The vision of the Fashion Changers Conference is to positively transform the fashion industry. The mission is to provide a platform where industry participants can access and share concrete recommendations and expert knowledge.
The Fashion Changers Conference 2021 will take place on the 27th and 28th of October in cooperation with Fashion Africa Now and Future Fashion. The main topic of our panel will be Trade with Africa – Deconstruct Colonial Trade Relations. Apart from the panel we will introduce to you the collaborative project between Future Fashion and Fashion Africa Now – Future Fashion Made In Africa – during a Live Podcast.
The Live podcast is primarily intended to make the topic accessible to a broad audience and to arouse their interest in Future Fashion Made In Africa. In addition there will be a Mentoring Session, the mentoring serves to educate and is intended to address topics such as successful sourcing. The panel with four guests serves as an interface between the Global North and the Global South, where experts meet to discuss African Fashion and challenges facing the fashion industry. Our formats will take place on two days and in english.
Find out about the full program on the Fashion Changers website.
The Fashionchangers conference is a German speaking conference!
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Trade with Africa – Deconstruct Colonial Trade Relations
Africa’s image in transition! Avant-garde fashion represents and shows the continent as never before. Thanks to digital transformation and globalization, creatives enjoy a new presence. A booming young, dynamic, creative and business-oriented scene is growing and looking to secure a place in the apparel and textile industry. The interest of African designers, brands and producers is shifting to the European export market.
But in line with the spirit of the times, the fashion industry must also authentically address the issue of sustainability. In this context, narratives around colonialism are essential, alongside topics such as environmental friendliness and fair production. It is time to break the one-sided and exploitative trade relations between Africa and Europe and to sustainably use and promote the potential of African and diasporic creatives. „Made In Africa“ and its qualities became a trend within the last years and the interest in brands that are of African origin is growing.
In order to promote enlightenment and intensive exchange, enclosed is an excerpt of the questions we would like to discuss on the panel:
- What are the causes of colonialism within the fashion industry and how do they affect its stakeholders?
- How can trade relations be promoted and maintained on equal terms?
We are inviting you to join the Mentoring Session
Ethical Sourcing in West Africa – Social or Business Case?
Mentor: Nana S. Boahene (Social.Urban.Nature)
Consumers are getting more and more aware of the problem in global supply chains. That’s why they expect changes to come from companies to take action. But what does it mean to be a social enterprise that works closely with artisans, designers and cooperatives to build sustainable business structures that can sustain communities? How slow is too Slow Production and what are the challenges working across continents and cultures?
Being a start-up focused on sustainability means for Social. Urban. Nature, working with innovative materials, questioning traditional ideas and breaking new, socially entrepreneurial ground. On the basis of best practice examples this Mentoring Session provides an overview of sustainable sourcing in West Africa from a development perspective and discusses the limits of FairTrade as a business model.
Sign In for the free Mentoring Session under Fashion Changers Konferenz
The Fashion Changers Conference is mainly supported by Wildling! Further supporters are Polarstern, Lebenskleidung und I+M.
The following collaborative partners will be at this year’s conference.
Fashion Africa Now × Neonyt × Future Fashion