Drapers Talks

Drapers Future of Fashion 2024 - Customer engagement with Zalando

Innovative approaches to customer engagement and what they mean for the future of fashion

The future of fashion is not just about what we wear, but the entire customer experience. How is engagement going to evolve? Drawing from her broad knowledge in machine learning, Tian explored the opportunities that generative AI will potentially be able to offer fashion brands in serving their customers. She also discussed Zalando's AI-powered assistant which was co-created together with customers and how to inspire and entertain customers with AI experiences onsite.

Tian Su - vice president personalisation and recommendation - Zalando

Drapers Future of Fashion 2024 - Fashion trends with Boohoo

Fashion trends in the digital era

Listen to Jonny as he discusses the fusion of fashion trends and digital technology. Discover how brands can leverage AI-powered tools and emerging platforms to stay ahead of and respond to trends as well as shape market narratives.

Jonny Longden - group digital director - Boohoo Group

Drapers Future of Fashion 2024 - Asos, EXL, Schuh and N Brown

Crystal ball forecasts: what should fashion retailers be investing in to future-proof their businesses?

• With so many tools available, what are the most promising emerging technologies and disruptive innovations on the horizon for fashion retail?
• How are fashion businesses leveraging AI?
• How can fashion retailers adapt their strategies to cater to the unique preferences and behaviours of the Generation Alpha consumers?

Chris Williamson - group director of technology - N Brown

Papinder Dosanjh - director of data science and AI - Asos

Stephanie Legg - chief marketing officer - Schuh

Sangeetha Chandru - senior vice president, AI - EXL

Drapers Future of Fashion 2024 - How to drive innovation within your business | Deliveroo

Outside view: how to drive innovation within your business

Peek at other industries' technology innovations with Paul Wilkinson, who drew on his experience driving innovation at industry giants like Deliveroo, Amazon and Tesco. Paul talked about actionable strategies to ignite innovation within your team and lessons that fashion retailers and brands can learn from unexpected places.

Paul Wilkinson, product director - Deliveroo

Drapers Sustainable Fashion Conference 2024 - CottonConnect, Primark, and New Look

Retracing fashion's steps to build in sustainability

Understanding how and where fashion retailers are tackling sustainability is critical: these changes – even seemingly small ones – can have a huge impact. Our panel explored:

• How are fashion retailers creating products built to last, and reducing overconsumption? Exploring materials efficiency and longevity, ways of designing differently, and approaches to limiting overproduction;
• Which projects and partnerships are driving change? Optimising collaboration between brands, suppliers, industry bodies and beyond;
• Changing consumer behaviour: exploring the role fashion retail plays, and uncovering initiatives to drive this.

Alison Ward

Chief executive - CottonConnect

 

Lynne Walker

Director of Primark Cares - Primark

 

Susan Fairley

Head of sourcing, quality and sustainability - New Look

 

Tom Berry

Independent advisor - Tom Berry Sustainability Consulting

 

Drapers Sustainable Fashion Conference 2024 - Finisterre, John Lewis Partnership, The North Face and SATCol

Rethinking revenue streams: accelerating growth via circular business models

Fashion resale, rental, repair and recycling are at the beginning of a rapid growth projection. Our panel of speakers hosted a deep dive into the opportunities offered by circular business models, including:

• Rethinking customer experiences, changing consumption habits and reimagining ownership: exploring journeys around rental, repair, reworking, resale and beyond
• Discussing the additional benefits of alternative revenue streams, from customer loyalty to data
• Rethinking and re-educating consumers around end of life - from takeback to closed-loop technology

Adele Gingell

head of positive impact - Finisterre

 

Catherine Loader

sustainability manager - John Lewis Partnership

 

Julian Lings

senior sustainability manager - The North Face

 

Majonne Frost

head of environment and sustainability - SATCoL

Drapers Sustainable Fashion Conference 2024 - Boden, Hirestreet, M&S and Zedify

Play your part: cohesively threading sustainability across the value chain

From sustainable materials to consumer strategies and scope 3 targets, everyone across the fashion retail industry needs to be on the same page to reach sustainability goals. How can retailers, brands, manufacturers and suppliers all play their part? Our speakers discussed:

• Outlining sustainability obligations: does everyone in the value chain know what is required from them?
• How to build collaboration into your day-to day working
• Where are products, processes and partnerships working well; what can we learn from this?

Ben Dreyer

Strategy, sustainability and operations director - Boden

 

Isabella West

Founder and chief executive - Hirestreet

 

Katharine Beacham

Head of materials and sustainability in clothing and home - Marks & Spencer

 

Rob King

Co-founder and chief executive - Zedify

Drapers Sustainable Fashion Conference 2024 - Drapers' Den

Our pick of the best sustainable companies to watch pitched head-to-head to our expert judging panel:

Natalie Binns, sustainable fashion consultant, Priya Downes, founder at Nudea and Touker Suleyman, chairman at Hawes & Curtis.

 

4 startups battled for the chance to win the title of the ‘One to Watch’ at the Drapers Sustainable Fashion Awards later that evening, as well as some mentoring support from industry leaders. 

For the first time this year, the audience had the chance to vote for their favourite via a live poll. The audience vote will accounted for 25% of the overall scores.

To find out who won, you can check out our coverage here.