The fashion industry is finally being formally recognized at the World Economic Forum(WEF) in Davos.  Although a peripheral topic two years ago, this year the industry has a seat at the table.

The World Economic Forum hosts some of the most exclusive guests on earth. According to the New York Times, “It is an occasion for the global elite to debate the most urgent and far-reaching issues on the planet.”

The inclusion of fashion into this high-power arena means that the industry will be able to take advantage of the emerging technologies and resources for research and to be at the front line innovation that demonstrate best practices in a global environment.

In simple terms, fashion will be a player in this technological revolution that will “change the way we live, work and relate to one another.”

Stella McCartney and Ellen MacArthur

We are delighted that designer Stella McCartney will be one of the leaders representing the industry. We have written about her before. She is a young woman who has dedicated her business to quality design and, at the same time, to working toward minimize environmental impact.  While some designers pay lip service to minimizing pollution from the manufacturing processes of fashion, Ms. McCartney has consistently been on the forefront of environmentalism.  Current data indicates that the fashion industry is a larger contributor to greenhouse emissions annually than all international flights and shipping combined.

On the agenda at the Forum is what is being called the Fourth Industrial Revolution.  “The Fourth Industrial Revolution is already impacting the fashion business through digital fabrication technologies, additive manufacturing, 3-D printing and new computational design techniques. “Imagine a world where you want a red cashmere sweater that is a certain fit, style and length. This is immediately manufactured and on your doorstep in five days. That reality is closer than many believe,” said eBay’s chief executive Devin Wenig.”

Those of us interested in fashion support Ms. McCartney and the Forum for recognizing the industry.

Ciao

LucyandClaudia