On April 20 and 21, Fashinnovation, hosted its first virtual Worldwide Talks 2020 event, which focused on COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on the fashion industry as it relates to us as citizens of the world. The virtual summit was generously open to the public, and approximately 35,000+ people registered to attend. During the conference, panelists, speakers, and guests shared opinions, thoughts, and suggestions to address sustainability, ethics and leadership from the top-down.
TEXINTEL said, “If there was ever a signpost to the future this was the event of the year – Fashion Worldwide Talks.”
As 106,000 viewers from around the globe watched simultaneously, Jordana Guimarães: co-founder was on hand to graciously open the Summit with panelists Carry Somers: founder, Fashion Revolution and Edward Hertzman: founder and president, Sourcing Journal to begin the conversation.
The keynote speakers and panelists included Giulio Bonazzi: chairman and CEO, Aquafil/ Econyl; Mara Hoffman, Sara Kent, senior correspondent, The Business of Fashion (BoF); Nikki and Brie Bella, founder, Birdiebee, The Bella Twins; Tracey Greenstein, senior business reporter, Sustainability Solutions, WWD; Susan Rockefeller, Michael P. Londrigan, and fashion icon Diane Von Furstenberg who spoke about a variety of issues impacting the world of fashion and technology today. The global industry leaders discussed topics such as Industry Change, Inclusivity, Social Impact, Reinventing Relationships, Sustainability, Transparency and more.
Here, the two key takeaways that emerged throughout the Summit.
- Ethical Practices: Laura Lanteri, creative director and founder, LLNY Digital Agency and adjunct professor, Parsons School of Design shed light on ethical practices throughout the fashion value chain and the garment workers who work in hazardous conditions.
- Social Responsibility: “The industry has to change its footprint, it needs to be leaner, greener and above all fair in its corporate social responsibility,” said Kenneth Cole.
- The legendary Diane Von Furstenberg closed out the conference with her incredible wisdom on legacy, business, and empowerment.
“Marcelo and Jordana you are rockstars and did a superb job organizing,” Susan Rockefeller said. “May we all continue to connect and work towards making our world beautiful. To listen, to love, to hope, to imagine.”
Aquafil Chairman and CEO Giulio Bonazzi Discusses the Interconnection of Fashion at Fashinnovation Virtually during Fashion Revolution Week
Aquafil, a leading manufacturer of synthetic fibers such as Econyl, regenerated nylon through innovative recycling technology, announced today that its chairman and chief executive officer, Giulio Bonazzi will be a featured speaker at this year’s Fashinnovation, presenting his topic, “Fashion is Interconnected”, on April 20, 2020. Convened in collaboration with the UN Office for Partnerships, Fashinnovation will be assembling a two-day summit online in partnership with the Conscious Fashion Campaign with a focus on the Sustainable Development Goals.
“I am honored to be speaking at Fashinnovation this year on the interconnectedness of fashion and how it relates to current times. Through sustainable fashion, we have the opportunity to be proactive,” said chairman and chief executive officer, Giulio Bonazzi. “Rather than simply reacting to the crisis, we have the chance to inform consumers properly, and design products and create economies that mitigate the threats of climate change. It is our proactive decision-making that will promise better outcomes. We are the solution,”
Econyl regenerated nylon which is made out of the waste that’s been rescued from landfills and oceans around the world. Econyl can be regenerated an infinite number of times without losing its quality. Using Econyl regenerated nylon also reduces the global warming impact of nylon by up to 80% compared with the material generated from oil.
Today, Econyl nylon is one of the most sought-after materials used by more than 1,000 brands all over the world including Stella McCartney, Prada, Gucci, and Mara Hoffman. Econyl is also listed as a resource in the Council of Fashion Designers Guide (CFDA) of sustainable materials. Recently, Aquafil was featured on Fortune’s 2019 One’s to Watch List as a company that is already having an outsize influence on its community, its customers, and the planet.
