The V&A, Clarks and Facebook add to incredible speaker line-up for Pure London

Pure London has secured a compelling line-up of over 30 speakers for its forthcoming edition, with representatives from the V&A, Clarks, Facebook, Hobbs, LK Bennett and Arcadia adding to the exciting seminar programme alongside Mulberry founder Roger Saul and other award-winning industry figures. Tailored sessions will also be provided by WGSN, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), the Fashion Association of Britain (FAB) and the British Independent Retailers Association (bira).

From guides to buying for Spring Summer 16 to success stories and tips on branding, merchandising, e-commerce, social media, brand collaborations, budgeting and expanding business internationally, the dynamic trade event will provide visitors, buyers and brands in attendance with unmissable content from some of the industry’s most reputable names.

Lauren Sizeland, Head of Business Development & Licensing at London’s esteemed V&A museum, will provide a keynote seminar at 10:15am on Monday 3rd August. Lauren will be joined on the Womenswear Catwalk by Ross Burchell, Women’s Category Marketing Manager at Clarks, to discuss the synergy between the two companies as licensing partners and the inspiration behind their inaugural collection for AW15, as well as how the V&A works with the fashion industry more generally.

Lauren Sizeland commented; “I am very excited to be speaking at Pure London. We work with many brands and retailers particularly in homeware, and increasingly in the fashion industry. I’d like to share how we go about celebrating the V&A’s magnificent archives and the steps we’re taking to really engage with great British businesses.”

Roger Saul, the founder and ex-CEO of global luxury brand Mulberry, will be discussing insights gleaned from a lifetime in design and building iconic brands in his keynote session at 1:55pm on Monday 3rd August. The award-winning designer will take to the Womenswear Catwalk to discuss opportunities and accessibility of exporting worldwide, presented in association with UK Trade & Investment.

Courtney McNally, Client Solutions Manager for Retail & e-Commerce at Facebook, will take to the Spirit Catwalk at 1:30pm on Monday 3rd August to present an insightful talk on how Facebook can be used as an integral part of the retail experience – both in store and online. The session will focus on targeting the right audiences and using Facebook across different devices.

Also on the Monday, Sian Wright and Emma Sahai of Arcadia will be sharing their insight on how buying and merchandising teams can collaborate to help boost sales; while the Sunday of the show will welcome the top 10 tips for successfully merchandising your brand, presented by Marta Silvia Delachi, Product Merchandiser at All Saints.

Aimed at brands and businesses looking to expand overseas, visitors will be able to hear first-hand success stories in the UKTI Business Theatre from brands such as Collectif Clothing, White Stuff, and Emily and Fin. These talks include optimising an online presence in the international marketplace and building bridges with international partners to help drive sales.

In line with Pure London’s growing footwear offering and the launch of Premium Footwear for Spring Summer 16, Stefania Savino, Buyer at Hobbs, will provide a case study on how retailers can build a footwear range to complement their existing collections; while Simone Russell, Store Manager at LK Bennett, will share advice on adding the ‘wow factor’ to customer services to help increase store sales.

A highlight for many visitors at Pure London, WGSN will return to present their trend forecast for Spring Summer 16, sharing perspectives on the key looks, colours, shapes and fabrics that are set to be huge for the seasons ahead. Presented on the Womenswear Catwalk by Sara Maggioni, Senior Editor of Retail & Buying at WGSN, the forecast is an essential session for buyers, stylists and designers, with the key trends being brought to life during the succeeding catwalk show. A trend-led young fashion catwalk will also take place twice a day on the Spirit Catwalk, located in the National Hall Gallery.

Get your free ticket now for Pure London, on this weekend 2-4 August, Olympia London: http://www.purelondon.com

For more information on the content programme please also visit the Pure London website. The forthcoming edition will take place from 2-4 August at Olympia London, where over 800 brands will showcase their Spring Summer 16 collections.