Industry Conference that Questions Current Concerns…

 

Since 2005 the shopping behaviour of the UK consumer has been transformed by the internet. **Nearly two thirds of consumers now shop online compared to just six per cent in 2005 with online fashion sales leaping from a paltry 1.1 per cent to 16.4 per cent in the same time frame.  Where is it all leading and what do consumers really want from their fashion product and retail experience?

 

The ASBCI industry conference 2013 ‘Fashion Impossible?’ has gone back to basics to ask ‘What consumers really want?’ What is most important to them and how are successful retailers and their suppliers defining these needs and responding to them.

 

The conference will platform speakers from leading e-tail and retail groups and acknowledged experts in consumer analysis, internet psychology, product development, virtual dressing, after-sales cleaning and an inspirational fashion commentator. They have been tasked to identify and address key consumer requirements from trend and value through to ethical and sales channel preferences. The conference is a one-day opportunity to understand what matters most to consumers.

 

Speakers from Kantar World Panel, ASOS.com, Marks & Spencer, fits.me, the Ethical Trading Initiative, Walter Wilhelm Associates and GreenEarth Cleaning will be joined by an internet psychologist and inspirational fashion commentator to examine how consumers are currently behaving and explore what they really want from their fashion product and retail or online etail experience. The conference is open to ASBCI members at a delegate rate of £95+VAT and non-members at £145+VAT.  There is also limited exhibition stand availability.

 

Dr Julie King, ASBCI event chairman and head of fashion & textiles at De Montfort University will chair the day’s proceedings that will open with a keynote presentation from Ian Mitchell, business unit director, Kantar Worldpanel. He will set the scene with an overview of current consumer buying behaviour and its implications for the on-going relevance of the UK high street.  Mark Batty, international sales manager with ASOS.com will disclose how it is identifying and meeting the specific product, price and delivery requirements of new global consumer markets while Mark Sumner, sustainability specialist at Marks & Spencer will look at the impact ‘Plan A’ is having on its consumers’ behaviour.

 

Renowned internet psychologist, Graham Jones, (pictured right) a web customer behaviour specialist will explain how consumers interact with the internet and how companies can engage more meaningfully with their website visitors.

 

From the fashion technology sector Heikki Haldre, co-founder and CEO of fits.me will use real data and specific examples to reveal whether consumers are ready for virtual dressing room technology and whether suppliers are ready for the data opportunity they offer.  In addition, Derek Jones, co-founder and managing director of Walter Wilhelm Associates, a leading apparel and footwear consulting company, will use real case study examples to show how fashion groups are using advanced product lifecycle management tools to better respond to customer expectations.  Tim Maxwell, president of the revolutionary GreenEarth Cleaning will examine what sustainable cleaning means to consumers.

 

Following a series of devastating offshore building and factory failures the Ethical Trading Initiative will give an extraordinary presentation and update delegates on the latest developments in the international safety accord.  Finally the radical fashion commentator and activist Caryn Franklin, (pictured left) co-founder of All Walks Beyond the Catwalk will inspire new thinking in a presentation that takes an alternative and inclusive look at consumers.

 

‘Fashion Impossible?’ ASBCI CONFERENCE

Industry sponsors: Lectra UK and UL Media sponsor: just-style.com

Tuesday 1^st October 2013 10.00am to 4.30pm

Marriott Hotel, 4 Trevelyan Square, Boar Lane, Leeds, LS1.

 

Conference agenda:

MORNING SESSION:

09.00        Registration and coffee

10.00        Welcome and introduction

Dr Julie King, Head of Fashion & Textiles, De Montfort University

ASBCI Events Director/Conference Day Chairman

 

10.05        ‘What consumers really want and is the high street still relevant?

Ian Mitchell, Business Unit Director, Kantar Worldpanel Fashion

 

10.35        ‘Right product, right time, right place – meeting the needs of global

consumers’

Mark Batty, International Sales Manager, ASOS.com

 

11.05        Coffee Break

11.15        ‘Harmonising design, development and the supply chain to better respond to

customer expectations’

Derek Jones, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Walter William Associates

 

11.45        ‘Guilt free cleaning – are we bothered?’

Tim Maxwell, President, GreenEarth Cleaning

12.15        ‘What makes consumers click?’

Graham Jones, Internet Psychologist

12.45        Question & Answers from the Morning Session

1.00          LUNCH

AFTERNOON SESSION:

14.10        Extraordinary presentation at members’ request by The Ethical Trading

Initiative- (update on the international safety accord)

14.40       ‘Plan A – consumer engagement; consumer perception’

Mark Sumner, Sustainability Specialist, Marks & Spencer

15.10        ‘Are consumers ready for virtual dressing rooms – and are suppliers

ready for the data opportunity they offer?’

Heikki Haldre, co-founder and CEO, fits.me

 

15.40       ‘Fashion for everybody – sizing up the market’

Caryn Franklin, MBE, fashion commentator, co-founder All Walks Beyond the

Catwalk

 

16.10        Question & Answers from the Afternoon Session

16.30        FINISH

Delegate rate: ASBCI members £95+VAT and non-members at £145+VAT.

**A limited number of exhibition stands are also available**

 

Bookings and further information can be obtained from:

Stephanie Ingham, ASBCI company secretary or Sam Bromwich, ASBCI administrator office@asbci.co.uk tel: 01422 354666.

 

**Statistics from Kantar Worldpanel Fashion July 2013