Fashion – Enter Ltd CEO Joins the Fashion Re:set Summit 2022

Covering four themes, 15+ experts, and three panel discussions and audience Q&A sessions, the ASBCI’s Fashion Re:set Summit 2022 was the place to join the debate about the future of the fashion industry, find partners, and work together to create a sustainable and profitable way forward for the sector. 

Organised by the ASBCI (Association of Suppliers to the British Clothing Industry) the Fashion Re:set Summit took place at the Hilton Hotel in York on 11th October.

Structured around four key themes – ESG, sourcing, digital transformation, and staff wellbeing and talent management – and delivered through a combination of presentations and panel discussions, the event was designed to encourage debate and foster collaboration at all levels between ASBCI members and the wider industry.

The summit opened with a keynote presentation on the current state of the industry from fashion technology storyteller and analyst Ben Hanson, editor in chief of The Interline, the fashion technology news publication and community dedicated to fashion and retail technology. 

Ben was followed by an exploration of ESG in the fashion industry, with a panel discussion featuring contributors from industry and academia. Moderator Suzanne Ellingham from fashion trade show organiser Hyve Events was joined by Anne Peirson-Smith, Professor of Fashion, School of Design, Northumbria University, Stella Claxton, lecturer and senior research fellow at Nottingham Trent University, Peter Hughes, head of sustainability business development at Eurofins | BLC, and Bureau Veritas softlines technical Consultant Helen Colebourn.

Fashion-Enter Ltd CEO, Jenny Holloway was an invited panel member for the sourcing segment of the Summit. Opened by Angela Gaskell, group sourcing, sustainability and fit director from N Brown, the discussion panel included Kate Hills, founder of Make it British, Phil Oakley from Kornit Digital, and Suzanne Ellingham, sourcing director of Hyve Events. Discussion focused on how the industry can overcome the sourcing challenges of the last few years and the opportunities of new technologies, near-shoring, made-on-demand, and personalisation.

The group discussed points from Angelas’ presentation around collaboration, ESG, the understanding that the cheapest – isn’t always best, placing the right order with the right supplier, along with Onshoring vs Nearsourcing and what does that mean in reality, are retailers really moving away from China?

Key to the discussion was the importance of maintaining excellent communication and relationships between suppliers and brands while maintaining positive industry collaborations. The panel also discussed volume fashion manufacturing and if small batch production is a viable and sustainable production model, as well as investing and implementing new technologies.

Jenny Holloway commented: “The ASBCI conference on the 11th October at the Hilton in York was excellently named Fashion Re:set. The old way of buying is dead and it’s time for retailers to stop the waste in their supply chain and buy-to-demand. We’ve had the Micro Factory set up for almost a year now thanks to Kornit Digital and Zund and trials are just about to go through. Thank-you to ASBCI for inviting Fashion-Enter Ltd to speak, thanks to the people I met who were truly inspiring in the work they’re undertaking and here’s to a new future! Loved this slide (see below) from Alvanon!”

The summit closed on a topic that has been catapulted into the limelight by Covid – employee wellbeing and its link with talent management and the skills shortage. Sean Liddell from Mindful Training was among the speakers, and he looked at how employers and employees can reduce stress, anxiety, and poor wellbeing and create new, sustainable opportunities to become more resilient and empowered.

ASBCI Chairman Dr Alistair Knox said: “For years, the conversation has been about the need for change – for more sustainable business models, for new technology, for plans to tackle skills shortages or supply chain issues. But while there are many businesses out there doing good things, meaningful industry-wide progress on many of these issues has been slow. And Covid shone a spotlight on the industry’s weaknesses.

“However, Covid also demonstrated the link between sustainability and sustainable business in its broadest sense. To move forward on climate, attract and nurture talented people, and ensure a profitable future, we must tackle these issues together – within businesses and as an industry. Which is why the ASBCI called for the industry to come together at the Fashion Re:set Summit.”

More information about the Fashion Re:set Summit can be found on the ASBCI website.