Textile Insight

IN THE MARKET | PI APPAREL SHOW Investing in Innovation 8 • Textile Insight ~ July/August 2017 textileinsight.com Firms Eye Digital Tech and Collaborative Strategies for Growth. By Emily Walzer Pre-arranged, one-to-one meetings with platform providers and networking with peers are essential elements of PI Apparel events where sponsor exhibits showcase more advanced, yet more user-friendly digital technologies. usinesses looking to build and sharpen their competitive edge found new technologies and fresh ideas at the recent PI Apparel NY. Exhibitors offered tools to support innovation, while thoughtful presentations and focus groups inspired conversation about overcoming — or at least dealing with — market challenges. Together these discussions and product showcases allowed attendees to better understand and explore new tech platforms. Data management, digital technology and wearable technology were the main areas of focus at the two-day gathering held at the Union League Club in Manhattan. The agenda revolved around software solutions and extending PLM platforms throughout the value chain; 3D advances in product creation; and making wearable tech more wearable. Networking was also a priority with designated breaks during the conference devoted to pre-arranged meetings between attendees and vendors. Vendors explained how small-scale programs reap significant benefits in terms of speed to market with cost savings, and how product development using 3D technol- ogy can provide enhanced fit with fewer samples needed. Some predict that one day 3D may empower retailers to test styles before actually manufacturing them and provide advanced customization for shoppers. Exhibiting companies ran the gamut includ- ing 3dMD, Alvanon, Body Labs, Centric Software, CLO Virtual Fashion, Gerber Technology, Kalypso, Optitex, and Pivot88 among others. The 200 or so attendees consisted of manufacturers, retailers, and product developers from leading apparel, footwear and fashion brands. Tech as an Avenue for Growth What innovation means for industry and what innovation means for individual busi- nesses was examined by keynote speaker Barry McGeough, group VP, Innovation Next, PVH Corp., owner of Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Speedo, and Izod brands. He urged execs, for example, to use Artificial Intelligence to enhance the customer expe- rience at retail, and to take advantage of "machine learning" to start predicting con- sumer behavior and get closer to the mark than relying on big data. "Using AI to learn what our customers are looking for will give faster results and improve accuracy," said McGeough, who also made a case for using RFID data visualization. "Our challenge is figuring out how to make everything more individualized, more one on one to the consumer." McGeough encouraged companies to set up innovation centers to meet unanticipated needs of the consumer. "There is revenue out there, and innovation centers are about asking what those needs are and figuring that out." Under Armour execs followed suit highlighting the ben- efits of collaborative innovation and how recent product successes came about by "looking outside our four walls." UA's Lighthouse is the brand's innovation hub, though other corporate spaces such as the Foundry and the City Garage also serve as idea generators. While not giving away any new developments, Lisa Powers Struble and Jami Dunbar noted how the MagZip and Speedform shoe were the result of UA's collabora- tive approach. The MagZip, created in partnership with Ideal Zipper came from an idea presented at UA's Future Show where individuals can present ideas. Future Show has grown to include events in Asia and Latin America in addition to Baltimore. A Design Future Show for college age participants has recently been launched. Dunbar, VP, apparel & virtualization, mentioned that UA employees have an "idea sourcing app" on their phones to ensure that bright ideas can get to the right person in the company. Other brands see the value of this approach. According to audience participation during the UA focus group, Target has demo days on new tech and has implemented a maker space on the corporate campus; PVH Europe does mini Sharktank type presentations, and is bringing this concept to PVH USA; and Kohls routinely leverages supplier and design teams to work together. UA's Speedform shoe was a collab with China-based factory partner Regina Miracle "I would encourage you to look at your supply base and urge them to show you ideas and to work with innovative suppliers in new and differ- ent ways," said Struble, VP, technical design, explaining how Regina Miracle bra making expertise translated to a lightweight foam constructed shoe. "I've been surprised by the appetite for collaboration that we experienced," she concluded Engineering wearables is also often a collaborative effort. Associate Professor Lucy Dunne, University of Minnesota, gave an excellent talk on "Why Bother & Where to with Wearables?" She stressed that no matter what the tech, wearables need to stay grounded in good design decisions. Dunne further noted frustration on the delay in wearables becoming mainstream and made the point that innovation takes time and money. Using the example of Google Glass, Dunne said, "Like them or hate them, the product took almost 20 years to commercialization." O PI Apparel events: apparel.pi.tv

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