What does the Fashion Council Germany want?

Scott: We are an industry association representing the diversity of the German fashion industry and advocating for its interests in politics, business, and the public sphere. We take a holistic view of the fashion industry, encompassing all its stakeholders and interfaces: retailers, emerging designers, established fashion houses, and all the creative professionals involved in the creative process. Our goal is not only to represent all of this but also to support it through targeted lobbying, thereby creating the impact and reach that the German fashion industry deserves – on a cultural, social, and economic policy level. We also see it as our responsibility to advocate for issues such as funding opportunities and the right to participate in shaping the regulatory framework for the fashion industry.

How do you intend to achieve that?

Scott: Since our founding, we have undertaken a whole range of projects and activities that have increased the visibility of German fashion in politics and the public sphere. Currently, for the first time, we are collaborating with Ursula von der Leyen's "The New European Bauhaus" initiative for the "Workshop of the Future" conference format at Frankfurt Fashion Week. We maintain an ongoing dialogue with policymakers at the state, federal, and EU levels, and have met with representatives from the Federal Chancellery and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy to help shape the economic framework for fashion entrepreneurs. Internationally, we network with other organizations such as the CFDA – Council of Fashion Designers of America, the British Fashion Council, and the Camera della Moda, with whom we are currently collaborating again to facilitate exchange between German and Italian designers. A major milestone is our study on the "Status of German Fashion," which, as an assessment of the German fashion industry, lays the groundwork for a voice in economic policy.

What is the state of the German fashion industry? What insights does this study reveal?

Scott: Clearly, it's the size of the German fashion industry. After all, Germany is the second-largest producer in Europe, has the highest density of fashion schools, and is also globally relevant as a sales market. And yet, it lacks social acceptance and political support.

Compared to other countries, we've also found that we are very innovative and file the most patents in the field of textile development. We have companies that produce silk from spider webs or yarns made from milk. Sustainability is also one of our strengths. The survey also highlighted the "German virtues" of quality and reliability. Regarding digitalization, German SMEs in particular still need support to digitize their operations. Many owner-managed companies have not yet reached the younger generation.

Do you, as an interest group, also address these issues?

Scott: Yes. We are currently creating working groups where people with specific expertise can contribute – this applies particularly to our key topics of sustainability and digitalization. We have launched small digital projects in Berlin to give designers and companies access to digital planning tools, and we also offered free webinars for our members during the lockdown to train their digital skills.

How is sustainability addressed in your organization?

Scott: This often goes hand in hand with digitalization. We want to initiate a nationwide funding project for a digital tool that helps companies become more sustainable – not only in corporate management, product development, and manufacturing, but at all points in the supply chain. We are also working on this at the political level, because sustainability has a lot to do with communication and education. We want to continue raising public awareness of the urgency of this issue. We are also collaborating with Prince Charles The Prince's Foundation to examine old processes in the fashion industry that might be revived and find their way back into everyday fashion, such as sustainable craftsmanship. We will further develop the German Sustain Concept and are planning a sustainability study. In the future, we will involve educational institutions more closely in this. This, too, is taking place in the "Workshop of the Future."

What benefits does the Fashion Council offer me as a member?

Scott: A club is only as strong as its members, and every member must actively participate to benefit from the club's activities. It's like a sports club – if you play tennis, you have to go to the court. The same applies to us; there's a network that needs to be actively used. We try to increase the visibility of the club and its members and act as a liaison between members and the political and business sectors to create new opportunities, collaborations, and support for our members. How much the club's activities benefit each individual depends on whether they are a more passive or an active member. The more involved you are, the greater the benefit.

What are the next steps for the Fashion Council Germany?

‍

Scott: We're a very young organization, but I think we've already achieved quite a bit in the five years since our founding. In the near future, we want to expand knowledge transfer on our new platform so that members can access databases and webinars, as well as new master classes from institutions like Parsons School of Design and Polimoda. We want to further enhance member benefits to encourage active engagement. At the very beginning, membership may have been based on a shared belief in the common goal of raising the profile of fashion, but now there's an infrastructure and a network that members can use very practically for their work. Political lobbying, on the other hand, is a long-term endeavor, a process we're constantly working on. And this young organization has already accomplished a great deal in that area, establishing access to political circles more quickly than I've seen with any other organization.

How do I contact the Fashion Council Germany?

‍

Scott: Call us, get in touch, talk to us! We want to invite everyone involved in the fashion industry. We want our members to get involved and talk to each other to build something together.

‍