Speakers at the 34th IAF World Fashion Convention

We have translated our theme ‘Building a Smart Future for Fashion’ into a two-day conference program of keynote speeches and panel sessions featuring speakers from all over the world.

In the first keynote session, Yuri van Geest, Dutch author, entrepreneur, Ambassador of Silicon Valley’s Singularity University, will present his vision on the future in which technology has transformed our society including fashion and the fashion industry. Tim Lange of McKinsey will look at the world map and explain how he sees the location and the organization of the industry change.

The sessions feature three or four speakers and a moderator. After brief presentations, the moderator will direct a Q&A session; questions from the audience included. Among many excellent speakers, C&A Foundation’s Head of Circular, Douwe Jan Joustra, will share the Foundation’s far reaching vision and actions on circular fashion. Brigitte Stepputtis, head of Couture of Vivienne Westwood will add from the famous designer’s direct experience with circularity. Heinz Zeller of Hugo Boss will share with us how fashion companies may use blockchain technology to provide supply chain transparency. Alexander Shumsky, President of the Russia Fashion Week, will tell the audience about the revival of the Russian fashion industry. Georgina Rutherford of IM Agency will share with us how modern marketing using online influencers is taking the industry by storm.

The second day features, among many more, a unique key note by Scott Deitz, responsible for public affairs at VF Corp (Lee, Wranger, North Face, Timberland, Vans, Eastpak etc.). In a strong session on the production of fashion, leaders of some of the most important manufacturers in the world Hadi Karasu (Denim Village ) and Stanley Szeto (Lever Style) will be present. Stefan Seidel, responsible for sustainability at Puma, will add his vision on the smart collaboration between buyers and suppliers from the buyer’s perspective.

Finally, in the last session, Jeff Streader, US investor and ex-COO of Billabong, Guess Jeans and VF, and Jorij Abraham, Managing Director at the E-commerce Foundation, will give their vision on the future of online and offline retail.

Read more under: www.iafconventionmaastricht.com