From the Sector

Lectra brings together partnership schools and industry experts to discuss how changing professions
in fashion are impacting training programs

Lectra, the world leader in integrated technology solutions dedicated to industries using fabrics, leather,
technical textiles and composite materials, recently welcomed partners from the world of
education to the company’s Bordeaux-Cestas campus for its eighth education congress. The
event was dedicated to the mega trends shaping the fashion industry and impacting
professions from design to production.

Over fifty representatives from among the most important fashion schools in Germany, Canada, China,
USA, France, Hong Kong, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, United Kingdom, Switzerland and Sweden, participated
in this biannual meeting between industry experts and teaching professionals.

Fashion professions are evolving as companies make their first steps towards Industry 4.0, adopting 3D
and rationalizing the lifecycle management for their collections thanks to PLM. Lectra’s congress enabled
schools to discuss the developing role of designers and patternmakers, and the new elements to be
integrated into training programs.

Lectra illustrated future changes through presentations on design, patternmaking, 3D prototyping, and PLM.
“It is fundamental to bring innovation experts in the industry together with fashion schools, because
students will drive the evolution of this industry,” stated Pascal Denizart, Managing Director of the Centre
européen des textiles innovants (CETI).

Working with schools to design courses which meet the needs of fashion companies has always been at
the heart of Lectra’s education program. During the event, the company presented collaborative
experiences between partner schools and fashion brands, such as the competitions organised by Lectra
with Missoni, Balenciaga, and Armani in Italy, as well as Peacebird in China and JC Penney in the United
States.

In the United Kingdom, Lectra collaborated with COS (H&M group) and the Arts University Bournemouth
(AUB) for a competition centred on the design of a collection with zero waste.
“The process was totally digital, from design to the creation of a virtual prototype in 3D. Our students learnt
to optimize each stage of the process. By leveraging the use of Kaledo®, Modaris® and Diamino®, the
collaborative work between AUB, COS and Lectra is exactly the type of project that enormously motivates
our students. Live briefs developed with leading fashion brands and Lectra offer excellent opportunities
which directly inform industry currency and student employability,” explained Penny Norman, a lecturer at
AUB.

The event also shone the spotlight on China and its major role in the evolution of the fashion industry.
Li Min, Vice-Dean of the fashion and design faculty at Donghua university in Shanghai spoke of the event,
organized by Lectra, which brought together major Chinese companies, experts, and representatives from
the biggest schools in China.

“Exchanges on the impact of the Made in China 2025 plan on the fashion industry can better prepare
students for tomorrow’s professions, where digital and automation will occupy a far more central position
than today,” testified Li Min.

"The fashion industry is evolving so fast that sharing insights and best practices with experts and other
fashion schools has become vital to ensure we offer the best learning experience and technology tools to
our students", said Dr. Trevor J. Little, Professor of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management in
the College of Textiles at NC State University.

“Lectra’s eighth education congress confirms the company’s commitment to our partner schools. We
shared our analysis of the market, the digitalization of the eco-system, and how Industry 4.0 principles can
be applied to the fashion industry. We also discussed mass customization and the role of PLM. While these
are key subjects for our customers, many schools are only now approaching them. We are preparing
tomorrow, today: Lectra is supporting our customers, and schools to play an essential role,” concludes
Céline Choussy Bedouet, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Lectra.

Fashion forecaster MintModa and Archroma, a global leader in color and specialty chemicals, announce a new strategic partnership leveraging the respective strengths of both companies in color creativity. Combining Archroma’s scientific color expertise with MintModa’s clear, narrative-driven color forecasts provides fashion and design-related industries with an actionable and trend-right color resource.
Launched last year, Color Atlas by Archroma offers 4320 new shades, extending their custom color business with a readily available, time-efficient color management system. MintModa’s ColoRevolution offers highly-curated color analysis and direction on its cloud-based subscription trend service. Because color plays a starring role in the visual language of social media, carefully chosen palettes are essential for capturing a new generation of connected consumers.

“People today are constantly exposed to a barrage of vibrant media on multiple devices. The customer is now visually sophisticated, a voracious consumer of ever-changing images depicting highly-styled products, places and people,” states MintModa founder and creative director Sharon Graubard. “The emotional draw of color, hardwired into humans, becomes an ever-more powerful marketing tool.”
“The Color Atlas by Archroma represents a true labor of love,” said Chris Hipps, Global Director, Archroma Color Management. “The idea is to offer our customers options they never dreamed of. We resonate with MintModa’s progressive, focused approach. In fact, we met because they were searching for a specific shade of blue and couldn’t find it elsewhere. This level of color curation dovetails with our passionate drive and relentless commitment towards excellence.”

C&A, one of Europe’s leading Fashion retailers has recently launched in its stores in 18 European markets the world’s first Cradle to Cradle CertifiedTM Gold products. These recyclable t-shirts are made of 100% organic cotton, with safe materials and chemicals and produced in a socially and environmentally responsible way. They have been certified at gold level by the Cradle-to Cradle Product Innovation Institute (C2CPII). The dyes used in the coloration of the shirts, which are available in two styles and 17 colors, were selected from the range of DyStar Levafix® and Remazol® reactive dyes which received C2C Gold Level certification for Material Health from C2CPII in 2016.
With a selection of apparel dyes for the fashion industry awarded a Gold-level Material Health Certificate, the DyStar Group strives to be part of a more sustainable future and growing a circular economy as well as reaffirms its commitment to environmental and human health. The styles were developed in close partnership with Fashion for Good. Created with funds granted by founding partner C&A Foundation, Fashion for Good is a global partnership that unites apparel producers, retailers, non-profit organizations, innovators and funders in the shared ambition to transform the apparel industry into a circular one.