We are delighted to announce the schedule for the third annual Institute of Positive Fashion (IPF) Forum – an actions-oriented conference designed to galvanise key players in the British fashion industry to collaborate to achieve a circular fashion ecosystem in the UK by 2030. The day-long event will take place on Thursday 20th April 2023 at 180 Studios, 180 The Strand, London.
The event will focus on addressing the fashion industry’s most pressing climate-related challenges and will see over 30 speakers, strategically convened from BFC’s expansive global network, come together to explore how to accelerate a circular fashion economy in the UK. The inspiring event will be actions-oriented and consist of a series of visionary keynotes and panel discussions followed by ‘hack’ sessions designed to bring together peers across the industry to collaborate for collective outcomes and fast-track positive change.
To provide a glimpse into the future of fashion, the 2023 Innovation Showcase will return for its third iteration and highlight a curated set of innovators who are addressing key sustainability and responsible business challenges across fashion’s complex value chain. This year’s event will also include a display from the Student Fabric Initiative, which will showcase student designs from BFC Colleges Council member universities using deadstock fabrics, as powered by The Materialist. Interactive workshops will run throughout the day, reinforcing the action-oriented focus of the forum. The IPF Forum’s Delivery Collaborator, Deloitte, will lead a workshop which will provide businesses with practical advice on how to embed low carbon practices into the supply chain. TrusTrace will also lead a workshop designed to provide businesses with the tools to create successful traceability programs.
Tickets for the event are available to purchase here. Explore the official IPF Forum 2023 schedule below (running order not final and subject to change).
09:00 – Welcome
Speaker: Caroline Rush, Chief Executive Officer, British Fashion Council
09:25 – Keynote 1: Earth Is Our Only Shareholder: How Patagonia Is Using the Power of Action
Speaker: Tyler LaMotte, Marketing Director, Patagonia EMEA
09:50 – Keynote 2: The Circular Economy and Coachtopia: Introducing a New World of Circular Craft
Speakers: Joon Silverstein, SVP Global Marketing, Creative and Sustainability, Coach; Emily Chan, Senior Sustainability and Features Editor, British Vogue
10:25 – Hack 1: Creating the Blueprint for City-level Circular Fashion Ecosystems
Speakers: Louise Kjellerup Roper, Chief Executive Officer, Volans; Ilektra Kouloumpi, Regenerate and Thrive Lead, Circle Economy; Erinch Sahan, Business and Enterprise Lead, Doughnut Economics Action Lab; Thami Schweichler, Co-founder, Makers Unite
Moderator: Shailja Dubé, Institute of Positive Fashion Lead, British Fashion Council
Description: This discussion will explore how creation of regional fashion policy hubs could enable businesses to accelerate us towards a circular fashion economy. We will explore existing frameworks to help businesses embrace regenerative and circular systems, including the Doughnut Design for business tool.
10:25 – Hack 2: Empowering Citizens Through Technology for Garment Care
Speakers: Hannah Bernard, Global Senior Director for Marketing Communications, Avery Dennison Smartrac; Hasna Kourda, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, Save Your Wardrobe; Alex Kremer, Head of Strategy and Operations, Archive; Yasmine Winter, Sustainability Specialist, Ted Baker; Lucy Peacock, Head of Pre-loved Fashion, eBay UK; Josephine Philips, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Sojo
Moderator: Zofia Zwieglinska, International Fashion Reporter, Glossy
Description: Garment care is often overlooked by consumers despite its benefits in reducing the environmental impact of returns and increasing circularity in the fashion industry. This session will discuss the technology behind garment care, the power of storytelling, the opportunities brands can harness to build deeper relationships with customers and why this discussion is relevant ahead of the upcoming regulatory changes in the EU.
11:45 – Keynote 3: Time to Transform: The Power of Courageous Leadership
Speaker: Dr Sally Uren OBE, Chief Executive Officer, Forum for the Future
12:10 – Keynote 4: The Consumer Gaze in the 21st Century: Exploring Behavioural Change and Sustainability
Speaker: Dr Dimitrios Tsivrikos, Consumer and Business Psychologist
13:40 – Hack 3: Measuring the Impact of Circularity on the Path to Net Zero
Speakers: Jules Lennon, Fashion Initiative Lead, Ellen MacArthur Foundation; Amy Powney, Creative Director, Mother of Pearl; Laboni Saha, Entrepreneur and Founder, L Saha; Francois Souchet, Head of Sustainability and Impact, BPCM
Moderator: Adam Mansell, Chief Executive Officer, UKFT
Description: The 2021 Circularity Gap Report estimates that a circular economy could reduce global GHG emissions by 39%. Circular economy practices promote the use and reuse of natural resources and encourage brands to find value throughout the life cycle of their finished products. This session delves into what needs to be measured across business operations for a successful carbon management strategy and the building blocks required for businesses to put this into practice.
13:40 – Hack 4: How to Embrace a Just Transition
Speakers: Philippa Grogan, Sustainability Consultant, Eco-Age; Laura Macias, Global Lead, RISE Women’s Leadership and Advancement, BSR Global; Selyna Peiris, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Selyn; Daniel Peters, Founder, The Fashion Minority Report
Moderator: Bella Webb, Sustainability Editor, Vogue Business
Description: For a successful transition to a green economy, we need to upskill our work force, and build diverse and future-proof talent pipelines to close the skills gap. This session will consider what a just transition means for the industry and how actors in the fashion ecosystem can implement this into their operations and decision-making.
15:15 – Keynote 5: Forces of Change: Representation and Inclusion
Speakers: Jamie Gill, Founder, The Outsiders Perspective; Daniel Peters, Founder, The Fashion Minority Report; Berni Yates, Lecturer, Central Saint Martins
16:00 – Hack 5: Preparing for Regulation Change
Speakers: Gerrard Fisher, Circular Business Partner, QSA Partners; Shameek Ghosh, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, TrusTrace; George Harding-Rolls, Campaign Manager, Changing Markets Foundation; Dr Dina Khalifa, Programme Leader of MSc Luxury Brand, Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership; Alexander Rhodes, Mishcon de Reya Partner and Head of Purpose; Dounia Wone, Chief Sustainability and Inclusion Officer, Vestiaire Collective
Moderator: Rachel Arthur, Sustainability Consultant and Writer
Description: Durability, repairability, recyclability are core aspects of the EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles. For UK companies who intend to do business with the EU, there are new regulations to be aware of which may come into play as early as next year. This session will discuss how businesses can prepare for these upcoming changes.
16:00 – Hack 6: Circular Business Models
Speakers: Eshita Kabra, Founder and CEO, By Rotation; Dax Lovegrove, Director of Sustainability, Jimmy Choo, Versace; Christian Toennesen, Group Sustainability Director, Selfridges Group; Rosie Wollacott Phillips, Head of Sustainability, Mulberry
Moderator: Emily Chan, Senior Sustainability and Features Editor, British Vogue
Description: Circular and sharing business models are increasing exponentially as rental and resale offer potential for continued and varied revenue streams whilst significantly reducing resource extraction. How can businesses create new supply chains and business models which tangibly reduce the immense waste streams in our industry?
17:35 – Keynote 6: The Importance of Activism
Speakers: Dominique Palmer, Climate Activist; Simran Randhawa, Journalist, Creative Consultant and Digital Specialist
18:10 – Closing Remarks
Speaker: Caroline Rush, Chief Executive Officer, British Fashion Council
Workshops and Showcases
All day – Future of Fashion Innovation Showcase
Description: The Future of Fashion Innovation Showcase highlights a curated set of innovators who are addressing key sustainability and responsible business challenges across fashion’s complex value chain. This includes design and sourcing, the way in which new products are created and consumption models.
All day – Student Fabric Initiative
Description: The BFC Student Fabric Initiative, powered by The Materialist, provides practical support by donating deadstock fabrics and components to future talent. Students from BFC Colleges Council member universities have been invited to enter a design competition to receive a cash prize and mentoring. Six finalists will display their garments created from the donated deadstock and the winner will be announced on the day.
10:25 – Workshop: How to Embed Low Carbon Practices into the Supply Chain, With Deloitte
Description: Tackling carbon emissions across the supply chain is critical for all companies to meet the aims of the Paris Agreement and to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This workshop will be led by Deloitte who will provide practical advice for companies so they can decrease carbon across operations in the supply chain.
13:40 – Workshop: How to Make Your Traceability Program Successful, With TrusTrace
Description: Due to the fast-growing number of laws and regulations, and influx of conscious consumers, there is increasing pressure on brands to manage and disclose information about the conditions their products are made in. In this interactive workshop led by TrusTrace, participants will learn what it takes to develop successful traceability programs tailored to their specific needs, as well as discuss best practice with peers.
16:00 – Workshop: Burnout: What You Really Need to Know
Description: Ashley Gillen Long, a burnout prevention specialist, with over 30 years’ experience in the fashion industry, discusses the truth behind burnout. As a qualified therapist and senior clarity life coach, she demonstrates how to spot the signs and reverse the damage before it's too late.