Saturday Nov 23, 2024
Saturday Nov 23, 2024
Wednesday, 12 October 2016 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Under its overall theme ‘Transformation’, this year’s South Asian Leadership Forums focuses on some clear deliverables for the apparel and related industries who particularly need to be wired to what’s going on globally in order to secure its permanence.
Dramatic change is surrounding us all and it is taking place at exponential speed and growth will only be possible through a transformative change in how business is conducted. The world renowned future prediction consultancy from London, The Future Laboratory will take the lead by kicking off the morning session of the forum, bringing the idea of transformation for industry into light.
The Future Lab will bring in examples of how other industries across the world who, similar to the Sri Lankan industries, are facing a multitude of pressures with the changing consumer landscape externally. They will also highlight how, despite these trends forcing significant internal changes, these industries are responding to the challenge by looking at these shifts as an opportunity that could lead to a whole new world of opportunities and freedom.
It’s really important that Sri Lankan apparel industry has access to a game plan to stay ahead in the business, and this year’s conference is appropriately crafted to deliver to this need by bringing together the best breed thought leaders from around the world to share their insights and experiences on how creative disruption and innovation can help reinvent and transform businesses to leverage the future.
The Future Lab will inspire the forum with radical keynote presentations, influencer panel discussions and one on one in conversations; they will play a vital part of this year’s carefully crafted conference to challenge, inspire, shock and provoke, and most importantly, to provide industry with practical insight on how to implement the impactful change for growth.
As a globally renowned future prediction agency working with numerous FTSE 100 clients including Selfridges, Harrods, Marks & Spencer, H&M, Gucci, Chanel, Conde Nast etc., The Future Lab will focus on unearthing thought leadership on the key areas below in particular that would determine business growth, consumer behaviour and industry shifts that are needed for the change leadership required.
The Insight that will be offered by The Future Laboratory will particularly help companies in the following areas:
Zooming in on some of the topics of discussed by The Future Laboratory, the forum participants will be given in-depth insight into the current markets and how to make the best out of them, as below;
Welcome to the age of the millennial
Millennials are the consumers born between 1980 and the early 2000s. They are the first generation of people who grew up with digital technology permeating every aspect of their life. Personal computing, mobile telecommunication and social media were all inventions of this generation’s time. The influence of these advances on their daily habits and lifestyles has been so significant to a point where technology has become indispensable, and rather an extension of millennial’ lives rather than a choice, a special convenience or a statement as it was for their parents’ generation. With this, the millennial generation, the current buying power, sees the world, purchasing, brands and personal choices through a digital lens; a fact those businesses cannot afford to ignore. Among the key discussions held at the South Asian Apparel Leadership Forum will be how this influences the fashion world, and where this generation will lead the business.
An important point in the discussion led by The Future Laboratory founders Chris Sanderson and Martin Raymond will be the expectations of the millennial consumer. Chris and Martin will discuss how the millennial’ inherent relationship with technology and the digital world, have shaped their expectations from brands. Here, the duo will highlight the importance of speed to a generation who’s had fast access to information. Simultaneously, Chris and Martin will steer the discussion in the direction of personalisation – a point especially important to fashion, as it becomes a decision-making point for millennial. Finally, an expectation that brands cannot ignore anymore will be highlighted - communication: With the millennial generation having had access to the information superhighway throughout their life, brand or product information is no longer seen as an additional aspect, but rather the very thing that and loyalty and mindshare in this age when traditional advertising fails.
Making the most of millennial mindshare
It would not be an overstatement to say that millennial are consumed by technology and gadgets. Although this might seem to isolate the traditional retail models and brands, it also presents a world of opportunities to those who understand how to speak the digital language. The Future Laboratory will discuss how mobile presents new opportunities to sell and engage the millennial consumer wherever they are, while social media where content driven advertising rules, becomes the new hotspot to target new consumers. Here, they will discuss how traditional advertising, which seems to have lost its credibility in the eyes of millennial, can be replaced effectively with content driven advertising such as blogging, vlogging, product reviews and perhaps more importantly, mindshare where consumers voluntarily propagate brands that they believe in through likes and shares. The studies, the stats and the tricks of this essential art of making mindshare will be discussed by The Future Laboratory during their session.
New possibilities: alarming or exciting?
Projecting further into the future, Sanderson and Raymond will also walk the audience through some of the radical new possibilities that are looming in the next decade or so. The radical nature of these possibilities can be seen as alarming as they do possess the potential to shake-up the fashion business, as we know it. However, if premeditated, understood and prepared for, these ones possibilities will present exciting opportunities to harness new futures for Sri Lankan apparel makers. The duo will project how traditional manufacturing could be replaced by 3D printing, ground transportation with hyper loop technology while digital retail will isolate brick-and-mortar selling operations and seamstresses could be uberised to take custom designs to the doorstep of the consumer. How can the industry continue its business in this future? Where does this future meet our current business structures, and where does it not? The Future Laboratory will not only discuss the possibilities, but also how the industry can make the best of it by transforming its current set-up through strategic shifts and even organisational restructuring.
The main industry focus for the forum as an audience is the country’s apparel industry given that Sri Lanka Apparel is looking to enter an age where there are massive new-age opportunities to harness. The South Asian Apparel Leadership Forum will play the role of providing thought leadership through an informed transformative strategy. This will be an essential contributor to help propel industry into the future. The forum has been designed to most benefit Audiences such as C-Suite executives/CEOs/entrepreneurs/business owners/young leaders of family-owned businesses/leadership teams and apparel manufacturing entities/apparel industry associated organisations and industries such as the software industry, logistics and other, as well as future young leaders.
The seventh edition of the South Asian Apparel Leadership Forum will be held on 5 November at SLECC, as part of the annual Sri Lanka Design Festival.
The South Asian Apparel Leadership Forum is held as part of Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF) and is set to take place on 4, 5 and 6 November at SLECC Colombo, with AOD in partnership with DIMO hosting Mercedes-Benz Fashion Runways, Coats Thread – official thread and zip partner, GT Nexus – official technology partner, HNB- Official Banking Partner, Mount Lavinia Hotel- Official Host, Wijeya Newspapers Group- Print Media Partner, Just-Style – International Media Partner, Free Lanka – Official Beverage Partner , Secquoro – Business Transformation Partner, Salon Kess – Official Hair & Make up Partner and We Are Designers as well the key apparel industry participants MAS, Hirdaramani, Timex, Star Garments , LICC, MRC, Nor Lanka, Orit, Innovative Knits, EKKO, Union Apparel, Penguin, Lanka Leather, Rakshaa, , Textured Jersey, Avirate and Vogue Tex. The Joint Apparel Association Forum endorses the event.
If you are interested in learning how to harness disruptive innovation from some of today’s most creative and future-facing thinkers, be shown a glimpse into the future to see what you would not normally see and also be shown how you could do things differently to envision your competitors reaction, this forum is for you. What would you say? Sounds like a good forum to attend? The South Asian Apparel leadership forum is for you and for the benefit of Sri Lankan industries – don’t miss out! The future is here.
For tickets, login to www.srilankadesignfestival.com and buy online or for more information, contact the SLDF secretariat on 076 777 0306, 5867772-3 email [email protected] or walk in between 9am -5pm to the Sri Lanka Design Festival Secretariat at AOD, 29, Laurie’s Road, Colombo 4.
