19 Jan 2021
The Fashion Council Germany e. V. presents the first study on the “Status of German Fashion” and announces the fashion conference “The New Bauhaus – Workshop of the Future”
As part of the initial presentation of the study on the "Status of German Fashion", the Fashion Council Germany e. V. held a three-hour conference with relevant stakeholders from fashion and politics. Here, the interest group representing the German fashion industry announced that it had drawn a key conclusion from the study results: a new, forward-looking format.
You can find our talks here
Global Agenda | Bianca Lang & Eva Kruse (Global Fashion Agenda)
Our Cities | Sabine Spieler, Dieter Holzer & John Cloppenburg (Marc o' Polo, P&C)
Technical Innovation Germany | Tim Dörpmund, Elgar Straub & Olaf Schmidt (VDMA, Messe Frankfurt)
Whats different? | Christiane Arp, Lutz Hülle, Tina Lutz & Nina Knaudt (Lutz Hülle, Lutz Morris, Rianna+Nina)
Collaborate the future | Tim Dörpmund & Donald Schneider (Donald Schneider Studios)
Codes for tomorrow | Patrice Bouédibéla, Philipp Westermeyer & Thorsten Koenig
Creative Industries | Sabine Spieler, Marie-Louise Berg & Florian Drücke
→Download Studie
The Fashion Council Germany chose a three-hour digital conference as the format for the initial presentation of its study on the “Status of German Fashion”. In addition to the presentation of the study content and findings, the agenda also included various panel talks on the topics of the Green Deal, Germany as a technology location, and the future of (German) fashion.
Participants in the digital panel discussions included Eva Kruse (Managing Director, Global Fashion Agenda), Dr. Christian Ehler (Member of the EU Parliament), Christiane Arp (President, Fashion Council Germany), Lutz Hülle (Founder & Designer, LUTZ HUELLE), Dieter Holzer (Managing Director, Marc O'Polo), John Cloppenburg (Member of the Management Board of Peek & Cloppenburg), Marco Götz (Managing Director, Drykorn), Nina Knaudt (Managing Director, Rianna+Nina), Patrice Bouédibéla (Moderator & Editor), Philipp Westermeyer (Founder, OMR - Online Marketing Rockstars), Tina Lutz (Founder & Designer, Lutz Morris) and Tristan Horx (Trend and Futurologist).
Some voices from the conference:
"The study on the status of German fashion is particularly relevant for the perception of the industry. For the first time, the industry seems to be perceived and taken seriously politically and economically. Although German fashion has always been very strong economically, it was not seen as an economic sector. The study has therefore helped us to quantify the industry's successes and opportunities and shows one thing in particular: the German fashion industry must be supported more in the future!" (Dr. Christian Ehler, Member of the European Parliament)
"As part of our scenario analyses, we have identified a trend that is becoming increasingly important: the trend towards locality. However, the global project has not failed. Rather, this development indicates that we are in an age in which technology is blurring boundaries. In this way, we can be locally anchored and globally connected at the same time." (Tristan Horx, trend researcher at the Zukunftsinstitut)
"Today's fashion industry has a central task: it must make its customers understand that it is cool to consume less, more specifically and more intelligently. We have been taught for several decades that we need more and more - but we must change this behavior now at the latest. And this is exactly where we can start and see the Corona crisis as a kind of opportunity; as an opportunity for a fresh start with an understanding of the value and durability of clothing." (Eva Kruse, Managing Director of Global Fashion Agenda)
"We are currently in a worrying situation. With a lockdown that is necessary, but at the same time also poses an enormous threat to stationary retail, it will take some effort to resolve the situation together. Help will be needed to save this stationary retail, which is indispensable for the sociotope of a city center, and to expand it in a sustainable way." (Dieter Holzer, Managing Director of Marc O'Polo)
"I believe that stationary retail plays an important role. And not just in terms of the development of city centers, but also in terms of a social and humane aspect. Because there will be a time again when social interaction will be of particular relevance.” (John Cloppenburg, member of the Peek & Cloppenburg management team)
“One marketing trend that I find significant is the collaboration between sporting goods manufacturers such as Adidas or Puma and opinion leaders from the music industry. This means that individual brands not only align themselves with people, but also make their entire image dependent on them. And they can also win over a huge network.” (Philipp Westermeyer, founder of OMR – Online Marketing Rockstars)
About the study
The Status of German Fashion project was carried out by the renowned Oxford Economics Institute and funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy based on a resolution of the German Bundestag. The project’s partners are VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies and GermanFashion Modeverband Deutschland e.V.
