Becoming INTERLACED in Fashion Technology

Muchaneta Kapfunde | @FashNerdEditor

IN THE AM

Small and intimate, Interlaced’s 2015 event was the place for spotting Fashion Technology fiends dedicated to this stylish movement.

Unintentionally, we arrived fashionably late. The event itself was tucked away in the Truman Brewery, in a discrete spot. Once we arrived we were greeted by the friendly Interlaced team. As soon we had our badges in hand we walked into the venue and immediately had a “wow” reaction. For a Fashion Technology event that was all about the future, the space was all vintage leather sofas and old wood, how could we not love that contrast?

Interlaced 2015 was held at Shoreditch London

When it came down to the event, our first impression of Interlaced, was that it was unlike the other previously attended events like Decoded and RP15. Although amazing, they did give us the feeling of ‘Us’ and ‘Them’.  The ‘Us’ being the speakers and the ‘Them’ being the attendees. At Interlaced this feeling did not exist. Everyone was able to mix, whether they be the VIP’s or be simply attending. We embraced the fact that there was no feeling of hierarchy, this is a separation that doesn’t really need to happen at this moment in time. Fashion Tech is simply to small for that.  It is important, at an event such as this, for everyone to mix, chat and share ideas.

The first half of Interlaced was all about,  Marrying Wearables and Technology. The panel included Claire Duke-Woolley, Camille Baker, Christiano Carciani and Aniela Hoitink. The conversation was quickly followed by a chat on Finding Your Muse,  led by panel made up of Ada Zanditon, Nik Thakkar, Melissa Coleman and Leo Peschta. The most popular chat, that seemed to have the most audience participation was the Funding Magic paneled by David Norris, Piers Ridyard, Chris Chabot, Amalia Agathou and Justin Edgar. Following them the morning concluded with a keynote from Cute Circuit.

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Charming, chatty and funny, Cute Circuit founder Ryan Genz talk was all about sharing with us his thoughts on the digital revolution. He confidently educated the audience about the brand and he came across knowledgeable and humble. We loved his approach to technology, which was that Cute Circuit saw it as a tool. A tool that designers can use to compliment their collections. This is a school of thought that we couldn’t agree more with.

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With our stomachs grumbling it was time for lunch.

IN THE PM

After a yummy ‘posh burger’ at Smiths of Smithfield, we headed back. We arrived just as the next panel was getting settled on stage. The next topic on the agenda was about The Game Changing Potential of 3D Printing in Fashion. On the panel there was Nikolay Piriankov, Bryan Oknyansky, Faith Robinson and Roberta Luca. They discussed the effects that 3D printing technology has already had on textiles and manufacturing as a whole. The conversation centred around whether the modern manufacturing could now be done without a factory. Following them, was a panel made up of Sabrina Faramarzi, Jennytha Raj and Saverio Romeo. They discussed the Retail Channels for FashionTech.

The conversation explored the mass adoption and awareness of Fashion Technology and how to get the balance between online and offline right. After grabbing a coffee, we sat back down in time to hear  Villy Devlioti, Anton Dvorakovsky and Ivailo Jordanov discuss How Technology is Changing Fashion. Their chatter was mainly on blogging and influencers. This was a talk I was personally looking forward to but I must admit that I was quite disappointed in the direction the conversation went. The topic title led me to believe that they would be most likely exploring how the inclusion of technology is changing the fashion world and its direction. Instead, the panel talked about bloggers and I think that if they had talked in-depth about technology’s relationship with fashion, it would have been a talk that could have garnered more interest.

Last but not least, Marianne Caroline Hughes came on stage. FashNerd did a profile piece on her, so we definitely wanted to hear what this bright 22 year old had to say on the topic of Sustainable Fashion Through Technology. On stage, a relaxed Marianne talked about sustainability as an innovation and how the word innovation with relation to sustainability should become obsolete with the next wave of fashion designers, because it would be the norm. She discussed and educated us on how we can all play a part in creating a sustainable future within the industry. Through #Periscope the FashNerd team recorded the keynote which you can watch HERE.

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As the day came to an end, many of the attendees where excited for the Interlaced event finale, which was the FashionTech catwalk. Their objective was to combine wearable technology fashion companies alongside innovative brands and emerging talent. The runway had models strutting out in celebrity favourite Cute Circuit, in sculptural designs by Alexis Walsh, and adorning accessories by Form by Time, among many others. Our favourite had to be the eye catching collection by Maartje Dijkstra. Her handcrafted, unique high fashion pieces where simply stunning. Missed it? You can watch the show HERE.

The intimacy dress made by Maartje Dijkstra, Studio Roosegaarde and V2_Lab
The intimacy dress made by Maartje Dijkstra, Studio Roosegaarde and V2_Lab

After the catwalk, we found a moment to chat with the Cute Circuit team. Their excitement on the Fashion Tech movement was infectious. It made us even more excited about our upcoming road trip to their Shoreditch studio in the coming days. We will conducting a one on one interview with the duo, Francesca and Ryan, so watch this space.

When the last model walked off the catwalk, our day at Interlaced 2015 came to an end. The relaxed affair gave many attendees the opportunity to network and chat with all the speakers on a personal level, we loved that. So thank you for inviting us Interlaced, until next time.

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