In case you missed it: Vogue Singapore has partnered up with the Textile and Fashion Federation (TaFF) for the Vogue Singapore x TaFF Innovation Prize, an initiative that aims to scout and nurture emerging Asian entrepreneurial talent.
After an initial round of applications, 10 businesses—who were participants of TaFF’s The Bridge Fashion Incubator (TBFI) programme—across fashion, beauty and technology were shortlisted. These included digital fashion brand Republiqe, skincare label Sage and Ylang, fragrance lab Oo La Lab and more.
The finalists embarked on a two-day intensive bootcamp with a programme curated by Vogue Singapore, which brought together global leaders paving the way in creativity and innovation. The end goal? Elevating their brands using innovation, design, execution, sustainability and scalability while solving real world problems.
They were joined by an esteemed panel of industry experts such as: Caroline Rush, Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council; Alexis Bonhomme, Vice President of Farfetch and Maghan McDowell, Innovation Editor of Vogue Business, amongst others.
Innovation is at the heart of what we do. It’s all about how Vogue Singapore can push the envelope of what is new and next
“Creativity is the most important human resource of all, without it there would be no progress. Creativity is in essence to think up new things, but innovation is to do new things. This call-to-action is so important to everything that [Vogue Singapore] is doing. We want to create impact,” shared Publisher of Vogue Singapore, Bettina von Schlippe.
“Innovation is at the heart of what we do. It’s all about how Vogue Singapore can push the envelope of what is new and next,” said Norman Tan, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Singapore.
As the contestants gear up for a four-week mentoring session with experts such as Han Chong of Self-Portrait and Liz Bacelar of Estée Lauder, here are key highlights from the two-day bootcamp below.
Day 1: The Gen-Z customer, designer-led innovation and the new fashion eco-system
Kicking things off on day one was Vice President of online luxury retailer Farfetch, Alexis Bonhomme. Providing insights on the purchasing power of the Gen-Z customer, Bonhomme emphasised on the importance of catering to consumer behaviour with localised tech strategies. Using Farfetch’s China-specific market as an example, a targeted experience on apps such as TikTok and WeChat, he explained, is imperative.
Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Singapore, Norman Tan, gave the contestants an expert breakdown of media trends and impactful storytelling, touching on topics such as augmented reality, cryptocurrency, innovation and effective media relations.
The second half of the bootcamp also saw Chief Executive of British Fashion Council, Caroline Rush, expand on the new fashion eco-system. Touching on the old fashion model of mass consumption and overproduction, Rush pointed to key driving forces of the industry we know today, from sustainability to diversity.
It’s a really exciting time in the fashion industry. We are going to go through this accelerated period in the decade of industrial change
“It’s a really exciting time in the fashion industry. We are going to go through this accelerated period in the decade of industrial change,” she shared. “As we create we need to think about the impact of the environment, the impact of the workforce and new ways of doing things.”
Wrapping up the day was fashion designer Angel Chen. The former Next in Fashion contestant emphasised on the important of innovation in the form of multi-channel selling, such as a see-now-buy-now model on livestreams: “Always think globally so that your market is not stuck in your own country.”
Key takeaways
Alexis Bonhomme: A call-to-action for businesses to target customers in specialised, unique and innovative ways.
Norman Tan: A first-hand look at how brands can set themselves apart when liaising the with media.
Lorenzo Albrighi and ShihYun Kuo: An expert take on the importance of a holistic fashion ecosystem which enables transparency from supply chain to community levels.
Caroline Rush: A comparison of the old fashion eco-system to the new one and how entrepreneurs can get involved to start driving change.
Angel Chen: An in-depth look at how young designers can enforce innovation in creative ways, from the 3D avatars to the inclusion of live audiences.
Day 2: Cutting-edge fashion-tech themes and blockchain technology
Day two started with a deep dive into key fashion-tech themes of the year, courtesy of Vogue Business innovation editor, Maghan McDowell. Touching on trends such as 3D digital design and on-demand manufacturing, McDowell notes brands’ increased focus on innovation and technology, driven by the pandemic.
Adding onto this was Cat Taylor and Leanne Elliott-Young, the founders of the Institute of Digital Fashion. The duo conducted a masterclass on Clo3d and Daz3d software, giving the participants a firsthand look at cutting-edge industry innovations.
“Transparency, traceability and authenticity are the biggest drivers of [blockchain technology]
Concluding the bootcamp was Timothy Iwata Durie, Global Innovation Director of Cartier and co-founder of Aura Blockchain, giving the finalists insights on how blockchain could be utilised in their respective businesses.
Touching on aspects such as unique digital IDs, ownership transfers and origin of materials, Durie shared: “Transparency, traceability and authenticity are the biggest drivers of [blockchain technology].” He adds, “Especially when you are a small brand, your client has to trust you.”
Key takeaways
Maghan McDowell: A melding of the worlds of innovation, technology and design; and the trends businesses should be aware of such as live video shopping, AR glasses and more.
Michael Lints: An expert take on how businesses can prepare a persuasive pitch, from what they are bringing to the table to their narrative.
Cat Taylor and Leanne Elliot Smith: A call-t0-action for entrepreneurs to implement 3D softwares such as Clo3d and Daz3d.
Leslie Holden: An in-depth session on how creatives can adapt to the digitisation of clothing, from the perspective of fashion experts.
Timothy Iwata Durie: A look at how smaller brands can establish trust with their clientele in futuristic, easy-to-implement and innovative ways.
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