Fashion Tech and Sustainability News & Events in NYC | 1.30.18–2.13.18 | The Future Of Conscious Consumption Event Recap

On January 17th, I led Balanced Fashion’s first full-fledged panel event with the inspiring speakers, Kate Mcgregor, Founder of Kaight, an established sustainable fashion boutique, Britt Bergmeister, Model and Founder of ODM/ODC, a blog, marketplace and a brand, focused on ethical fashion and lifestyle, Jasmine Aarons, Founder of VOZ, a brand that supports local artisans in South America, and Priscilla Debar, Founder of FAUBOURG, a curated sustainable fashion on-line store. Each of the panelists expressed their unique viewpoints on the current state of sustainable fashion market and agreed that it is on its rise, specifically accelerated in 2017. Conscious consumption is the key driver of sustainability when it comes to shopping. We agreed that it all starts with the customer making conscious buying decisions and thinks twice before buying just another white t-shirt or a highly fashionable item that will be out of style within a month. We also discussed the importance of taking care of our existing wardrobes and the undeniable benefit of buying higher quality clothing items that are timeless in nature.

On the business side, we talked about carrying stock vs drop shipping and how these models affect brands’ and retailers’ bottom lines and operations. We agreed that fashion brands starting to view retailers as their marketing partners rather than main sales generators, since reaching the consumer directly allows much more meaningful margins and connection to the brand’s essence. The panel agreed that sustainable brands are being undervalued and overlooked by major retailers and press and suggested that customers still have a long way to go before fully embracing the power of buying from solely sustainable brands and from second-hand sources. We ended on a positive note, agreeing that many new brands are now placing sustainability as an integral part of their business strategy. We foresee the future of fashion industry as bright since more and more people are waking up to the impact that our consumption leaves on the environment and are becoming more open to exploring sustainable lifestyles as they become conscious human beings. It is our role as business owners and influentials to educate and help customers make better choices without making it more challenging on their end. I would like to thank the panelists for the deep, insightful conversation and for making meaningful steps in making sustainability mainstream.

The next Balanced Fashion event is on February 13th at NY’s eBay office — The Future of Sustainable, Innovative Fashion Business Models. Join me and the panel of industry insiders to learn about the impact of sustainable, new business models and innovative technology solutions on the fashion industry. Reply to this email for a complimentary ticket, exclusive for my lovely newsletter readers!

News Digest:

• The Follower Factory — The New York Times
• Inside Amazon Go, a Store of the Future — The New York Times
• Stitch Fix CEO Katrina Lake predicts AI’s impact on fashion — Glossy
• Is the Fashion Wearables Love Affair Over? — The New York Times
• Six Ways That New Technology Will Revolutionise Shopping — Wired
• Rebecca Minkoff ditches NYFW in favor of a women’s empowerment social campaign — Glossy
• Personalization Is a Priority for Retailers, but Can Online Vendors Deliver? — AdWeek
• Retail Technology And Marketing Trends On The Rise For 2018 — Forbes
• The case against New York Fashion Week — Glossy

Events

Tuesday, January 30th

12:00pm — 1:00pm BestMe: Career Strategy & Goal Setting Workshop

Do you have a strategy for where you want to be in your career in 5 years? How about 10? Have you positioned yourself to maximize your earning potential and continue to grow? Does your career empower you to live your best life? BestMe Consultants Chris Bradicich and Dennis Sarkozy will lead a workshop to help you answer these questions and more in the first KettleSpace x BestMe Work Smart event of 2018. Price: Free Location: The Cannibal Liquor House 111 E 29th St

7:00pm Sustainable Fashion Club of NYC: Meet, Greet and Mingle @ The Williamsburg Hotel

We are kicking off 2018 with the first official Meet & Greet Networking Event for the Sustainable Fashion Club of NYC. Come, mingle and meet other professionals and enthusiasts of sustainable fashion. See what’s going on, find out cool projects people are working on, etc. Price: Free Location: The Williamsburg Hotel 96 Wythe Avenue

Wednesday, January 31st

1:00pm Women In VC

With Angela Lee (Founder 37 Angels), Heidi Messer (Co-Founder, Collective[i]), Jessica Lin (Co-Founder, Work-Bench), Patricia Fletcher (Astia Angels & SAP SuccessFactors), Deepak Krishnamurthy (Chief Strategy Officer, SAP). Price: Free Location: SAP, 10 Hudson Yards, 48th Fl

Thursday, February 1st

6:30pm Future of Work

The future of work is in innovation and bold action. What isn’t given enough recognition, is that both innovation and bold action reside in the area of intuition. Our intuition will not only constantly inspire us but it will leave us with the knowledge of what to do next. Price: Free Location: General Assembly, 902 Broadway, 4th Fl

Friday, February 2nd — Saturday, February 3rd

11:00am Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show

70+ vintage clothing and accessories dealers from around the world! Shop from the collection that 100 years of design built. Price: $15 Location: 125 W 18th St

Tuesday, February 6th

6:00–8:30pm Retail X Series — B2C Fundraising From VCs @ Friends of eBay

Join us to learn how to target VCs for a B2C seed financing. How do I tailor my pitch to VCs? What should I have ready before I begin the process? What questions will I get asked? How do I target VCs that focus on B2C in this space?Guest Speakers: Andrew Mitchell, Founder & General Partner, Brand Foundry Ventures, Claire Fauquier, Principal, Corigin Ventures, Sarah Foley, Principal, SWAT Equity, Sallie Jian, Vice President, SeedInvest Price: $20 Location: Friends of eBay 625 Sixth Avenue 3rd Floor

6:30pm Digital & Technology Game Changers In Fashion Industry @ Alley Chelsea

On February 6th, we are bringing together some of the top brands and entrepreneurs together to discuss how brands are reacting to new technologies in the business and what digital products they are using to promote change. This panel will be moderated by Don O’Neil, Creative Director of Theia at JS Group International. Panelists are: Eileen Shields — Footwear Designer, Eileen Shields Inc — Design Studio, Michaela O’Shaughnessy — Social Media Producer at Teen Vogue, Ruari Mahon- Founder and Director, Loughlin Joseph, Christina McCarthy — Media Manager at Victorias Secret. Price: Free Location: Alley Chelsea 119 West 24th Street

Wednesday, February 7th

4:00pm — 8:00pm The Library Study Hall Sustainability / Fashion / Technology / Human Rights

The event will gather industry leaders, scientists, researchers from MIT Media Lab, and recognized figures in the sustainable movement to join forces in conversation about Sustainability and Technology as Innovators / change-makers of the Industry. Price: $55 Location: Ace Hotel New York 20 West 29th Street

6:30pm — 8:30pm Choice Architects: Design for Humanity’s Best Self

Our panel of design experts will discuss examples of dark user interface patterns wreaking havoc on our lives. They will empower you to positively impact humanity through products designed for a world that doesn’t suck. Price: Free Location: General Assembly, 902 Broadway, 4th Floor

Friday, February 9th

Art & Internet — Mapping Effect Of Digital World On Cultural Past & Present @ 92Y Weill Art Gallery

Join the 92Y Art Center, in collaboration with Meural, for a conversation exploring how the digital world is shaping contemporary visual culture and challenging our understanding of art, the artist, originality, and ownership. Price: $10 Location: 92nd Street Y (between 91st & 92nd street) 1395 Lexington Avenue

Saturday, February 10th

4:00pm Clothes Swap at OmmVibe Bushwick

As seasons change, the urge to fill wardrobes with new garments increases and we totally feel ya! But how about instead of browsing endless racks of fast fashion at seasonal sales we come together and swap pre-loved items for FREE! Price: Free Location: A/D/O 29 Norman Avenue, Brooklyn

Sunday, February 11th

2:00pm — 5:00pm How to Care for Your Clothes

Our wardrobe is an investment, a labor of love, a palette for self-expression. We believe in wearing what we love, but what happens when those pieces start looking a little too worn? Join us for afternoon tea as we teach you the best ways to care for your most beloved pieces. Price: Free Location: Elaine Kim Nolita NYC, 211 Elizabeth Street

Tuesday, February 13th

Balanced Fashion Panel: The Future of Sustainable, Innovative Fashion Business Models

Join Balanced Fashion’s Nataliya Makulova and a panel of industry insiders to talk about sustainable, innovative business models in fashion. We will discuss: Fashion industry and its major problems, sustainable/ethical business models — existing solutions, how to handle waste — pre-consumer and consumer, customization & on-demand production, the future outlook for the industry, panelists’ personal wellness and sustainability practices. Price: $15 (Reply to this email for a free ticket, exclusively for the readers of my newsletter!) Location: Ebay Office 625 6th Ave

6:00pm — 8:30pm Retail X Series — B2B Fundraising From VCs @ Davis & Gilbert

Join us to learn how to target VCs for a B2B seed financing. How do I tailor my pitch to VCs at the seed stage? What should I have ready before I begin the process? What questions will I get asked? How do I target investors that focus on B2B in this space? Guest Speakers: Jeffrey Silverman, Co-founder & Managing Director, Laconia Capital Joseph Sartre, Partner, Bleu Capital Dessy Levinson, VP & Head of Story, 645 Ventures Price: $20-$30 Location: Davis & Gilbert 1740 Broadway

Cool Finds:

• H&M’s head of transparency on why industry-wide collaboration is critical — TheCurrent Innovators Podcast Episode
• Designer Mara Hoffman: ‘As a creative, standing still will kill you’ — The Glossy Podcast Episode

Stay Inspired,

Nataliya