CFDA and Accenture form innovation scheme

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) is forming an innovative collaboration with global professional services company, Accenture to help shape how the fashion industry integrates technology and consumer insights into its business practices.

The CFDA Retail Lab will create talent-development schemes for today’s designers and retailers, said the CFDA in a statement, which will utilise Accenture’s expertise in, customer experience, strategy, insights and technology.

As part of the partnership, Accenture will also work closely with the Lab’s select group of emerging fashion designers to develop customised retail strategies and equip them with the critical business knowledge and digital skills required to stay competitive in today’s challenging retail market.

“CFDA’s new collaboration with Accenture will provide our design community with an invaluable resource to help navigate retail and business technology,” said Ashley-Brooke Sandall, CFDA’s director of strategic partnerships.

In addition, Accenture and CFDA will develop a series of thought leadership articles and hypotheses on the future of the fashion customer experience and test these ideas in live pilots with CFDA Members.

“The CFDA represents the fabric of the fashion industry and has been instrumental in giving emerging talent a series of platforms to gain real-world business and retail experience,” said Jill Standish, senior managing director of retail at Accenture. “Working together with such a prestigious organisation, we can help these designers acquire highly sought-after digital skills needed for them to be at the forefront of industry innovation, grow their businesses and drive tangible business results.”

The collaboration will be supported by Fjord, the design and innovation unit of Accenture Interactive and Accenture Labs, which prototypes and pilots new concepts through applied R&D projects. Plans include inviting fashion designers to participate in Fjord’s design studio in New York and test technologies like artificial intelligence and virtual reality to bring customer engagement to the next level.

Last year, the CFDA launched Retail Lab with Cadillac to help emerging talent make their foray into the retail world, with Retail Lab’s first physical store at Cadillac House, in New York. The initiative enabled select designers to open a retail installation for three months and learn skills integral to succeed in the industry, under the mentorship of fashion industry experts.