larger retailers--wherein this learning could be provided at scale, albeit still at a local level. For example, Neiman Marcus' training program in Dallas or Macy's training program in New York City. However, as fashion became more corporatized and globalized, these informal and formal types of learning largely disappeared, or shifted to an HR function, leaving a gap in the employee training process. Concurrent with the shift of fashion education into degree-focused programs was the growth of internships, wherein companies would collaborate with academic institutions to hire non-paid workers to do low level jobs--with the promise that students would get real-world experience and training, and possibly a job at the end of their internship. In theory, this system seemed to benefit all students, especially if an internship was built into a program. But in practice, internships have largely favored the economically advantaged, has normalized unpaid work, and often doesn't lead to a full time job.   First, internships have largely favored the economically advantaged for a few reasons. One, students who have more economic means have a stronger network--often through their parents--to access internships in general, and better internships more specifically. Two, because internships are tied to credits (as a way to legalize unpaid work), students are essentially paying for their own internship. So students must make a decision between paying for an internship, or paying for another elective, not to increase their base tuition. Those with economic means can more easily do both. And three, students often must work in order to pay for their college experience. Doing an internship on top of school and a paying job is almost impossible. And it's rare that schools will allow a paid job to count as an internship--and if they do, then students are essentially paying to work their own job and not benefitting from additional courses in their major. On top of this, many students will choose schools in areas such as New York City or London to study, in order to access internships. The cost of living and studying in these areas is substantially more than at local universities. The net outcome is that students with means have more opportunities for internships and then jobs upon graduation. And this means that the funnel of incoming employees doesn't match the diversity of the student population, thus perpetuating systemic racism within the retail and fashion industries. For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

Fashion as an academic discipline is relatively new. It's not to say that people haven't been researching the intersection of clothing and economics, clothing and psychology, or clothing and culture--to name a few--for quite some time, rather that it hasn't been taken seriously as its own discipline. However, with formalization of fashion as a discipline within the academy, and the growth in graduate level programs, there has been a surge of fashion-specific research both by faculty and students.  And because this research isn't necessarily tied to a company's success--meaning that it's not research being done as part of one's job, or in service of a client--this has provided more opportunity to research without a required or expected outcome. In short, it has allowed for more direct critique of the fashion system. It's no surprise then, that a correlation can be drawn between the growth of fashion research and a growth of interest in subjects such as sustainability, human rights and EISJ. These topics are consistently in the top five when it comes to student research.  Over time, these areas of academic focus have shifted from the institution to the industry, for two reasons: 1) students are graduating with these topics being front and center in their learning and 2) the more educated people become, the more they demand change from companies. However, this process has been slow and highlights the lack of direct collaboration between academia and industry. For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

Each month Sass Brown, an expert in ethical fashion, sustainability and craftsmanship, shares a fashion brand that approaches business differently and innovatively or operates outside of the main fashion systems and capitals. Sass is the former Dean of Art and Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and the founding Dean at Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation. Christopher Raeburn is a design-led, London-based womenswear, menswear and accessories fashion brand. Christopher works with certified organic materials, recycled polyester, and a lot of surplus materials, particularly military surplus. According to Sass Brown, Christopher's aesthetic comes from, “a fascination with military materials and something that he's quoted as saying ‘archeological discoveries.'”  The brand dates back to about 2009 and Christopher's first collection, which was fall winter 2010, was made from decommissioned military wool field jackets and nylon parachutes. Sass points out, “that's an aesthetic that has continued throughout the collection, since that day. It's very technically savvy; it's full of utilitarian details.”But it also includes some whimsy, she says.” This combination of whimsy and the utilitarian makes his designs very recognizable on the streets. For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

For many years, the onus of educating employees in the fashion industry was primarily that of the employer. Firstly, the industry relied heavily on women and because higher education was not generally available to them, companies had to train them with the skills they needed to do their jobs. Secondly, most fashion companies were family run businesses and relied on local workers, so the training happened naturally on the job. Thirdly, fashion required specialized skills related to merchandising, buying, production and retailing. And because each company had their own approach or style, companies benefited from training employees according to their particular needs. As companies grew, these programs expanded to be more formal, with the likes of Macy's offering full training programs and certifications. In fact, early fashion schools such as the Fashion Institute of Technology built their two-year certifications on matriculating students into these types of programs.  While some of these corporate programs persist, their fundamental approach (and need) shifted once fashion education became fully integrated into undergraduate degree programs at universities. The onus for training employees shifted from the employer to the university. To a degree, this helped to provide a more consistent foundation in terms of knowledge and skills. And it provided students with a more 360 degree view of the industry beyond a specific job they were training for, along with better soft skills, such as collaboration and communication. But, it also meant that students were learning less hard skills, creating a chasm between what was learned in college versus what was needed on the job.  For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

In the mid-1990s, fashion education became more fully integrated into the academy, allowing students of fashion to receive more than vocational training. Their studies in fashion design or fashion merchandising were now combined with a traditional liberal arts or business education, leading to a bachelor's or baccalaureate degree. This had the effect of formalizing, even legitimizing, fashion as an academic pursuit and a desired career. And with the burgeoning proliferation of fashion content in the media, especially with Project Runway and blogging, followed by smartphones and social media, colleges and universities were quick to realize the profit potential of offering fashion degree programs. Shifting a fashion education into a more liberal arts setting requires students to take non-fashion courses such as sciences, mathematics, history and so forth, in order to meet accreditation standards. While this ensures a more well-rounded education, it also means less time to focus on fashion related subjects and skills training. For bachelor-level students, this means taking a series of foundational courses, and perhaps an elective or two, without ever having the chance to deep dive, or gain expertise in any one particular area. The goal then becomes on providing a foundation of knowledge and the ability to think critically--the hallmarks of a liberal arts education-- on which students can build, once they enter the industry. While there is certainly value in this approach, it has also led to a wide chasm between what knowledge and actual skills students graduate with, versus what employers expect of them, or need. For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

In the mid-1990s, fashion education became more fully integrated into the academy, allowing students of fashion to receive more than vocational training. Their studies in fashion design or fashion merchandising were now combined with a traditional liberal arts or business education, leading to a bachelor's or baccalaureate degree. This had the effect of formalizing, even legitimizing, fashion as an academic pursuit and a desired career. And with the burgeoning proliferation of fashion content in the media, especially with Project Runway and blogging, followed by smartphones and social media, colleges and universities were quick to realize the profit potential of offering fashion degree programs. For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

As companies like the Real Real, 1st Dibs and DePop continue to make market share inroads when it comes to overall apparel and accessory sales, two key areas of conversation have emerged.  One focuses on who has the right in a secondary market to sell certain brands. Most notably, Chanel has filed three lawsuits against The RealReal and 15 cease and desist orders. Their core contentions are that they should have complete control over who sells their product; they should always benefit from the sell of their product; and finally, that they are the only ones able to ensure authenticity. While Chanel, and other luxury brands, have long been sold at secondhand stores throughout the world, the difference here is The RealReal's scale and control.  The other conversation focuses on that of fashion sustainability and the shift of consumer behavior towards buying something used, rather than something new. In fact, this has been a marketing strategy that The RealReal has been using in its television ads. And while there are clear benefits to selling and buying secondhand products, for many this claim seems to be more greenwashing than true. After all, The RealReal relies on a heavy back and forth shipping scheme to receive and sell product. What's more, the pay out for customers is fairly low, as the company sets the sell price—and therefore potentially undermines the customer's reason to be part of this transaction  What's largely missing in these conversations, is a discussion about the long view of brand engagement, especially post-purchase. Typically, marketing strategy is focused on getting a customer back in the door to buy new product, not sell or purchase used product. And yet, by embracing secondhand sales, there is real potential for fashion brands, luxury specifically, to rethink and reengage customers in a more lifelong experience—that recognizes the twists and turns of trends and social behaviors. For the full transcript, visit: FCNewsBytes.com

Joshua Williams: Hello Sass, who are we featuring this month?  Sass Brown: We're talking about VOZ.  Joshua Williams:Ah, VOZ. They're based in New York City, but do a lot of their work in Chile. Can you tell us a little bit about them?  Sass Brown: Absolutely. They're an amazing brand. They were founded back in 2012 by Jasmine Aarons. And their mission is really to honor and empower artisans, to support them economically and culturally by showcasing their traditions of hand weaving and hand dying. So the collection is built around core items that are handwoven by the Mapuche and hand-dyed; vegetable-dyed through the long tradition of hand weaving and artisanship with cotton and with alpaca from the region. Joshua Williams: And can you tell us a little about the Mapuche people because that's quite unique, their story, and why she's chosen to work with this particular group?  Sass Brown: For sure. Well then the Mapuche are actually the largest indigenous group in South America. And we never call them cooked by the Spanish. And they have a very long heritage of working with natural fibers, local materials, both animal and vegetable and hand weaving, hand spinning the product. So, they have a very long tradition of it. Like many indigenous groups, there's stories and meanings behind the patterns and the symbolism that's embedded within the things that they weave. It's very graphic visually. Often, it's black on a off-white or a beige base, but it can be and other colors. And if you look at Jasmine's work, she often incorporates all sorts of different shapes. But usually very graphic patterning on a hand-woven base. Read the full transcript at FCNewsBytes.com.

Sustainability in the fashion industry is the topic du jour, and rightfully so. The adverse effects of fashion on our environment and on humans themselves cannot be overstated. Over the past ten years, this topic has shifted from the world of academia and NGOs to business and consumers. In fact, consumers now identify sustainability as one of the key criteria for determining which brands they shop, forcing brands to adapt. And yet, the reality is far more complex. Just because consumers say sustainability is important pertaining to their shopping habits, doesn't mean that it truly makes a difference at point of sale. And just because brands say they are sustainable, doesn't mean they are in practice.  Values are often separate from action--because values can be hard to pin down or define quantitatively, and because they are contextual. But rather than giving up, it's a reminder that more education is needed, and that knowledge will empower brands and consumers to make more informed and sustainable choices and demand ongoing change.  Maria Soubbotina, a graduate student and research assistant at Parsons School of Design, focuses her time on parsing how people use language as it pertains to fashion and retail. And for the past year, she has been deciphering the conversations happening at our sister podcast, “Retail Revolution.”  “Over the past year, I've noticed a shift in how retail issues, including sustainability, are discussed. Sustainability, in general, was primarily a catch-all conversation for anything wrong with the fashion industry, or it was specifically referring to the effects of fashion production on the environment. And rightfully so, since that is a large part of it. For example, water pollution is just one part of the environmental aspect and 20% of industrial water pollution comes from textile manufacturing.”  But now, she says, the pandemic has begun to shift the language around sustainability towards the effects on the individual. For example, the extent of the impact that chemicals and dyes used to create clothing have on our skin. “Around 8,000 chemicals are used to turn raw materials into clothing, but the average consumer wouldn't be able to name even one chemical that's used in the production process, because it's not something that's discussed as frequently.”  Read the full transcript at FCNewsBytes.com.

The pandemic accelerated e-commerce sales in 2020. Pre-Covid, e-commerce sales accounted from between 10 to 20% for fashion retailers, depending on the sophistication and reach of their online platforms. At the height of Covid, these numbers doubled to 40% and beyond, and have now averaged out around 26% with the roll-out of vaccines and the ability for people to move around in public more freely. These numbers are indeed impressive and underscore a true customer shift towards buying a wide range of products online—from groceries to furniture to clothing. And companies like Amazon, Target and Walmart, that offer a wide range of products all in one place, have led the pack.  However, what's particularly fascinating about these numbers is that even at the height of the pandemic, 60% or more of sales were still transacted in a brick and mortar store. And instead of online sales holding at 40%, they have decreased, suggesting that in-person shopping still holds sway among customers. While customers appreciate the utility and perceived ease of shopping online, shopping is not just about the purchase itself, especially when it comes to buying fashion—which is often less about the piece we're buying and more about the experience of finding something, trying it on and buying it.  However, this is not to suggest that in-store versus online is an even comparison. The reality is much more complex and harder to truly track. Many experts estimate that 65% or more of in-store purchases involve a digital component—meaning customers are engaging online first, whether it's searching for the perfect dress or trousers, finding a store location, or even purchasing online—before, they head to the store to pick up an item. Or, the customer is online while shopping in a store; they might be listening to music, getting style advice from a friend via FaceTime, or even shopping a competitor.  What's more, the primary way in which customers interact with brands now—on a daily basis—is online. This interaction starts first thing in the morning, when a customer picks up their phone, checks their emails, and scrolls through Instagram. This mostly 2D brand experience, often on a small screen, is the most common way customers interact with a brand. And they are doing so from their personal space, rather than in a fully branded space like a store, where the brand is in control. In other words, while customers might still prefer shopping and engaging with brands in a physical store, digital is defining and driving the overall experience.  This reality requires a major shift from retailer leaders, where most decisions about online shopping have been based on traditional, brick and mortar store models; where online was seen more as an “add-on” than the driving force behind customer purchase behaviors. And it necessitates a realization that the interaction between the brand and the customer is fundamentally different and difficult to maintain. After all, the start of a customer journey probably begins with a Google search or a request to Alexa. Ultimately, this shift to a digitally-led business also requires a new type of employee skillset, that merges technology and data know-how with traditional roles in merchandising, buying, planning, logistics and management. And it requires agility and flexibility in order to stay competitive, beyond seasonal trends.  Read the full transcript at FCNewsBytes.com.

Joshua Williams: Welcome back Sass. Who are we featuring this month?  Sass Brown: We're talking about Tonlé. They're a Cambodian brand that does a contemporary collection,  Joshua Williams: This is such an interesting brand, because they really are involved in so many different things. But at the core, they are a womenswear brand led by founders who are very activistic in terms of how to approach design and how to be part of the world as global citizens. Sass Brown: Absolutely.  Rachel Faller, who's the founder, she's based in California. The brand itself is produced and operated out of Cambodia, which is where she splits her time with. And she is very impressive in terms of, she really understands the place that the fashion system has played in neo-liberalism, colonialism, the whole sort of white savior type mentality. And she really is extremely conscious of that and sees her role as developing a brand and a company out of Cambodia as an honor; that she is able to give back, that she is able to enable the population, to show their capabilities instead of continuing a  rather long and messy past between the U.S. and Cambodia. So, she's very much aware of the role that she plays.  Joshua Williams: Can you talk a little bit about her design aesthetic, how she approaches her work?  Sass Brown: It's a very contemporary, wearable, easy wear collection. They're very relatable clothes. They are at a median price point, so they're quite accessible. A lot of the collection is made out of jersey, although they utilize a number of different techniques. One of the things that is really quite special about them is their focus on worker training. First of all, all their workers are full-time employees. They don't do piece work. They don't subcontract. They encourage their employees to train, to upskill, to learn, which is quite the reverse of your usual sort of workshops, factory setting, particularly in a place like Cambodia that does significant fast fashion production, where it's all about the de-skilling of workers and the underpaying of workers. She does the complete  reverse. She operates in a lean manufacturing model, which means workers work in a circle. They don't work in straight lines, looking at the back of the person in front of them. They're encouraged to learn new techniques, to try new machines. They are paid to up-skill They're encouraged to progress employment-wise towards managerial positions and so on. So it's much more of a humane model, or an ethical model of production, if you will. And in a country that's renowned for fast fashion and the reverse of that.  Read the full transcript at FCNewsBytes.com.

Fashion has always existed at the nexus of art and commerce. It is an endeavor that strives to balance emotional connection and profitability. And it requires a left and right brain approach to be successful.  For years, capturing and analyzing data has supported fashion companies in their efforts to better understand, target and engage their customers. This data mining operation--driven by complex algorithms and information engineers--has largely been under the auspices of financial and marketing departments. But over the years, the world of big data has creeped into the creative process.   Schanel Bakkouche, founder and creative director at SFB Creative, as well as editor and stylist for Vogue International Publications, says that this shift to data provides fashion brands with a competitive advantage. “Data can provide access to key market insights that allows a creative director to focus on what's important to the customer, thus increasing speed to market, efficiencies and overall engagement.” She emphasizes that fashion can be very subjective, but data can help point creative teams in the right direction. “Data can help eliminate confusion internally and create consistency and transparency across all channels. It can also help to set manageable expectations, even optimize what works best.” Read the full transcript: FCNewsBytes.com

In today's world, leading a fashion company is a complex undertaking, involving a vast global supply chain, a highly competitive landscape and an ever evolving consumer with access to more options than ever. And the skills needed to operate such a company must also be balanced with vision, creativity, transparency and authenticity.   It's a tall order, agrees Renee Cooper, a professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology, who focuses on management and leadership development. “These days, I think the qualities that set a fashion leader apart from execs in other industries is a bit unique.” When asked if there are any particular fashion leaders that she believes set the right example, she quips, “I suppose I should mention John Donahue or Mark Parker of Nike, but I have to go with a leader who has built a fashion brand that is becoming more and more formidable every day. And that brand is Harlem's Fashion Row, built by owner and founder, Brandice Henderson.” Read the full transcript at FCNewsBytes.com

As the fashion industry continues to corporatize and globalize, it requires executive leadership that understands the complexity of turning design into product; that understands the emotional and functional needs of the consumer and balances that with the financial objectives of the shareholder. It requires someone with creativity, vision, practical skills and flexibility. And now more than ever, it requires an understanding of an omni-channel framework driven by digital engagement and cutting-edge technology.  And while in the past, it was typical for a merchant or buyer to move up through the ranks into management roles and then the executive offices of a fashion brand, it's now just as likely to see MBA graduates in the C-Suite, often without any fashion experience at all. Both scenarios come with their own pluses and minuses. However, according to Renee Cooper, a professor in the School of Business at the Fashion Institute of Technology, the ability to lead is fundamental. She states, “After all, a leader influences people to follow, whereas a manager gets people to work for them, thereby executing the leader's mission.” Renee believes that in today's evolving fashion industry the key challenge for any business leader is building a sustainable, competitive advantage beyond products and services. “It's not just about members sitting at the board table or majority stockholders. Today, the C-suite must ensure the demands of the customers, employees, and the communities in which they operate.” And they must do with this more transparency, authenticity and empathy. For example, she says, “Fashion business leaders should recognize the benefits of diversity and inclusion and put initiatives into action. Not only talk the talk, but walk the walk.” She emphasizes: “Look at your executive team leaders. Look at your candidate pool. Look at the current committed members of the organization who have never been given the recognition, title and salary for their contributions over the years.” Read the Full Transcript at FCNewsBytes.com

Joshua Williams: Hello, Sass! And welcome back. Who are we featuring this month?  Sass Brown: We're talking about Kur Collection. Joshua Williams: Based in New York city. Can you tell us a little bit about them?  Sass Brown: Sure. The founder is based in New York, but the production is done out of Sri Lanka. And they're a young contemporary women's wear, mostly dress collection, dresses and separates. Really pretty. That incorporates handmade Portuguese lace or Dutch handmade lace, but from Sri Lanka. It's called Biralu lace there. And it's really beautiful.  Joshua Williams: It's very interesting because as you said, they're producing out of Sri Lanka, but they're also using Portuguese techniques. How did this sort of interesting combination come about? Sass Brown: Well, traditional material culture is often just like culture itself, a response to immigration, to colonialism, all of those things. So Portuguese handmade lace was adopted in Sri Lanka through Portuguese colonialism and then Dutch colonialism, both of which countries ladies of leisure, used to do handmade lace in their own time. And so that was transmitted to the local population and taken up by them. And now it's part of their culture and part of their history. Read the full transcript at FCNewsBytes.com.

Sustainable fashion is now front and center in customer's minds and purchase behaviors, as well as business logistics and planning. It's been a precipitous philosophical shift over the past 20 years, as the impact of the industry on the environment and the people it employs has become more visible to the public. Talk has turned to practice, as both a means to ensure long-term viability and meet customer demand. And yet this shift can be daunting to companies--as sustainability encompasses so many different moving parts in a complex supply chain.    According to sustainability expert and founder of The Knew Purpose, Sydney Price recommends that companies adopt a circular economy model. This model is quite literally a supply chain that operates like a circle and is based on three core principles.  The first principle Sydney says is designing out waste and pollution points.  The focus here is on transitioning to more effective and efficient waste elimination processes that require fewer resource inputs such as fossil fuels, chemicals and even water. It also seeks to adopt more energy efficient resources such as renewable energy. The second principle is keeping products and materials in use.  The idea here is to transform the way clothes are designed, sold and used to break free from their disposable nature. Companies can start by creating more durable clothes. They can also change their business models to short-term rental subscriptions, resale and on-demand purchasing. Brands can also offer repair services. Sydney points out that focusing on this principle can add to overall brand / consumer engagement, and augment the perceived quality of product, experience and convenience, or what creative strategist AJ Lacouette refers to as the new trinity.  The third and final principle is regenerating natural systems. A circular economy avoids the use of non-renewable resources and preserves or enhances renewable ones, for instance by returning valuable nutrients to the soil to support regeneration, or using renewable energy as opposed to relying on fossil fuels. Read the full transcript: FCNewsBytes.com

Since early 2020, customers have been forced to rethink how they engage and buy from brands. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, not only has shopping shifted to online, but customers needs and wants have changed.  This shift has meant that fashion brands have also had to rethink how they engage and sell to consumers. Dealing with a global pandemic, put fashion consumption in stark reality to more important issues. What's more, customers were now working from home and were focused less on new trends and more on comfort. But they also desired relief from the constant stream of pandemic news and the monotony of being cooped up at home. This made the marketplace ripe for fashion brands to try new ways to engage their customers--outside of their normal, “tried and true” marketing strategies. And for many, this meant seeking partnerships and collaborations with other brands to create new narratives, and an element of surprise.  Caryn Pang, an adjunct professor at Parsons School of Design, and retail technology consultant, also believes that collaboration provided an opportunity for brands to energize their employees, especially when racial issues added another layer to pandemic anxiety. She explains: “At the core of collaboration is teamwork, which is an important part of the inclusivity and accessibility conversation that began in earnest in the spring of 2020.” And she adds that a sense of inclusivity and accessibility that can be engendered through teamwork can also lead to a much-needed sense of community. “In turn, community creates a sense of belonging and optimism. This real need for belonging, coupled with a sense of shared hope, can be attributed to the pandemic and being home for so long, disconnected from others. It's human nature for people to want to come together and collaborate--to create a future together.” Read the full transcript: FCNewsBytes.com

If the events at the U.S. Capitol early this year are any indication of what's to come, 2021 is surely going to be a year about deep reflection and change. Over the past year, it's become clearer that shared ideals that create unity in society are delicate, that racial, ethnic and gender disparities are front and center in the US, China and Europe. And fashion brands are being required more and more to take a public stand in addressing issues of social justice. Sabrina Lynch, Senior Vice President of Culture and Marketing Communications at Taylor Strategy, and a TEDx speaker, offers companies three clear strategies to mitigate and correct issues of social justice internally. First, she says: “To understand social issues, you really need to appreciate the tapestry of culture and complex of issues facing so many communities. And you'll never be in a position to do so when you've consciously, or unconsciously sometimes, recruited a talent who only offer one singular perspective.” Read the full transcript: FCNewsBytes.com

Almost overnight, fashion design companies and fashion design students were forced to move to a mostly remote work environment and away from the studio and tools of their trade. For many designers, this meant shifting their practice into a more virtual space, using emergent technologies such as Clo3D. It's an expensive process and takes expertise that is largely non-existent in the current workforce. However, for companies and schools that were already implementing 3D design into their workflow, the switch came more easily according to Soojin Kang, a fashion designer and faculty member at Parsons School of Design.  [Soojin] I had the privilege to teach the first Clo3d trial class at Parsons, and so when the pandemic hit we did not have any significant difficulties switching from offline to online.  She describes the remote teaching and learning process: [Soojin] I was able to do live demonstrations via Clo3d software by sharing my screen on Zoom. I could then remote control a student's screen and give them technical support right away. Even remotely, my students were still able to make 3D garments in the digital space, expressing their designs and outcomes beautifully; and with very few problems.  When Parsons decided to go fully online for the fall, Clo3D was adopted into all third level courses, with the support and enthusiasm of students, who recognized this skill as an important one in their toolkit.  [Soojin] I am very excited for our current Parsons students who will obtain 3D design knowledge and experiences before they graduate.  Soojin notes that the industry has reached a tipping point. The need for 3D design experience and skills will not just be helpful on a resume, it will become a mandatory skillset, especially as businesses understand its benefits. See the full transcript:

2020 has been a year like no other. Fashion retailers were hit especially hard early on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, they have been racing, fighting even, to adapt, evolve and innovate fast enough to save their businesses. Changes that were once part of a long-term strategic plan had to be implemented immediately, often remotely and with less staff. In some cases, this acceleration of change helped to stave overall losses. For some, it even provided an opportunity for brand growth and scaling. But for many it was an acceleration towards insolvency and bankruptcy. For those who made it pass these initial hurdles, the focus turned to the fourth quarter, the most important season for fashion retailers in terms of overall sales. For most retailers, this meant putting more emphasis on e-commerce, restructuring promotional timelines and realigning direct-to-consumer distribution strategies. For others, this included more drastic measures, such as reconfiguring physical stores to be pick-up only locations, or even “dark stores” or warehouses.  Now, as we near the end of the fourth quarter, retail executives are hoping to see that their efforts have paid off and will provide a foundation with which to rebuild their businesses in the short term, post-pandemic. Full transcript available at FCNewsBytes.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Each month Sass Brown, an expert in ethical fashion, sustainability and craftsmanship, shares a fashion brand that approaches business differently and innovatively or operates outside of the main fashion systems and capitals. Sass is the former Dean of Art and Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and the founding Dean at Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation. Carla Fernandez is a Mexico City-based designer and brand, well known for supporting and promoting indigenous traditional craft from across Mexico and famous for saying that the haute couture of Mexico is located in the indigenous villages.”  According to Sass, “one of the beauties of Mexico, and one of the things that Carla feels so strongly about, is the fact that there is such a diversity of material traditions across Mexico, across crafts, across communities that are all unique and special.” And she explains that Carla sees it as an honor to be able to work with, and in partnership with, those communities and those people. “She has a long history of working with indigenous communities by going and spending significant time with them, listening and learning from them about what their traditions are, what the meanings and the codes embedded in those traditions and processes are, and what their actual needs are.” As an extension to her work with indigenous craftspeople, Carla designs a fashion collection, which she sells in her stores and online. Managing the supply side as well as customer demand for fashion products can be difficult, so she has divided her business into two entities: for-profit and not-for-profit. Sass explains that this is not unusual for a socially motivated brand to do, especially when they realize the limitations of a for-profit only business. She adds, “To a degree, the for-profit arm of the business offsets the costs of the not-for-profit work which focuses on engaging with artisans to develop their traditions and crafts into marketable products.”  For the full transcript, visit FCNewsBytes.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Generation Z is having a profound effect on how fashion brands engage with their customers. They prefer shopping brands that share common values. And they are demanding more transparency from brands regarding material sourcing, pricing, environmental impact and labor practices, in order to make purchase decisions.  More and more, Gen Z customers also prefer brands that take a stand on social justice and political issues; topics which brands have typically avoided. After all, one misstep may lead to being cancelled--leading to unwanted press, boycotts and impacting sales.       However, because of its higher price point and its focus on a more mature customer demographic, luxury fashion has not had to deal with this issue as directly as more accessible brands. Sure, there have been plenty of mishaps that have led to negative press, such as the recent Dior, Gucci and Marni fiascos, but these largely blew over. What’s more, luxury brands have always been in the business of creating an escape from the real world, creating products that are more about desire than need. Brands such as Chanel and Hermes have been carefully crafting their images for decades, carefully cultivating an aura of mystery and authenticity--myth-making at its best--and certainly the opposite of transparency and true authenticity.  Here’s Luca Marchetti, cultural analyst, semiotician and co-founder of The Prospectivists in Paris:  [Luca] On a general level, yes, these concepts are in some ways contradictory with the traditional vision of luxury, in Europe at least. Even if, historically, this field was built on the highest quality and excellence, and its desirability is culturally rooted in opacity and the aura projected around products. Transparency was not an option. [Luca] Real change will come, when it will be an obligation. It will just be harsher and even more expensive. Full transcript available at FCNewsBytes.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit this spring, many fashion companies had to put their advertising campaigns on hold. It was no longer possible to gather creative teams—directors, photographers, models and crew--together in person, in studio or on site. And so, companies had to get creative quickly.  Some brands chose to send new styles from their collection to models and influencers, asking them to be creative and to use what they had at their disposal, hoping for the best. For many brands, this was the first time they had ceded creative control to the model or influencer.  In the end, some of these campaigns, although home-spun, went viral and were very successful. Others didn’t quite hit the mark. Which begs the question, have brands hit on an all-together new marketing strategy? And is this model worth including in future marketing strategies?  [Laura] No. As a matter of fact, I think this strategy will be short lived and produce results only in terms of metrics, data and social media engagement. That’s Laura Lanteri, creative director and consultant at LLNYC Worldwide, a Global Advertising and Marketing firm based in New York City. She continues: [Laura] In my opinion, a campaign is really successful when it becomes part of the day-to-day conversation, when it becomes part of our cultural landscape. Influencer marketing doesn’t have the power to do that. It all depends on what we decide to focus on: cultural relevance or Instagram likes. And yet, with the growth of social media such as Instagram, and the ability and access for just about anyone to create content, a real shift in consumer demand has occurred over the past decade. A shift that places more value on realistic imagery and narrative as opposed to perfection, or at least the illusion of perfection, that the fashion industry has peddled over the past century. It’s an illusion that is very one-sided, stresses Laura. Full transcript available at FCNewsBytes.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past year, fashion design schools have been forced to rethink how they educate students and prepare them for jobs. It’s a monumental task, when so much about Covid-19 is still unknown, making planning for future academic years difficult at best. What’s more, with a shift to online learning and a focus on systemic racism within fashion curriculum, educators are having to shift the very models of education that have been in place for decades, especially when it comes to studio-based and Western-centric learning.  And while institutions grapple with these changes, potential fashion design students wonder how or if these issues may change the application process. Here’s Susanna Moyer, a part time professor in the BFA Fashion Design program at Parsons School of Design and an educational consultant in New York City. [Susanna] Some schools and universities will be looking for students that are able to connect with global issues, with inclusivity being one of them. Students who bring innovation and critical thinking to these issues through the creative process will be the most attractive candidates for these institutions. And more specifically, fashion schools are increasingly looking for students who show an aptitude and knowledge of emerging technologies.  [Susanna] Technology, as well, is becoming more and more important for the student to understand. It is being used in the school environment and the professional arena.So, it's really important for students to understand 3D technology, including Clo3D.  While it’s not expected that an incoming student learn a complex software platform like Clo3D, having an awareness of how it works, or how it changes the design process is very helpful. This is especially true when so much of learning is online right now.  At the same time, Susanna points out that the core of what makes a successful portfolio hasn’t really changed. It’s still important for students to present “a clear, focused direction, and diversity in presentation.”  [Susanna] All elements, including moodboard designs and technical flats need to be well thought out and executed so the storytelling of the collection is understandable to the viewer. Along with the portfolio, the student needs to create a design journal to process concepts and research for the portfolio. Some of this content can be used in the portfolio submission. The last thing is to remember, in most cases, the student cannot be there to present their work. They need to ask themselves if the presentation is clear for the viewer.  And Susanna points out that students who understand their potential role as a designer within the bigger picture can also help them to stand out, as long as it is authentic.  [Susanna] It is very, very important that the students ‘do’ themselves. As Oscar Wilde said, ‘be yourself, everyone else has taken.’ Be original and believe in something. And also look at what you need to learn before you get into school. Part of the equation for any incoming student is whether fashion design school is right for them, or if there is even any future in fashion. After all, the world is changing precipitously, and the effect on fashion is obvious.  [Susanna] The new opportunities for students include the broadening markets and the specializations that are emerging with the changing social rules that are being broken every day. Genderless clothing is one example along with sustainable and ethical practices that are becoming stronger trends with the consumer. With any change comes opportunity. And an education is meant to prepare students to be ready for new opportunities--to be ready to ideate, innovate and implement. Susanna sums it up, “Choose a school or program that aligns with your values and goals, and gives you a safe space to learn through process and even failure.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joshua Williams: Each month on News Bytes, we feature a fashion brand that approaches business differently and innovatively or operates outside of the main fashion systems and capitals. I'm with Sass Brown, an expert in ethical fashion, sustainability and craftsmanship. She is the former Dean of Art and Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and the founding Dean at Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation. Sass, thank you so much for being with us today.  Sass Brown: Happy to be here.  Joshua Williams: And so, who are you featuring this month?  Sass Brown: Zazi Vintage, founded by Jeanne de Kroon in Amsterdam and they work across Uzbekistan, India, and Afghanistan.  Joshua Williams: Tell us a little bit about what makes Zazi Vintage so unique.  Sass Brown: They work with heritage textiles and artisan-based textiles that have been produced along the traditional Silk Route. So, they work with Uzbekistan ikat. They work with Kashmiri embroidery and with Suzani embroideries.  Joshua Williams: Wow. So, are they fully customizing each piece or do they have a line that they sell direct to the consumer?  Sass Brown: They have the small ready-to-wear line of contemporary fashion pieces, separates and predominantly dresses. But then they have a line of Suzani coats, which are those fabulous fur-trimmed, Afghan coats. If you think of Sergeant Peppers from the Beatles; that sort of iconic embroidered uor trimmed coat. And so, those are all covered in Suzani, vintage Suzani embroideries. Those are made to order. And you're able to customize them a little bit, in terms of choice of fur, color, type of embroidery, et cetera. Joshua Williams: Sass, what do you think that other more mainstream brands can learn from Zazi Vintage?  Sass Brown: I think there's an awful lot to do with intention and motivation. Honestly, Jeanne is the founder of the brand, is one of the most committed people I've ever met in terms of ethics and how she works. And it's all to do with her passion for textiles, and fo storytelling, and the people whose story she tells through the weaving, through the story threads of embroidery. And so, I think her values and our motivation are incredible.  I think an example of that is when Covid hit, she reached out to her artissans and asked them what they needed to survive during this difficult time during lockdown, when people were canceling orders. She's not the only person that works with them. So, she went back to the other brands that were working with her artisans, and said, look, this is what they need to survive, to keep a roof over their head, to keep food on the table. How do we collectively work out a plan to ensure that they can survive through this?  Joshua Williams: Such a human-centric touch.  How can listeners learn more about Zazi Vintage? Sass Brown:  Well, they sell direct to consumer only. So, you have to access them through their website, which is zazivintage.com. So, it's pretty straightforward. They also have a really lovely Instagram feed, which is also @ZaziVintage. So, it's very easy to find them.  Joshua Williams: All right, Sass. Thank you so much. We'll see you in a month for your next feature. Sass Brown: Look forward to it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, “In Search of Fashion Leadership,” we consider the ways in which executive leadership must adapt to crises, and how this changes the way fashion companies hire. The Covid-19 pandemic has tested the mettle of fashion executives worldwide. They have had to adapt quickly, shifting retail operations primarily online, reimagining their distribution and production, and moving their workforce to remote offices. In more dire cases, they have furloughed or fired employees, cancelled orders and closed stores. The ripple effect across the supply chain is visible. According to the U.S. Fashion Industry Association, confidence in the fashion business has dropped more than 8% since 2019 and 95% of brands expect sales revenue decreases for the 2020 fiscal year.   On top of this, civil unrest in the US and worldwide, has laid bare issues of systemic racism and gender pay inequality. And younger customers are quick to “cancel” brands that are not responding transparently with actionable change.  In short, fashion executives have had to be more visible as consumers demand more transparency, in many ways changing the role of brand leadership and shifting how companies hire. According to Meghan Houle, a Senior Executive Recruiter at The Bowerman Group, fashion companies are taking this moment to be very picky in hiring new executives.  [Meghan] It really is all about reputation. As the saying goes, ‘Your past can come back to haunt you.’ It is all about reputation.   When it comes to leadership qualities needed during a crisis such as this, it’s all about “honesty, empathy and approachability.” she says.  [Meghan] Honest with your communication strategies, empathetic to all situations. Everyone's going through a lot. And empathy, maybe compassion; we'll add that in there. I think it's just really important to teams overall. And to be approachable, really in creating environments where people feel seen and heard and valued.  As fashion companies head into the fourth quarter and plan their budgets for 2021, they will be prioritizing key roles to ensure ongoing agility and the ability to pivot. So what does this mean for job seekers? [Meghan] I would expect a slow, but steady, hiring pace, prioritizing key roles. So, I do believe interviews will continue. Offers may not come through until late end of 2020, rolling into the budgets of 2021, maybe early January 2021, unless it really is a critical position needed for the business to sustain and get through the season. Certainly, we're seeing brick and mortar store leadership openings that have been taking priority. There are a lot of companies out there that are just taking the approach of doing more with less for the time being. And you will certainly see a lot of department leaders internally stepping up, taking on new assignments to cover any potential openings that are out there until the right hire is made. And take a lot of vetting; I would very much be prepared, for anyone going through the interview process at any level, for a very strategic, precise hiring process that can maybe feel a little intense. And really as a candidate to make yourself visible, you have to be authentic, know your why, know your value, know what you can bring to an organization; a confident, but not cocky approach. Learn more: FashionConsort.com / FashionUnited.Com / @FashionConsortAgency Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to fashion retail during the Covid-19 pandemic, the conversation has centered mostly on the overall viability of a retailer and their strategies to overcome the decrease in brick and mortar shopping. And this makes sense, considering the onslaught of bankruptcies that were unleashed in the spring and the real concern these closings would have on employment and the overall economy.  However, for those companies that were in a strong enough position to avoid bankruptcy, their focus became two-fold: energize their online sales and re-open brick and mortar. And while the latter was welcomed in theory, in practice it meant store line employees at fashion retailers were put at the forefront of a health crisis, making them more vulnerable to Covid-19 itself, as well as front and center in the mask debate. Christopher Lacy, former Director of Customer Experience, Learning and Development at Barneys New York and now an Assistant Professor at Parsons School of Design points out that “Crises inform you the old system can no longer be maintained and that there is a need to change.” While the pandemic has certainly had an outsized negative effect on the retail industry, it could also serve as an opportunity for retailers to reset and refocus, beyond sales numbers. It’s a chance for them to rebuild trust between all constituents, the customers, the home office, and most specifically the store line employees who are central to the success of any retail business.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Understanding larger social and economic trends is an important part of the design process in fashion. These larger trends have a downstream effect on color, silhouette and texture from season to season. And so, fashion designers and merchandisers work with their teams, and with external agencies, often a full year out, to determine how these trends might integrate best with their brand vision. Because these teams are working so far in advance, planning for trends is an inexact science at best, albeit easier today with the help of algorithmic data.  However, even this data couldn’t have predicted Covid-19 and it’s immediate effect on fashion trends, leaving brands to rethink their plans mid-stream for fall 2020 and spring 2021. In many cases, companies had to stop their processes altogether as studios and offices closed. And those that could, pivoted to making personal protective equipment, such as masks and shields, to take advantage of government contracts, thus keeping their employees at work, and supporting the needs of their communities.  As the pandemic wore on, and masks were required in many places, demand rose for more PPE--no longer as simple protective gear, but as a fashion statement. Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House in the United States Congress became an overnight sensation with her coordinated suits and masks. Masks also made their way to the runway in the spring 2021 shows and are predicted to make an appearance in future collections according to Keanan Duffty, fashion designer and director of the Fashion Management graduate program at Parsons School of Design: [Keanan] During flu season, face masks were the polite society norm in Asia. Now, most of the rest of the world has accepted face masks and therefore they will become a seasonal fashion trend in order to combat flu and seasonal allergies.  As with many fashion trends, what once served a utility, such as a jacket lapel, a riveted pocket or an upturned shirt collar, is now simply a preferred style without connection to function. And customers certainly don’t require brands to educate them on these histories . However, it’s an altogether different thing when PPE is serving a real health service in addition to being stylish, which becomes a unique balancing act for a brand. Here’s Keanan again:  [Keanan] Subjectively, brands look like they are cashing in. For example, Spandau Ballet ‘True’ facemask. Perhaps facemasks are becoming the new slogan tee-shirt? A tee-shirt with a real purpose beyond the logo or slogan itself, at least for now.   And so, the question then becomes whether or not there is a place for luxury brands to provide customers with pandemic-related accessories, such as Louis Vuitton’s almost $1,000 face shield and Burberry’s $100+ face masks.  [Keanan] The luxury sector has begun to appropriate streetwear ideas including sneakers and tracksuits, so luxury versions of pandemic-related accessories were the obvious next step. They provide ‘Status based protection” for the luxury consumer and are the new “it” bag. After all, it wasn’t more than 25 years ago that fashion apparel companies began including handbags as part of their collections, and leather goods companies became purveyors of ready-to-wear. Perhaps in 25 years time, when the pandemic is a historical footnote, customers will still be wearing masks and shields without any real connection to how they saved lives in 2020. And brands will consider PPE accessories as an essential part of their offering. Visit: FashionUnited.com Learn More: FCNewsBytes.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello, I’m Joshua Williams, host of Fashion Consort NewsBytes. As a professor and consultant, I am often asked to speak at events worldwide as well as appear on news broadcasts to share my expertise on current issues in the fashion industry and fashion higher education.  I began this unique, short-format podcast in early 2020, as a way to extend my voice and share it with a wider audience interested in the inner workings of fashion. And I chose the modality of podcasting, not only because it’s highly shareable, but because it offers a more personal and intimate way to connect with an audience, more so than a written article.  The choice to focus on an audio format felt especially prescient only a month later, as the world began to shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and our interactions became largely digital. For many, podcasting became a new and exciting way to connect with the news, beyond staring at a computer screen. And now, less than a year later, I am excited to announce that News Bytes is being distributed in partnership with FashionUnited, your trusted global network for fashion news, business intelligence and jobs. This partnership truly expands our international reach, and we can’t wait to interact with you, our listener, in a more expansive way. We have so many exciting plans in the pipeline! So thank you, to those of you have joined us along the way, and to those of you will come. We hope you’ll show your support by subscribing to the podcast wherever you are listening. We are now available directly at FashionUnited.com, as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, Google Play, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio and much more. And be sure to rate us and share your comments; it helps make the podcast more visible to others searching for fashion industry news. Finally, visit FCPNewsBytes.com, that’s Bytes with a “Y” for more information, including full transcripts.  Until our next episode, be well! Visit: FashionUnited.com Learn More: FCNewsBytes.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By its very nature, modern fashion is not essential. It’s built on a model of planned obsolescence, wherein customers are expected to buy and replace as often as possible. And yet, this hasn’t stopped the fashion industry from marketing goods as essential, whether it’s the proclamation: “must have warm coat for the winter” or “the only shoes that give you the support you need while running.” Whole categories of clothes, including activewear, are built on this mostly false premise. It’s not to say that these products don’t have utility, but rather, that they will be replaced within a few short months with newer, cooler models. This is especially true with swimwear, a category of clothing that has no utility at all, beyond social constructs around modesty, unless you’re in a search of a garment that makes you feel clammy and ensures beach sand comes home with you. So, it should come as no surprise that fashion is completely enamored with an all-together new essential product category, personal protective equipment, or PPE for short. And while it’s true that masks and perhaps shields, to a lesser degree, are essential during the Covid-19 pandemic, fashion will certainly find a way to ensure we buy more than we need, so that we don’t get caught wearing the same mask twice! Already, luxury brands such as Burberry and Louis Vuitton have gotten in on the game, with hyper-expensive masks and shields, a new entry-level price point that puts their logo front and center—right on the customer’s face. But irony aside, behind all of this, is a very real business decision that brands are making. Because, if a brand makes and sells PPE in their stores, they can be classified by many local governments as essential retailers. Said differently, this means that with new lockdowns now happening due to the second wave, these retailers will not have to close down a second time, because they are selling PPE. It’s a workaround that alleviates the need for mass furloughs of store line employees and mitigates issues around store leases. In reality, fashion brands see PPE whether its face masks, shields, gloves, or even scrubs, as essential to the viability of their business. fashionconsort.com @fashionconsortagency Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fashion week and all of its attendant traditions have been largely upended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While some designers have chosen to show in person, with limited attendance, much of the focus has been on digital variations of the fashion show. So far, these have included everything from artistic, pre-recorded videos, to livestreams on Twitch, and even augmented reality. Technology, in many ways, has made it possible for fashion week to go on—and precipitate a shift towards more synchronous, inclusive events. However, one particular designer chose a very different path, a nod to fashion’s past with an emphasis on handicraft. American designer, Jeffrey Scott, is known for his kitschy, pop-culture inspired designs both for his eponymous line and for the Italian house, Moschino. In the past, his shows have been exuberant, colorful celebrations of the excesses of fashion, as much attended by “club kids” as the fashion intelligentsia. And yet, for Spring 2020, Scott went decidedly lo-fi. He enlisted the Jim Henson Creature Shop to create one-of-a-kind marionettes to display the latest Moschino collection. Each piece was created “in miniature” of the full sample size—and featured highly tailored pieces with decadent trims and visible corsetry. According to Scott, the looks were inspired by the Théâtre de la Mode, miniature “fashion dolls” that traveled the globe post-World War II in an effort to reinvigorate a decimated fashion industry. But Scott went one step further, creating puppet versions of the fashion regulars who weren’t able to attend this season’s show in person. He included Vogue editors, Anna Wintour and Edward Enningful, among others, in their own custom Moschino looks. During the show, as Duran Duran’s “Girls on Film” played as the soundtrack, the VIP guests even reacted and spoke one with another! Scott’s magical production immediately went viral on social media; the irony of this not lost on anyone! And that was most certainly the goal. But Scott had an opportunity to share a piece of history that goes beyond the Théâtre de la Mode, all the way back to the 16th century, when European royal families would commission “fashion dolls” as a way to see, then copy, the dresses being worn in the French court. They were known as Pandora dolls beginning in the mid-1600s. In the 1700s, they became common to seamstresses, milliners and all kinds of fashion merchants, including Rose Bertin, seamstress to Marie Antoinette. They largely fell out of favor in the late 1800s when the first illustrated fashion magazines such as Cabinet des Modes, took their place. And now in 2020, Scott’s Moschino collection is a reminder of fashion’s storied past; it’s a chance to focus again on the handcrafted details, the minutiae of design so easily overlooked or forgotten, as our attention moves so quickly from one show to another. It manages to capture—and hold—our attention. . fashionconsort.com @fashionconsortagency Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Fashion Week has ended, and the baton has been passed to Milan, London and Paris. With a shortened schedule, and a move largely to digital platforms, New York Fashion Week hardly resembles fashion weeks of the past. And like everything else in the industry, change already happening around fashion show presentations was precipitated by the pandemic. Ever since the birth of haute couture, developed and codified by Charles Frederick Worth in the late 1800s, VIP customers would be invited to see next season’s collection and place their orders. Select press attaches were also invited, as a way to garner interest in the collection once it became more widely available to the public. This worked well in a small centralized country like France but became unwieldy for couturiers in the United States. Thus, Fashion Week was devised by Eleanor Lambert as a weeklong event in New York City, that customers and press could all participate in twice a year. This concentrated event was such a success that it was soon copied in France, as the perfect way to extend their reach to customers and press in other countries. Soon, the tradition spread to Italy, England and beyond. Fashion weeks also correlated with buying seasons, providing the perfect opportunity for store buyers to choose the looks that would end up in their stores six months later. This also provided a safeguard to designers, as it gave them a chance to test their styles in the market before going into full production. Fast forward to today, and fashion week is now primarily a consumer-focused event, largely due to social media and the ability to share information instantaneously, direct to the general public, an audience that is not even invited to attend the physical shows!  This means that the press can no longer time their coverage to the season, which essentially puts the system completely out of balance. What’s more, buyers are much more likely to be working one-on-one with brands to develop exclusive styles for their stores, long before fashion week, which means that buyers are primarily showing up to support what they’ve already bought. On top of this, as customers become more value-based in how they shop, brands have to contend with issues of sustainability and transparency. Holding big expensive shows with celebrities feels out of touch. Many brands have been toying with solutions to these problems in an effort to rebalance the system, including “see now, buy now” collections to combat fast fashion copies, livestream shows on Pinterest and Twitch to alleviate travel, and augmented reality shows with avatar models to alleviate costs. But these solutions have never really fully taken root or upended the system. But now that has all changed, in a time where physical gatherings are difficult at best, and digital is leading the way. And so, the Spring 2021 shows held this September have largely been used as tests by brands searching for the best way to engage buyers, press and customers. It’s forcing them to think much more individually, while still considering the benefit of scale that a bi-annual fashion event provides. When the fall shows come around in February, we’re likely to see a much more hybrid approach to fashion week with brands approaching their presentations more personally and confidently...no matter if the pandemic persists. fashionconsort.com @fashionconsortagency Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LVMH announced this week that their plan to buy Tiffany & Co for $16.2 billion dollars is now off. Tiffany’s responded with a lawsuit. Stocks fell for both companies in the aftermath, with Tiffany’s bearing the brunt of an 11% decrease.  While there are many different ways to break down this news, as it would’ve been the biggest takeover in fashion history, the fact that LVMH is blaming this both on Tiffany’s handling of Covid-19, as well as political instability between France and the US, is an important perspective to consider. First, Covid-19. America still struggles to get a handle on the pandemic. And without a national-level plan, the virus is moving from one location to another. This has made it very difficult for national retailers to develop a comprehensive plan. Instead, companies like Tiffany’s, are left to deal with issues on a geographic level. With states and even cities having their own laws and ordinances around containing the virus, retailers are forced to create more localized plans which draw attention away from more top down leadership and strategy. The impact on the bottom line is real—29% decrease in net profit in the case of Tiffany & Co. But this is not fully the responsibility of Tiffany’s. To blame them is to create a straw man. Second, political instability. Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on French luxury goods in the spring, a tit for tat political maneuver for greater political purposes. In fact, the tariffs are a direct retaliation against French President, Emmanuel Macron’s taxes on Silicon Valley tech companies. While this is nothing new in politics, targeting luxury goods, and the luxury consumer, is rare, especially during a pandemic. But, from a less nuanced perspective, it’s striking against France’s largest international conglomerates, LVMH and The Kering Group. And these tariffs are completely out of Tiffany’s control. Now, that doesn’t mean that Bernard Arnault, president of LVMH, doesn’t have two very legitimate reasons to pull out of the deal. In fact, it is important for him to protect his shareholders, and the companies under the LVMH umbrella. However, it is interesting that Arnault is putting the blame on issues largely outside of Tiffany’s control. And what’s more, he is using the French government as the scapegoat. This isn’t helped by Arnault’s insider connections in the French government, which suggests something more insidious. This example of Tiffany’s is playing out in myriad ways across all levels of fashion retail as well as in other sectors. It’s a game of shifting blame and uncertainty—and underlies the need to establish a new balance between government, society and business, on a global level—all accelerated by the pandemic. How the Tiffany & Co. drama plays out, could define what this balance looks like in the near future. fashionconsort.com @fashionconsortagency Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past twenty years, consumer-based businesses have had to contend with a major push towards digitization, and to find the balance between in-person and online transactions and experiences, with customers driving the overall experience. Omni-channel, UX (user experience) and CX (customer experience) have emerged as guiding principles for businesses, in order to stay competitive in a fast-changing marketplace.  And yet, this shift has gone largely unnoticed by higher education institutions where a physical, in-person experience reigns supreme, and a thoughtful online experience is still an afterthought to administrators, or at best, a potential new profit generator on the side.  To be fair, there was very little reason for administrators to take notice—nor professors—because an in-person education was still what students wanted and fought for. And limited physical space, meant universities could turn away students and hike up prices.  However, in the past few years, US demographics have shifted, creating too much supply of universities in the market and not enough demand. For schools not in the higher echelons, such as Harvard and Stanford, conversations began to shift to reaching new students. For many, this meant a focus on international students from emerging economies such as Korea, then China. These students largely pay cash for their educations—as federal financial aid is not available to them—and were a big boon to schools. They also served to obfuscate the massive shifts happening domestically, leaving schools woefully unprepared for a crisis.   Covid-19 struck in March and changed the equation immediately, forcing schools to digitize with no long-term plan in place, no real strategy. The issue accelerated when schools realized that fall was going to stay online. And beyond simply shifting content and learning to online, there was a realization that a whole new Student Experience (SX) had to be considered. For example, how do students engage in learning at home with other family members around? How do we ensure that all students have a personal computer and WiFi connection? What about time zones? How do we facilitate internships on a global scale, with disparity in which companies that are open to business, or closed? How do we create a school community?  During this period of profound change, academic institutions that take the time to truly understand the needs of their students, and faculty, whether they are working or learning from home or on campus, will be in a better position post-pandemic. These institutions have much to learn from consumer-based businesses—their trials and tribulations—when it comes to a more omni-channel, personalized approach. fashionconsort.com @fashionconsortagency Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over 50% of American universities are not opening their physical campuses this fall due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the summer, college administrators and faculty have been working hard to move their classes online. It’s a monumental and expensive task to digitize content that has always been part of a live classroom setting, whether it be lectures or studios, especially in such a short amount of time and with very little overall precedent or strategy. After all, what works in a live classroom doesn’t necessarily work online. For example, in a physical classroom a professor is able to “read the room” and adapt a lecture to keep students engaged over the course of 1-2 hours, with questions and break-out sessions. Most teaching is done in the classroom, and students are then expected to synthesize information outside of the classroom. Online, classes are mostly pre-produced in modules that consider every aspect of the “student experience.” For example, a lecture online should be developed more like a short 8 to 10-minute films, with a strong narrative arc, supporting images and thoughtful editing. These lectures are then punctuated by self-paced quizzes, assignments or readings, each building on one another. Inherently, successful online learning relies on what’s called a “flipped classroom” model wherein students engage asynchronously with content, whether it be lectures, readings, podcasts, or videos on their time, and then come together with the instructor and classmates in synchronous sessions to discuss and synthesize information. So, universities that are simply “cutting and pasting” the physical experience to online are really just teaching remotely. And while this still takes time and money, it’s completely understandable why students, and their parents, are not willing to pay the same tuition for this experience as opposed to the full, physical experience. It’s second-rate    at best and puts the onus of the experience on the instructor, many of whom have no experience teaching online. For universities that are developing and offering true, immersive online courses, the equation is much different, and will take time, expertise and financial investment. In fact, these types of courses will potentially provide more consistent, high quality learning to students, allowing instructors to focus less on delivering content and more on mentoring and engaging one-on-one with students.  And truly forward-thinking institutions, will begin to think less in terms of online and offline, and more in terms of a hybrid—or omni-channel learning experience—to provide students with much more thoughtful learning touch points across all modalities that can ensure a more flexible and personalized educational experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past 3-5 years, fashion retail has been going through what’s been coined “The Retail Apocalypse.” Long-held truths and traditions that had served retailers for over a hundred years no longer made sense, or needed to be tweaked, to integrate with online shopping, and overall digital technologies that have led to greater access to brands globally. In short, technology was facilitating supply in a world where demand hasn’t shifted—at least demographically speaking. Yes, fast fashion retailers, were able to convince shoppers to buy more, but even that has its limits. And now, with the Covid-19 pandemic, the apocalypse is no longer metaphorical. It is real, and the consequences of not fully shifting to a digital-focused retail operation is forcing companies to shift focus immediately or go out of business. Those companies that have the funds and expertise to make this shift will make it to the other side of the pandemic intact.  There are many lessons to be learned from retail in other industries. In particular, higher education. In many ways, fashion retail and higher education are quite alike. They rely heavily on physical service, experience and community. The sum of these three elements is a brand name—that carries social currency, and allows fashion brands and schools, in equal measure, to increase their prices, far beyond cost.  Both industries have engaged in building digital platforms, catering to a new generation of customers and expanding their reach and profits. But in both cases, the shift to online was largely for “looks” —to be seen as technologically progressive. Behind-the-scenes was something altogether different. Online shopping and online learning are largely misunderstood and therefore underfunded and understaffed. And the actual technologies driving their online activities are outdated. In both cases, the physical and online experience have been kept separate. Fashion companies hired “online staff” and universities hired “online instructors” —often second-class citizens. And yes, while there are some positive examples of collaboration and integration between the two, these are not the norm. In large part, this is due to executive leadership, that doesn’t fully understand online modalities, especially in terms of how it is now driving the physical experience. full integration with a physical experience. What’s more, they are not part of the generation of customers or students, who grew up in a digital world and who expect a fully connected, integrated, hybrid experience. Higher education is now forced to face head-on the online revolution that is completely re-shaping all learning modalities. And just like fashion retail, this is going to require a shift in hiring and staffing, building new expertise, a updated operational strategies. Except for the special few boutique schools—that are more in line with Hermes than Zara, higher education is now poised for a revolution, not an evolution. There is no simply no time for the latter. fashionconsort.com @fashionconsortagency Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices