Consumers nowadays are not only fashion-conscious, but are increasingly looking for the perfect fit. They seek apparel and fashion products that support their individual biomechanics through customization.
The customers’ demand coupled with the emergence of newer technology, automation, and digitization is propelling the fashion world.The shift is already underway in advanced manufacturing industries like automotive industry, food, pharmaceuticals etc.
So can Bangladesh, the second largest readymade garment exporting country of the world, sustain continuing its legacy system of producing the basic apparel that allows longer lead time? How can the apparel factories of Bangladesh prepare for the transformation into the Industry 4.0? What skills and abilities are required to successfully cope with the transition from Industry 3.0 to Industry 4.0?These and many other compelling topics are going to be discussed at the first ever fashion-tech event in the country titled “Bangladesh Fashionology Summit”, which will be held in Dhaka on the 12th of February, 2018.
The organizer of one of the most popular international denim fairs, The Bangladesh Denim Expo, is going to organize the summit with the theme “Step into the Future Today”.
Mr. Mostafiz Uddin, the Founder and CEO of Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) as well as Bangladesh Denim Expo, states: “The Bangladesh Fashionology Summit aims to build the bridge between the present and future of the Bangladesh apparel industry.”
There are nine key techniques that serve as the backbone of Industry 4.0: artificial intelligence, industrial Internet, industrial cloud computing, industrial big data, industrial robot, 3-D printing, knowledge work automation, industrial network security and virtual reality. All these will be discussed by the leading experts from 11 countries including the USA, the Netherlands, France, the UK, Japan, Canada, Sweden, Thailand, and India at the summit in four sessions named “Factory of the Future”, “Virtual Prototyping And Digitization Of The Apparel Supply Chain”, “Fashion Tech & Sustainable Innovation”, and “Mass Customization & On Demand Manufacturing”.
Some of the most respectable names in the industry who are leaders in automation and digital technology are also joining the Bangladesh Fashionology Summit. Bengal Plastic Ltd., Fashion for Good, Juki,Lectra, Prime Asia Ltd., Sindabad, Tukatech.
“We are bringing together under one roof the most inspiring and innovative thinkers/companies from across the globe to initiate the much-needed conversations around technology, digitalization and innovation in the apparel and fashion industry to shape the future of Bangladesh apparel industry,” says Mr. Mostafiz Uddin.
Sessions & Speakers of Bangladesh Fashionology Summit:
Session 01:Factory of the future
1. Ms. Sonia Bashir Kabir, Managing Director of Microsoft Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Laos.
2. Mr. Pradeep David, General Manager of Universal Robots South Asia who is the pioneer of the concept of Cobots — the robots who can work along with human to achieve better efficiency.
3. Mr. Jonathan Zornow who invented Sewbo or the robot to sew a garment.
4. Mr. Frederic Gaillard, Vice President of Lectra and who is currently leading a project on industry 4.0 and its corresponding challenges around digitalization and data integration.
5. Mr. ShuuichiUtena, Juki Japan Ltd.
Session 02:Virtual Prototyping and Digitalization ofthe Apparel Supply Chain
1. Mr. Ram Sareen, Founder and CEO of Tukatech, the globally leading software company in innovative technology for apparel industry.
2. Garment Guru Mr. David Birnbaum, the Strategic Advisor to the World Bank who has to his credit several ground-breaking books on apparel and it’s pricing.
3. Mr. VikasRaykar, the research scientist and expert on Cognitive Fashion at IBM Watson which is the industry leader in artificial intelligence.
4. Mr. Sunil Shewakramani, the Executive Vice President of Li & Fung India Pvt. Ltd which is a 110 year old apparel supply chain company.
5. Mr. Magnus Sundgren, Chief Technology Officer of Eton Systems.
Session 3:Fashion Tech & Sustainable Innovation
1. Ms. MuchanetaKapfunde, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Fashnerd, the globally reputed digital magazine that focuses on fashion and lifestyle from technological standpoint.
2. Ms. Eva Van Der Brugge, Innovation Manager of Fashion for Good.
3. Mr. PimKneepkens, Innovation Manager of Fashion for Good.
4. Ms. Amanda Cosco, Founder of Electric Runway.
Session 4: Mass Customization & On Demand Manufacturing
1. Mr. Richard Oliver, CEO of Theunseen, the material innovation, R&D, and technology licensing business focusing on blending technology and design.
2. Dr. Michael T. Fralix, the President and CEO of [TC2] and who heads [TC2] initiatives to develop next-generation supply chain technologies.
3. Ms. Danit Peleg, Founder and Creative Director of 3D Printed Fashion who is the pioneer in designing an entirely ready-to-wear fashion collection.
Closing Session:
1. Mr. Tofail Ahmed, MP
Honorable Minister
Ministry of Commerce
Bangladesh Secretariat, Dhaka.
2. Mr. Md Nojibur Rahman
Principal Secretary
Prime Minister’s Office.
3. Mr. Zunaid Ahmed Palak, MP
Honorable Minister
Ministry of ICT division.
4. Mr. Md Atiqul Islam
President
CEBAI & Immediate Past President, BGMEA.
5. Mr.Md Siddiqur Rahman
President
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGMEA).
6. H E Ms. LeoniCuelenaere
Ambassador
Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Bangladesh.
7. Ms. Sonia Bashir Kabir
Managing Director
Microsoft Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Laos.
8. Mr. Md Mohiuddin Rubel
Managing Director
Bangladesh Apparel Exchange Ltd. & Director, Denim Expert Ltd.
First Ever Digital Tech Runway Show During the Summit:
The first ever Fashion Tech Runway Show in the country is also going to be hosted during the Bangladesh Fashionology Summit.
Designers from The Netherland, Spain, Paris, UK & India are flying down to Dhaka with their latest digital tech collections to showcase at the event. Smart wearable, 3D printed, LED embedded glow show collections are some of the futuristic fashion tech creations to be displayed at the runway show.
“Smart and tech imbedded wearable is the future of fashion. As seeing is believing, we are going to organize the Fashion Tech Runway Show to inspire the industry to step into the future,” says Mr. Mostafiz Uddin.
