By Daniela De Marco Cazzani – Kilpatrick
The Event will bring together the world’s leading fashion brands with Ticino’s best start-ups to seek new and exciting opportunities for the canton and beyond.
Fashion has been a hot topic in Ticino over the past 12 months, though not always for the right reasons and this has led some to ask “what has fashion done for us?” The answer, given in robust and engaging form, comes today as brands gear up for the Innovation Meets Fashion event, organized by Netcomm Suisse and sponsored by BFK Digital in Ticino on April 1st 2019.
Digital grows faster than ever, with a growing number of Swiss users spending more time online and using more services (datareportal20190131gd100digital2019switzerlandv01-190203073214) Partly to serve this more digitized demographic and partly persuaded by new business models emerging from this data-laden market, brands are keen to invest in the area to “win the future”.
As the likes of Gucci, Prada and Armani strive to get better, faster and more digitized, it is making more sense for them to do it locally.
Jacob Hoekstra, General Manager of BFK Digital and CEO of Kilpatrick Group, commented: “Looking at the development of the market, what brands are trying to develop now, such as AI (artificial intelligence), 3D-printing, augmented reality – as well as the changes to the taxation structure – I’m confident that within 5 years, there will be around 1500 extra jobs created in Ticino thanks to digital.”
Thus BFK Digital starts from people and capabilities, among the others the first engine of digital transformation. “We believe People is the prime enabler of any digital-native business model and technological opportunity”, continues Hoekstra. “Kilpatrick and BFK have promoted BFK Digital with the goal to create an ecosystem of excellence in the digital world, on which all Group’s digital assets and capabilities will converge”.
BFK Digital thus developed a unique Capability Model that combines deep understanding of People Digital Requirements, ground experience on Digital Transformation Programs and knowledge on Digital Tech and Innovation Domains.
By supporting a virtuous circle of leading fashion brands from around the world, local digital suppliers and start-up companies, Innovation Meets Fashion aims to generate business growth, investments and jobs locally and worldwide. “For this reason BFK Digital decided to be Partner of the initiative”, explains Hoekstra.
BFK Digital secured its presence amongst spokespersons with Jacob Hoekstra, that will be hosting a speech on April 1st, focused on “People today for tomorrow’s Change”. The full and exciting agenda will be comprising panel discussions, speeches, workshop, parties, awards and countless networking opportunities, each day around a specific theme.
The 2019 edition of the Innovation Meets Fashion eventpromises a program full of events, seminars, networking and a holistic approach to innovation in the field of fashion. Building on the success of the first ever event of its kind last year, which brought together 1000 visitors, over 100 C-Level business leaders and over 120 start-up firms, the 2019 edition aims to do even better.
Brands with confirmed speakers at the event include: Bally, VF, PVH, Giglio Group, Woolrich, Breitling, Zegna, Golden Goose, Sergio Rossi, Modiano, Etro, Barneys, La Martina, 7forAllMankind, Yandex, Triboo and Coltorti Boutique.
Innovation Meets Fashion is an evolution of an event that has been running in Ticino for the past 6 years and itself falls into a week-long series of initiatives, all aimed at developing the synergies and opportunities between the fashion and digital sectors, growing digital business in Switzerland and beyond as well as making Ticino the place to be for the future of the FashionTech industry.
THE 2019 FASHION INNOVATION WEEK PROGRAM:
- Monday April 1st: the main event of the week, the Fashion Meets Innovationevent is a fixture of the FashionTech calendar and regularly hosts over 1000 delegates, speakers and visitors.
- Tuesday April 2nd: the Fashion Innovation Award, created by Loomish SA: a closed-door event where selected start-up and scale-up companies get to pitch to an international audience of brands and investors.
- Wednesday April 3rd: an open-door event featuring political and business leaders, aimed at discussing the shape innovation should take in the coming years.
- Thursday April 4th& 5th: the Digital Creativity Challenge, organized by brand La Martina: invites student groups from numerous leading universities, including USI, Supsi, Franklin University, SDA Bocconi, University of Lucerne and CREA, to conceptualize and present digital solutions for the La Martina brand.
To find out more about the full programme of events visit http://fashioninnovationweek.com/