So FTF is now in its second year. How have you seen it evolve?

Fashion Tech ForumWe are still evolving, we’re still integrating, we’ve learned so much last year and this year we’re integrating those learnings. I mean the tech sector is moving so quickly, as is fashion tech. We’re expanding the demo lounge which used to be called the white page gallery, where you’ll have really brand new startups but you’ll also have Google Cardboard which is talking about PR. So it’ll be some companies that have moved along and are already growing that are providing immersive experiences. And we have five main pillars that we’re focusing on this year which are the future of retail, personalization, wearable technology, sustainability, and company culture. We all know that millennials and the next generation will only want to work for companies where they share the values and can connect with the brand. So we’re giving brands an opportunity to really talk about what they are and what they’re not and what it’s like to really be there to a live audience in terms of designers. And the want for talent, especially in all disciplines, is only becoming exacerbated as the tech sector is more aggressively going after our talents. We’ve really learned that there are opportunities for the bigger brands to learn so much from the emerging technologies. Then lastly I would say, we had a great roster last year but this year I think that it is even more exciting and an even greater hybrid between fashion and fashion tech and investors. [Photo via @fashtechforum]
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