GDSS 2021 website

GDSS 2021 website

What: A very dynamic, monthly conference to introduce in one hour 3 startups selected by The Forge and Bain.

Why it is important: IADS is spotting innovation and making sure the right and interesting ideas are communicated to members.

Why it is important: Passion is what unites leaders in that industry, and this should be communicated to the younger generations, as the retail career remains more exciting than ever, even when compared to other ones.

What: The half-day event offered advice, new perspectives and alternative models and strategies for the fashion and beauty industry facing up to the sustainability challenge.

Why it is important: Startups, investors and politicians joined in the dialogue to offer solutions and give innovative, outsider viewpoints and inspiration, rather than a platform for brands to promote their own initiatives.

What: With stores closed and tourists absent in key markets, the pandemic presented an opportunity to initiate relationships with local customers and strengthen digital ties with remote clients.

Why is it important: Attendees share how they’re continuing to cultivate these connections and discuss what ‘experiential’ luxury looks like in a post-Covid world.

What: BoF brought together a host of experts to break down how sales of tweets, memes and other digital

assets may change the possibilities for the fashion industry.

Why it is important: It is important for IADS members to understand the implications of this rapid changing

technology as it becomes ingrained in the fashion industry.

What: A very dynamic, monthly conference to introduce in one hour 3 startups selected by The Force and Bain.

Why it is important: IADS is spotting innovation and making sure the right and interesting ideas are communicated to members.

What: Journal du Luxe and Centric Software have organized a webinar to decipher the opportunities of Fashion Tech.

Why it is important: At a time of hyper-acceleration of digital uses, technology has never been so present in the luxury and fashion sector.

What: 2 days of conferences on the current state of business in a period where the end of the crisis is in sight, but not confirmed yet.

Why it is important: IADS attended 2 conferences related to topics of interest for its members:

What: FIRA organised a virtual gathering to get an update from markets

Why it is important: All presentations from various federations are available here, including the presentation made by IADS as a guest speaker

FIRA decided to organise a virtual meeting due to the impossibility to meet face to face in the current context, and the need to have an update on the evolution of the situation in each country.

• IADS presented its views of the current situation: fragmented, complex, requiring agility to adapt to a ‘permanent state of crisis’. Observing its members’ behaviour, IADS explained that there was a general trend towards organisational simplification, to adapt to new scenarios, leading to new ways to interact with customers (‘from stores networks to retailers ecosystems’), who are increasingly (and by necessity, local). This impacts several operational topics, such as sourcing, margin control and CSR.
• IDV ( Brazil) explained that, in spite of a challenging situation in the country, overall retail increased by +1.2%, lead by grocery, pharmacy and e-commerce. Retail is undergoing a transformation in the country thanks to an increased attention to “made in brazil” ecosystems development (led by retailers) and digital payment platforms (being deployed by the central bank). IDV believes that those 2 aspects will be key for Brazil’s recovery in the coming years.
• ESEE (Greece) gave a presentation on the state of small businesses in the country (which are overrepresented in the country compared to larger retailers). Overall, state support allowed such businesses to go through the crisis, and they are now looking at the domestic value chain due to a complexity at the global level. Retail decreased -3.9% in 2020, while e-commerce grew +25%. Retailers are in majority pessimistic about the impact of the crisis (88%) and it is estimated that 35% of businesses are now at risk (from 18% pre-crisis).
• Alibaba gave a keynote about the ecosystem of businesses and services it has built.
• NRF (USA) explained the supportive measures it brought to its members in the US  : lobbying actions, best practices conference calls, information and idea sharing.
• EHI (Germany) presented the difficulties and hurdles caused by the second lockdown which started in December 2020 and was still in place at the time of the meeting. They had to adapt their business model to provide blended formats of events to their members, precising that in-person meetings are needed in their economic model.
• RCC (Canada), which represents 74% of the retail industry in Canada, described the perceived disconnection between the federal and state/province practices and messages, leading to tension and frustration. RCC had to take on a lobbying role, which gave it visibility and credibility, and replaced in-person events by new partnerships and tools, such as studies co-developed with the Boston Consulting Group, more media-oriented actions and public presence. This led to a +17% membership growth and a +45% revenue growth for the RCC.
• Behv (Germany) introduced a study  co-developed with the Copenhaguen Economics, about the benefits and disadvantages of e-commerce. In Germany alone, e-commerce represents 1.2 million jobs. For every 100 new jobs in e-commerce, 66 are created in the supply chain. On average, large Germany companies sell between 19 and 21% of their total turnover online.

FIRA AM21 Meeting Minutes

Bevh Presentation (Germany) 

ESSE Presentation (greece)

IADS Presentation (France)

IDV Presentation (Brazil)

NRF Presentation (USA)

RCC Presentation (Canada)

You can watch the video below:

You can watch the video below:

What: Simon Sinek shares his ideas on leadership and the present day workplace.

What: A snapshot of the state of multi-brand retail, 1 year after the beginning of the pandemic

Why it is important: Even though it is claimed that the system is “broken”, it appeared clearly from speakers that the alternatives on the table (dropshipping) are not answering the key issue: customer-centricity and the purpose of a multi-brand business to bring an eye and a curation, not to display the full assortment of a brand.

What: Business of Fashion pulled together experts in sustainability and workers’ rights to dissect what steps the fashion industry needs to take towards these efforts.

Why it is important: As the fashion industry makes sustainability commitments they face a number of challenges that they must overcome to be able to reach their projected targets and goals on time.

BoF Professional Summit : Closing Fashion’s Sustainability Gap

What: Forge Retail and Bain & Company’s Forge Retail Showcase series features disruptors who are driving the next 5-10 years of innovation and change within store operations.

Why it is important: The companies and ideas presented showcase up-and-coming technologies that could have a big impact on the future of retail operations.

Forge Retail Showcase: retail operations

What: A presentation by Amazon Shipping on Next-day delivery: reacting fast for a successful future.

Why it is important: There is a big debate around how important speed of delivery is to online retailing. Opinions are divided, as speed is generally seen as expensive. Department stores are evaluating it currently.

Internet Retailing webinar

What: McKinsey “State of Grocery Retail 2021” online launch

Why it is important: understand the key trends that will shape the industry in 2021

McKinsey-State of grocery 2021

Grocery retailers are adopting new ways for growth

Full McKinsey Report

What: An online event organised by Vogue Business.

Why it is important: A number of senior experts come together to discuss omnichannel best practices and new market place models. The forum ends with a fireside discussion with the inspiring Ian Rogers.

Vogue Business and TikTok Technology Forum

What: HGA, an HR company specialized in transitional management and retail, organised a talk with two 2 prestigious guests from the retail world, Simon Susman, Honorary Chairman of Woolworth, and Erica Vilkaus, former CEO of LK Benett. IADS attended this exclusive, unrecorded conversation with 2 retail veterans exchanging their view of the current situation.

Why is it important for IADS members:  For Simon Susman, the key point for department stores’ resilience is the story told and sold. This is not to be taken lightly, as values and commitments embodied by retailers will prove essential to be identified as trustable by customers, who are hungry for meaning.

For Erica Vilkaus, digital transformation must focus on 2 essential retail points: supply chain and the role of the sales team, both to provide the best experience to customers and deliver it efficiently.

HGA Exclusive talks with S Susman and E Vilkaus 103021

What: A two-day online event organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce on “Retail’s New and Resilient Future”

Why it is important: A number of international retailers and experts come together for this event, normally held “in real life”.

Retail Summit online March 2021

IADS partners with Tranoï to offer to IADS members a VIP access to the digital edition of Paris Fashion Week’s Tranoï. It is specially designed to allow buyers from all around the world to discover a curated selection of new brands without having to travel.

During 3 days, 20 brands (fashion, accessories, jewellery) will present their FW21 collection online in live and replay, including Majestic Filatures, Faliero Sarti, Bettina Vermillon, Coralie Marabelle, Persée Paris, Mes Demoiselles, Goostetech, D’Estrée, 5 Octobre, Avant Toi, Valentine Gauthier, Salut Beauté, Stella Pardo, Atelier Paulin, Pellico, Co.Go, Alonpi, QL2, Alessandro Enriquez, La Couverture, Pheonia, Mouche, Arma, Quantum Courage.

In addition, during this event, The Business of Fashion will present its annual study in partnership with McKinsey & Company, Fashion Snoops will present the FW21 general fashion trends, and 2 designers will be interviewed in their atelier, Ginette NY (jewellery), Shen Yao (Fashion).

The event will be held from 5 to 7 March 2021.

You can register here:<https://link.alkeon.app/login>

IADS negotiated a VIP treatment for its members, just send an email to Mrs Marina Lyritzi from Tranoï ([Marina.LYRITZI@tranoi.com](mailto:Marina.LYRITZI@tranoi.com)) who will be your dedicated contact.

Presentation Tranoi link 2021

Schedule

Tranoï link 2021 - schedule