PI Apparel 2017 | Programme

Brands have been approaching product fit the same way for decades and this has never been challenged due to the absence of any sort of revolutionary technology that could change this. That is until 3D.

It is no secret that every brand is struggling with high return rates and poor consumer engagement and that largely falls down to fit. To tackle this, many are investing in virtual dressing rooms and 3D body scanners but whilst the technology offers a massive opportunity to get fit right, the designers using the data continue to approach and segment the body in the same legacy way. But the digital space is not bound in the same way.

In this session, Michael Ernst discusses how if these new tech capabilities use the same paradigms as physical design, nothing will drastically change and design will be limited to where it is now.

More specifically:

• How does 3D transform the science of fit?
• How is the existing fit/design mindset and culture failing the unlocked potential of 3D?
• How can we design better with the technology that is now available
• How are these design tools able to work with fewer uniform mannikins and instead support a model of customization?
• Overcoming the absence of touch in the digital realm
• What are the things we need from the technology to make them more tangible?
• Leveraging new available datasets to deliver a better customer experience, better R&D and an introduction of new content for individuals and/or the mass consumer

Lessons from a real world implementation

Since their creation in 1989, G-Star’s philosophy has always been, ‘Just the Product.’ This single-minded approach has led to many denim ‘firsts’: the introduction of ‘luxury denim for the streets,’ by fusing high-level craftsmanship with street level edge to create a new denim sector; the positioning of raw, untreated denim as a wearable and desirable material; and the evolution of our distinctive denim silhouette, through the adoption of architectural and 3D thinking into denim construction.

In any workflow that includes 3D, the 2D pattern is the bridge to production. Successful adoption of 3D requires well-planned and reliable 2D pattern data. Now is the time to narrow the divide between 3D and production. With careful and steady implementation, 3D virtual sampling will begin to revolutionize your workflow. 

Lesson Learned:

• Start with pattern design - you want to know that you can produce what you see, vs. just a pretty picture
• Start slow – adjust your workflow and expand
• Plan to dedicated time for adoption
• Now is the time to adopt - get started early so you can begin to institute change in your organization
• Track your progress to prove out the benefits

After an initial 3D Development technology rollout, it is important to consider how one might improve and extend its functionality beyond the product development cycle. Fit, Training, Productivity, and Consumer Experience are all opportunities for innovation with digital assets! Fit for example; by investing in body scanning technology, and integrating virtual avatars into existing 3D software platforms, we can build capabilities that enable improved fit, improved consumer experiences online, improved internal efficiencies, and much more.

This is really the beginning of innovating with digital technology at Columbia Sportswear. With our digital landscape, designing new lines becomes much more efficient, agile, and flexible.

More specifically:

• Columbia's 3D story to date - the what, where, and how
• Why does fit remain one of the most consistent topics within the commercialization process?
• Integrating 3D body scanning technology into existing platforms
• How can these technologies work in parallel? Exploring the benefits and challenges of such an integration
• Additional challenges and successes with driving innovation across the entire landscape
• Pushing beyond the intersection of emerging VR/AR technologies through prototyping  

Founded by Rickard Lindqvist and Jimmy Herdberg, Atacac is a Swedish-based fashion studio that aims to rethink the way we design, sell, and produce garments. With a background in developing alternative approaches to garment construction, Rickard began complimenting his novel operational ideas with the use of CLO. After having invested in CLO only last year, 3D has transformed the label into a more self-serving, efficient, and agile enterprise, able to bring garment concepts to the consumer much faster and more effectively.

In this session, Rickard and Jimmy will share:

• The Pilot — how 3D renderings have been used to sell to the consumer so garments are not physically manufactured until purchase
• 3D and Pricing — how 3D renderings have helped Atacac develop an alternative pricing model for their consumers
• Becoming More Vertical — a look at the role of 3D in creating an in-house microfactory to deliver a flexible and streamlined process from concept to sale
• Creative opportunities for new digital garment experiences
• The role of digitalization in experimenting with new design and new business models
• How 3D establishes more open-minded approaches to product creation
• Collaboration with Salomon Group — opportunities of 3D in design collaboration and communication with an ongoing design project with Salomon
• Next Steps — the virtual fitting experience

Launching a small scale 3D project to set up for long-term success

Van de Velde is a product-driven company with an almost 100-year legacy of quality lingerie craftsmanship in helping shape women's bodies and minds. Renowned for their stellar in-store customer fit and style experience, they began exploring how they might bring that service into the digital age and so turned to 3D.

Fast forward to today, whilst they ultimately felt that 3D was not yet at the stage for efficient fit evaluation, they have realized other benefits since their go-live in March 2017, that have made an investment more than worthwhile.

In this session, the Van de Velde R&D team will discuss:

• In what ways is 3D (not yet) ready for use in effective product visualization and fit evaluation?
• Overcoming cultural push-back - attaining design, sales and marketing buy-in by creating early stage 3D visuals to expedite concept evaluation
• Digitising stylist samples to reduce development time and costs
• How digital prototypes are being used to gain early-stage consumer feedback on new lines
• Developing a long term digital styling and fit strategy to eventually translate fitting services from in-store into the digital realm
• Overcoming incompatibilities between their 7 digital development systems to improve communication and mitigate data and visual corruption

Consumers and their buying behaviors are fickle and ever-changing and yet the antiquated fashion supply chain is rigid and slow. To tackle this, digital technologies have started making more and more of a splash in fashion design, development and production, but the siloed nature of the supply chain still means a lack of the flexibility, agility and adaptability needed. Brands are trying as we can see from our own agenda; companies are adopting more and more digital tools but in a siloed manner, targeting quick-wins only, like virtual sampling and speed to market, thus missing huge gains in ensuring that every product digitally created is commercially produceable from the get go.The Deutschen Institute für Textil- und Faserforschung (DITF), arguably Europe's largest and best-in-class digital technology research institute, is out to change this by milking digitization for all its worth.

By partnering with industry tech and material leaders, the DITF have created the MICROFACTORY, a fully integrated and practical technology workflow model that seamlessly connects and automates each stage from design of concept through to garment manufacture.

In this session, the team will discuss:

• How is the current fashion supply chain model failing to meet the demands of a global consumer base?
• In what ways are digital technologies being underused and undervalued, ultimately meaning loss of prime opportunity for disruption and change
• Building and integrating manufacturability data and requirements into the design process to create an automated and adaptable workflow process
• What impacts does this model have on cost and efficiency?
• In what ways is this process powered almost entirely by data the fashion industry is currently under-using?
• The role of Industry 4.0 as a foundation for digital model success
• Digitally realising your product:

(i) CAD Design creation, cutting and assembly with 3D simulation

(ii) Identifying QR codes and integrating position markers for position detection

(iii) Preparation of design data ready for digital printing, transfer and colour control

(iv) Order and position detection via cameras and tags

(v) Automatic digital cutting in accordance with pre-set parameters

(vi) Ultrasonic welding of individual pieces into a finished product

• In earnest, how will this fully automated and adaptable process impact the future of fashion design and technology?

Audi Business Innovation GmbH is responsible for the development, marketing, sales and running of innovative concepts, products and services for the VW Group's mobility, energy and customer IT solutions sectors. Thomas Zuchtriegel has been responsible for Audi City and the Audi VR experience at Audi AG and is now head of AR/VR process and technology at Audi Business Innovation GmbH.

Today VR/AR applications are fascinating consumers as they unlock new, immersive experiences. As the technology matures, these experiences will create new opportunities and value for both consumers and businesses.

In this session Magdalena will explain the future of digital at Audi and why and how AR/VR are a part of it. You will get insights into the opportunities and challenges of VR/AR conception, development and rollout as experienced with the Audi VR experience. Beyond this part, she will share Audi’s learnings as part of the AR/VR industry, provide an outlook into the content strategy and tell you about first ideas and final feedback regarding customer engagement and business value.

We’ve been using 3D rendering as part of the fabric and garment design and development process for some time now. But as we lack the ability to virtually present the physical truth of garment, shoe or other, design has been a barrier to minimizing the costly and time-consuming need to create and ship physical mock-ups and samples around the globe.

What if you could actually represent the physical truth of your product without ever making a physical sample? What if the specification of both color and appearance were detailed enough to allow manufacturers to begin producing products based on a visually accurate 3D rendering that takes into account both color and appearance – from any angle from which an observer might view it? What if that 3D rendering is accurate enough that it can be used instead of expensive photo shoots for ecommerce, packaging and point-of-sale materials? What if you could quickly and easily modify the garment or shoe to show different colors, finishes, textures and more?

X-Rite and Pantone have long been known as experts in the art and science of color. Now they are turning their attention to adding appearance expertise as well, and partnering with a large variety of industry players to make this new technology available in an end-to-end ecosystem.

In this Think Tank, we will explain the future of color and appearance, why both are important and how VR can revolutionize the product design and development process. We’ll inspire participants to think about how this type of technology could be applied in their own businesses, and what the impact might be.

Whether it is fabric or garment design, coming up with the next hot sports shoe, virtual fittings for fast fashion, better communication with a globally disparate supply chain, or any of the myriad of other challenges facing the apparel industry, we think the future lies in VR and we think we might know how to get there.

• What are the challenges within academia (technological, systemic, and psychological) to better education around new digital technologies and innovations?
• How can industry best leverage the expertise of academia in exploring and making the transition to new technologies and innovations in the product development process?
• What are the most exciting ways that new technologies can disrupt old habits and thinking, and support better product and more sustainable systems?
• We endeavor to train students for a wide variety of positions yet have to choose what software is best for our budgets. What types of technology are taught in the university setting and why? 
• What corresponding skill sets should be provided so that students are prepared for internships/careers?
• How is academia relevant to the world of fit?
• How does academia tackle the integration of different technologies in order to simulate the work flow?
• How does academia seek industry partnerships and how are these fostered/developed?

Custom shoes have been an integral part of Vans heritage since its founder, Paul Van Doren opened up shop in Anaheim, CA back in 1966. In the early days, Vans offered customers the ability to use their own fabric in the design of their Custom shoes and off the back of that, to celebrate their 50th anniversary Vans built and launched a completely new Customs platform putting new tools of creativity in its followers’ hands. Vans enables users to create a truly one of a kind pair of shoes that utilizes their own images, designs and most importantly imagination.

The new Vans Customs platform cements the brand’s commitment to enabling creative expression and youth culture. It features an industry first, highly interactive 3D configurator, which allows customers to visualize and manipulate their shoe in a photorealistic way. It also allows them to customize up to 19 different styles, selecting from over 95 different colors, prints and materials. In addition to these options, customers can upload their own original artwork and photography to be immortalized on their very own footwear, effectively using the shoes they wear as a canvas for their artwork.

Drawing on this experience, Safir and Alexander lead a discussion on why 3D technology needs to be positioned as a strategic priority, how we should look at what has been done in adjacent industries like automotive, apparel, furniture and gaming, and why now is the most opportune time for investment.

Founded in 1976, Decathlon is a French sports equipment manufacturer that today retails in 44 countries around the world. Their mantra is to offer sports equipment to everyone, everywhere and at the best price.

This year Decathlon was voted in as the best company to work at thanks to a combination of team spirit and innovative creation. As part of this innovative transformation, Decathlon has been developing internal 3D capabilities over the last 3 years with a specific focus on opportunities across their 20-brand apparel offering.

In this session, Audrey will discuss:

• The history of 3D within Decathlon 
• How was 3D piloted at Decathlon? - lessons and opportunities learnt from 3D in their simplest brand offering
• How has 3D been leveraged across product modelling, design, development and merchandising processes to date?
• Who have Decathlon determined to be the 3D user community and why?
• Understanding the short and long term benefits of a 3D investment
• Standardising product development across all 20 brands with 3D
• What next for 3D at Decathlon? - extending 3D capability to manage in-store product merchandising and maximise online consumer experience 

F&F is the clothing branch of UK supermarket chain Tesco which in 2013 boasted a turnover of $120 billion. F&F pride themselves on value for money, ethically-sourced fabrics, being on-trend and today, offering perfect fit despite the size. F&F sources from over 27 countries and now retails in 23 countries including the USA. 

The problem they were facing was that consumers visiting a supermarket often want a speedy and convenient experience and do not want to spend time trying clothes on in-store nor having to return items. Instead, they want to enter the store knowing that in Tesco they are a size 12 and as such, anything in that size should, for the most part, fit with no issue.

It was clear that if they wanted to compete in fast fashion and wanted to engage consumers globally both in-store and online, that they needed to invest in a technology that would better control fit and quality across every style and supplier.

In this session Alan Wragg will discuss:

• Bringing pattern-making in-house to gain control and improve communications with suppliers
• The need for flexibility in the way F&F tackles samples and prototypes to meet the demands of a diverse consumer base
• Deploying 3D virtual prototyping tools to create an almost perfect sample before even ordering a metre of cloth
• Reducing time from buying trip to fit-approved samples to a matter of 2 weeks and time to market to 4 weeks
• Conducting annual fit reviews across every department to translate changes in consumer shape and behaviour into product creation
• Reducing online return rates to ~14% versus the average retailer rate of ~25%
• How is 3D allowing for global collaboration across multiple suppliers in multiple geographies
• Ensuring size X IS size X 99% of the time, boosting customer satisfaction and experience

The 3D Retail Coalition (3D.RC), is a collaborative group of global retailers and brands, working together to advance 3D Technology in lifestyle categories. The group works toward accelerating and unlocking the potential available via 3D visualisation/virtualization, alongside helping members maximise it's impact within their organisations.

The group is open to any retailer/brand currently using (or planning to use) 3D technology.

During this session, delegates are welcome to meet certain members of the Steering Committee to hear the group mission, goals, and priorities.

A New Era is beginning for the global apparel industry, where online players and fast fashion companies are turning models on their head, and survival of even the biggest players is not to be taken for granted.  Speed is quickly changing from an advantage to a requirement.  

Today's session will touch upon the macro-economic shift that is occurring throughout the globe, the new set of critical success factors for leadership in the future, and practical examples for how to drive the changes needed within the design team, product development, and the supply chain; enabling you to influence your company, and your partners.

Imagine a multi-billion dollar industry relying on centuries old technology to drive product development and manufacturing. What if social, economic, and policy changes shook that paradigm down to its very foundation?

This session provides insights on how to solve these challenges by focusing on the emergence of the Digital Twin – the virtual modeling of a physical object that simulates its appearance and performance – as a catalyst to reconstitute an apparel industry historically written off as expendable. The MetaVertical approach uses a manufacturing-centric focus as a lens through which product development systems are built. Together, the Digital Twin with a MetaVertical direction will integrate design and manufacturing requirements so that virtual designs facilitate digital production seamlessly, providing a path to fill the factories of the future.

• Solving the problem vs admiring the problem
• Digitization vs digitalization
• The death of the design season
• Right first-time design
• Local for local manufacturing

Keith Hoover's past experience includes key roles at Ralph Lauren, Fruit of the Loom, Target Corp, Lands’ End, JCPenney, and Under Armour.

3D digital platforms have revolutionised the way the industry approaches design and development; whilst the technology has saved companies time and money on prototyping and sampling, it still falls short when it comes to materials simulation based on physical and mechanical properties.

But why is this? It is not the inability of 3D to create the simulations, but the lack of uniformity in how materials are measured across different software systems. These days it is common for companies to work across multiple 3D platforms; material properties are measured either using platform-specific tool kits or general validation systems based on which a simulation is then rendered. But if these measurements are taken within one platform, they often are not compatible with any others so when uploaded, create corrupted algorithms and thus inaccurate virtual representations.

In an ideal world, measurements would be standardized to the point that fabric suppliers can provide a swatch of materials complete with all general properties needed to simulate in all and any 3D environment without ever needing to buy a material sample; but how do we get there?

Until investing his full time and focus into his brand, Niels Thone was a consultant and in this capacity worked alongside a number of fashion brands helping to realise innovation and leverage technology. During this time, Niels noticed an ongoing theme: popular brands were documenting falling levels of consumer engagement whilst return rates, both in store and online, were increasing. This almost always boiled down to poor fit but rather than taking a hard look at redefining base patterns, brands continued to unsuccessfully overcome this with incremental changes to the process.

After extensively researching the current industry fit models, drawing on his own background in consumer psychology, and partnering with his engineering co-founder, Niels has launched Morph Clothes, a brand that overcomes poor fit by challenging the traditional shape and size patterns of the industry, by using body types as the new standard.

In this session, Raphael will discuss:

• How have the base patterns and attitudes towards fit, born out of the military in the 50s, corrupted brands' approach to sizing and shape to this day?
• Why have incremental improvements to the process failed to resolve falling consumer engagement?
• The problem of inconsistent sizing on a global scale - from USA to Japan.
• Understanding the psychology of the consumer and how that ties in with buying patterns and the stereotypes of traditional size grades
• Big data analytics of sizing information gathered globally to create 3 novel shape/size categories: slim, athletic broad
• Why did this approach fail as a b2B venture with traditional brands?
• Assigning each option a heroic archetype from Greek mythology to empower consumers' attitudes and comfort with their respective bracket
• The possibility of adapting this approach to womenswear - the pros and cons.

The Digital tsunami has left many fashion and retail brands feeling washed up and exposed. Join Craig Crawford, London based digital guru and former Burberry IT executive, as he shares insights and lessons from Burberry's transformation as well as the journeys of forward thinking European brands and technology pioneers, including:

• Why is a "me too" approach unhealthy for retail?
• Disruptive valid new business models are threatening retailers every day
• What are we learning from these new models?
• How do we avoid retail schizophrenia?
• Can we anticipate consumer behavioural change?
• What does the new workforce need and expect of us?

Most companies approach an investment in Industry 4.0 from the perspective of improved production and flexibility on the factory floor only. In doing so, they are missing out on the added opportunities it offers in redefining how they interact with, and meet the demands of, their consumer community.

Though many have become much better at managing product-related data along the value chain in parallel to collecting retail data at POS, the bridging together of these to-date-siloed datasets has been an area most have failed to yet achieve. 

In this session, the DITF team lead a discussion on how an investment in Industry 4.0 can offer more than improved factory floor efficiency and, when leveraged correctly, can give a voice to the consumer, maximising informed product design, development, production and retail experience.

VR (Virtual Reality) technology has the power to drive smarter decision making, save time and reduce the costs of product development. Various industries have deployed the technology, but what are the applications for an apparel based company?

In this session, Target will explore VR – what’s being done now and its potential for the future. 

Specifically:

• VR is a powerful tool that can be incorporated into the product development process, allowing companies to iterate on styles faster, understand how the customer interacts with the product, and transport users to new experiences with the product
• VR technology unlocks efficiencies for lean design by reducing waste, waiting for samples, and transportation costs
• VR provides increased utilization of 3D virtual assets, while creating a platform for further gains in personalization/customization of product

• What do you see as the win-win scenario for the industry and the technology partners if interoperability is achieved?
• What does the 3D technology industry see as the biggest challenges to interoperability and what steps need to be taken?
• How does interoperability affect innovation and user experience? (Other industries have been able to overcome that, how could we – is that through standards, open platforms, etc)
• How would interoperability unlock other related technologies to move the industry faster in digital transformation?