modebranchen.NU NU International June 2019 | Page 48

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Digitalisation affects every aspect of modern lifestyle.
#FASHIONTECH BERLIN is looking into the latest trends that shape our lives.
BY HELLE MATHIESEN
Digitalisation affects every link in the fashion industry’s
value chain: from production to marketing, communica-
tions and sales through to presentation. To become a
modern company traditional brands in particular need
to rethink deep-rooted structures and question each and
every process in order to optimise their value chain - and,
where necessary and sensible, - need to transform it di-
gitally.
- At #FASHIONTECH BERLIN in July 2019 we’ll be look-
ing at the “Topics of our Time”. Everything that affects
our society in this day and age has ramifications for the
business world. This is exactly what we want to reflect at
#FASHIONTECH BERLIN as well, says Michael Stracke,
Chief Business Development Officer at #FASHIONTECH
BERLIN.
Many new companies are set up on a ‘digital first’ basis.
Right from the start, they establish their brands in an ex-
clusively digital space and, as social media develop into
sales channels, they completely bypass the old sales
structures. Shopping habits of today are the precedent
for this, with this generation engaging with the latest
styles being modelled by their favourite celebrities via
smartphone video.
MOVING CLOSER TO SEEK
In the recent years the urbanwear trend has grown to
become one of the most important in the market. Influ-
enced by American hip-hop and icons like Kanye West,
Rihanna and Cardi B. etc., the look, which only attracted a
niche audience at first, is now shaping the street styles of
metropolises. Online media like Hypebeast and Highsno-
biety are setting the right tone and now even sponsor the
name of the trend, which is called the ‘Hypebeast Trend’.
By moving to Festsaal Kreuzberg, #FASHIONTECH BER-
LIN is therefore looking to move closer to SEEK, in terms
of both geography and content.
- We have decided to move closer to SEEK, as by doing
this we can group our PREMIUM Group events at
FASHIONTECH BERLIN as well. The SEEK brands in
particular are extremely tech-savvy and open to digita-
lisation, which is why we will also be presenting some
Best Cases from the streetwear area at our event,
Michael Stracke explains.
GAMING AND MINDFUL LIVING
Fashion is only one aspect of the lifestyle culture, how-
ever. Always closely interwoven with other disciplines,
such as art, beauty and music, new disciplines like
gaming and mindful living are playing an increasingly
important role. Gaming and e-sports are the best
examples of how offline and online can evolve into a
modern lifestyle concept together – not only for the
fans to have fun, but in the sense of having enormous
commercial potential. The e-players are hailed as true
stars, whose outfits provide the ideal advertising space
for sponsors. This is the way to successfully monetise
digital concepts.
Mindful living doesn’t just mean looking after your own
body. It’s about using resources judiciously and living in
a way that respects the environment – people, animals
and nature.
Why should you be sure not to miss #FASHIONTECH
BERLIN for any reason?
- Because, in the space of just one day, you get the input
and stimuli for ideas that are necessary to continued
ongoing success. The conference is the ideal place to
network and generate business leads, to find out about
the latest technological developments in the Exhibition
Area, to try these out for yourself, and to gain inspira-
tion from the main stage and masterclasses led by top
experts with the aid of their Best Cases, Stracke states.