Apparel Tech Conference Preview

10/25/2006

Staff Report

The annual Apparel Tech Conference will feature exhibits and educations sessions from leading researchers and technology suppliers.

The event will be held from Nov. 8-9 at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York, NY. Free registration is available to individuals employed with apparel, soft goods and retail businesses. Seating is first-come, first-served.

Following is an overview of the event's agenda of educational sessions. Sponsor exhibits will be open from 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 8 through 3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9. For a complete list of sponsors, please visit: http://www.apparelmag.com/conferences/Tech/TC06/TC06.shtml

Educational Session Schedule

Wednesday, November 8

1:30-2:30 p.m.
Opening Keynote Address & Presentation of Apparel All-Star Awards
Amphitheater

Fast Fashion & Technology: Promise or Peril
Michael Barrett, Research Director, Retail, AMR Research

Competition keeps driving industry toward ever shorter time to market for new items. The term "fast fashion" has emerged as an essential element of business and supply chain strategy across the apparel sector. Information technology tools ranging from Product Lifecycle Management applications to Lead Time Optimization analytics to good old-fashioned ERP systems are being touted as good bets to make fast fashion a reality. AMR Research will speak to the business promise of "fast fashion" and the potential pitfalls of misjudging technology investments that are supposed to deliver it.

3:00-3:30 p.m.

-PLM: Runway or Runaway?, Dave Rode, Lectra, Room 9
Keeping pace with ever-increasing consumer demand for fresh and innovative fashions at competitive prices has been a challenge for apparel companies. These pressures have accelerated the adoption and integration of technology into the product development processes. In a time sensitive environment, it is vital for fashion companies to develop and market products efficiently and quickly while ensuring styles meet the consumer's standards.

Efficient coordination across the entire development cycle is essential to ensuring the quality of the final product and its conformity with the initial design and brand identity. Lectra Fashion PLM addresses these industry challenges by providing a comprehensive approach for managing communication and collaboration across the global supply chain.

Learn about product development strategies that can transform your business process. Lectra Fashion PLM, developed by a fashion technology provider, is an apparel dedicated solution that meets all the distinct requirements of the fashion and retail sectors. Discover new ways to manage your collection and products with the support of Lectra Fashion PLM.

-The Complete Solution for Color Lifecycle Management Part 1, Tom Stutts, Datacolor, Room 4
Brands and retailers are faced with numerous challenges in trying to effectively manage their supply chain. One of these challenges is the management of color. Without accurate color lifecycle management companies may experience extended development calendars, delayed shipments and a reduction in the bottom line.

Datacolor has provided expertise and proven color management technology around the world for more than 30 years. Datacolor Spectrum is an integrated suite of color management technologies that provides color lifecycle management throughout your supply chain.

During this discussion, we will focus on innovative technologies in color lifecycle management that will help companies ensure consistent color quality, reduce the cost of production and accelerate their products' speed to market. These solutions solve your color challenges throughout the supply chain resulting in an increase in your bottom line.

-The Gains and Pains of Technology From My Perspective -- A Candid Discussion Among Users of Technology, Barbara Zeins, Gerson & Gerson; Hadi Salem, B&H Company and Walter Wilhelm, Walter Wilhelm Associates LLC, on behalf of Tukatech, Amphitheater
This panel discussion will feature Barbara Zeins of Gerson & Gerson, Hadi Salem of B & H Company and Pam Buckingham of Patagonia and be moderated by Walter Wilhelm, Walter Wilhelm & Associates. The panelists will discuss how technology has refined and revitalized their companies -- and the struggles that sometimes go along with it. A short question and answer period will follow.

Gerson & Gerson is a 70-year old company and one of the largest children's wear companies in the U.S.A., with manufacturing done globally. B & H Company, based in California, licenses and manufactures knitwear for many very large retailers in the United States and elsewhere. Patagonia, the great outdoor clothing company, has been in business for over 30 years and has been hailed as one of the best companies for which to work.

4:00-4:30 pm.

-Active Textiles -- Introducing Technologies That Provide Care, Freshness and Sun Protection For Your Skin, Oliver-Daniel Bogatu, Cognis Corp., Amphitheater
Introducing technologies that provide care, freshness and sun protection for your skin. Active textiles offer established brand owners new innovative technologies based on proven efficacy to provide added values that are perceptible and not just hot marketing stories. Whether out on the waves, on the beach, playing golf or on safari, people exposed to the sun need effective ultraviolet screening. BelfasunTM from Cognis is the world's first sun-protective treatment for sports and apparel textiles.

Everyone knows that the right clothes make you look good, but now they can make you feel good too with built-in cosmetic active ingredients. Skintex products contain microencapsulated skincare components with proven benefits through consumer studies and field trials.

If you live an active life, do a lot of sports or have an exciting job then you are bound to get sweaty from time to time. When treated with Cyclofresh your clothes recognize sweat, catch it and prevent unpleasant aromas from developing in the textile.

If these concepts interest you, please join us for this presentation to learn more about these innovative technologies.

-Speed to Market with Integrated PLM and Global Sourcing Systems, Fred Isenberg, New Generation Computing, Room 9
This fast paced seminar will look at the Key Issues, Challenges and Opportunities surrounding the Design, Product Development, Sourcing and Inbound Logistics processes at today's Apparel and Sewn Products companies. We will explore how today's advanced web IT solutions can help reduce costs, eliminate costly errors, improve efficiency, and improve speed to market.

-The Complete Solution for Color Lifecycle Management Part 2, Dan Randall, Datacolor, Room 4

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) holds the promise of seamless connectivity from product concept, development, through to sourcing and distribution. Likewise, Color Lifecycle Management (CLM) provides digital color specification and communication along the supply chain to bring the right color at the right time from the mind of the designer to the market. Both technologies offer tangible solutions to retail and brand companies seeking to streamline their product cycles. This presentation will examine the common interfaces between color and product development processes and show how even relatively simple integrations between CLM and PLM can bring much needed benefit and value to the implementer.

5:00-5:30 p.m.

-If the Dress Fits: A Custom Apparel Manufacturer's Guide to Made-to-Measure & 3D Virtual Fitting Technology, Yoram Burg, OptiTex USA Inc., Amphitheater
If the dress fits, they will come! In this informative case study presentation, OptiTex will discuss how custom clothing companies are taking advantage of the latest technologies in Made-to-Measure (MTM) and 3D pattern design. Attendees will see firsthand how pattern design and 3D modeling software has taken skating and dancewear company Lovie Couture to new heights. The session will take a closer look at the challenges facing a custom clothing company today and the strategic 3D/ MTM technology solutions to overcome those problems. Featured will be a live demonstration of how to use pattern design and 3D modeling and draping software to see if "what looks good on paper also looks good on the customer." Also examined will be how this automation has helped companies save costs and gain speed to market from concept to spec.

-Leveraging Cross-Industry PLM Best Practices in Apparel, Shankar Raman, UGS Corp., Room 4
The apparel industry is rapidly evolving. Consumers are getting smarter, brand loyalty is a thing of the past, margins are getting squeezed and private label development is a key initiative at retailers. As a number of Apparel manufacturers, marketers and retailers embark on the mission to cut cycle times, drive top-line growth, reduce waste and leverage supply chain efficiencies, they find themselves in a situation where decision making is critical, planning and visibility are vital and execution is paramount. Enter PLM! PLM finds its roots in the discrete manufacturing market where it has been a true and tested technology to accomplish a number of the same goals but within different industries.

This session will look at some of the characteristics and best practices within industries such as CPG, High-Tech, Automotive, Aerospace, and Healthcare, etc. and reveal some very interesting similarities and some key differences that can help Apparel companies derive value from their PLM deployment. The session will also include a Case Study Presentation of a customer who has been able to leverage some of the cross-

-The Microsoft Revolution in Business Software, presented by Blue Fox Porini & Microsoft, Room 9
Learn and see how Microsoft and Blue Fox are establishing a new echelon of apparel specific business solutions so employees can minimize routine work, gain and share insights, and collaborate better and faster. This presentation will profile a winning combination of integrated PLM, Supply Chain, Enterprise Management and Business Intelligence tools and leading technology that works like and with popular Microsoft products so familiar to your people. You and your organization will be more productive, make better decisions, and pursue business goals with confidence.

Thursday, November 9

8:30-9:30 a.m.
2nd Day Keynote Address
Amphitheather

Interactive RetailingSM and Your IT Imperative
Chad Doiron, IT Strategist, Kurt Salmon Associates

Interactive RetailingSM is more than just online offerings and self-serve stations. KSA will demonstrate how Interactive RetailingSM reaches far beyond the internet and encompasses diverse leading-edge computing technologies that are designed to satisfy the ever-increasing demands of today's super-knowledgeable, tech-savvy, interconnected consumers. Additionally, KSA will discuss how the adoption of Interactive RetailingSM has specific implications for technology infrastructure, present examples of companies that have incorporated Interactive RetailingSM into their IT plans, and highlight opportunities represented by investment in Interactive RetailingSM.

9:30-10:00 a.m.

-Active Textiles -- Introducing Technologies That Provide Care, Freshness and Sun Protection For Your Skin, Oliver-Daniel Bogatu, Cognis Corp., Room 9
Introducing technologies that provide care, freshness and sun protection for your skin. Active textiles offer established brand owners new innovative technologies based on proven efficacy to provide added values that are perceptible and not just hot marketing stories. Whether out on the waves, on the beach, playing golf or on safari, people exposed to the sun need effective ultraviolet screening. BelfasunTM from Cognis is the world's first sun-protective treatment for sports and apparel textiles.

If these concepts interest you, please join us for this presentation to learn more about these innovative technologies.

-Fast Styles: From Fit to Final Approval, Ilona Foyer & Roxy Starr, Shapely Shadow, Room 4
Face the increasing trend of granting your vendors the authority to approve samples. FastFit increases your productivity in both the development and the fit process. Learn how to strengthen vendor partnerships by utilizing technology to achieve Fast Styles and Fast Fashion.

-PLM: Runway or Runaway?, David Rode, Lectra, Amphitheater
Keeping pace with ever-increasing consumer demand for fresh and innovative fashions at competitive prices has been a challenge for apparel companies. These pressures have accelerated the adoption and integration of technology into the product development processes. In a time sensitive environment, it is vital for fashion companies to develop and market products efficiently and quickly while ensuring styles meet the consumer's standards.

10:30-11:00 a.m.

-ASP in Apparel Manufacturing -- A Competitiveness Powerball, Thomas Heinrichs, Assyst-Bullmer, Room 5
Today's global decentralization of apparel manufacturing operations requires support by a multitude of innovative IT solutions, such as cost efficient, fast and widely available communication tools, mutli-lingual collaborative software applications, remote access to central data storage and visual support of communication. This brings about the opportunity for new and cost effective application deployment models, such as Application Service Providing (ASP).

ASP offers cost savings vs. traditional software models, and, at the same time, supports some of the collaborative requirements of a globalized manufacturing scenario. ASP is a future-oriented usage concept which allows rental and distribution of software functionality via communication networks, according to user requirements. Provided is the entire infrastructure such as hardware, software and maintenance, together with all the necessary services, plus provison for data security, redundancy, peak demands and system management. The user actually only receives, via Internet, and pays for, the "raw" application or function, and only pays as it is actually used.

In this timely and relevant session, the implementation of and the first industrial scale usage of a functioning ASP model in the apparel industry will be presented.

-The Changing Shapes of America & The'Fit Opportunity' for Retailers and Brands, Ed Gribbin, AlvaProducts, Amphitheater
The session will address the following key questions:

How bodies have changed in the past 60 years;
- How diet, immigration and lifestyle changes have contributed to clothes shopping frustrations;
- What consumers say about fit and how it influences their buying decisions;
- What recent size surveys tell us about consumer sizes, shapes and proportions;
- How to integrate shape understanding into private label products and boost sales, profits, and customer loyalty in the process;
- How to understand and capitalize on underserved fit categories: petite, petite plus, junior plus, young men, the 50+ market;
- How to ensure global supply chain compliance and consistency to your standard of fit; and
- Why major global brands and retailers are turning to AlvaProducts to better understand'fit' and how to use it to create sustainable competitive advantage.

This panel discussion will feature Barbara Zeins of Gerson & Gerson, Hadi Salem of B & H Company and Pam Buckingham of Patagonia and be moderated by Walter Wilhelm, Walter Wilhelm & Associates. The panelists will discuss how technology has refined and revitalized their companies -- and the struggles that sometimes go along with it. A short question and answer period will follow.

-Structured Implementation Strategies for Successful Product Development, presented by Gerber Technology, Room 4
The foundation of a successful product lifecycle implementation is the planning, coordination and integration of all implementation activities. Gerber's industry experienced professionals will discuss the critical decisions involved as well as how the various pieces seamlessly work together to allow your employees to be more efficient and productive than ever before.

11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

-Drive Retail Sales with On Demand Customized Garment Printing, Peter Holland, Brother International Corp., Room 4
This seminar will present a dynamic new technology that can provide the retail side of the apparel selling process something fresh and exciting. Digital Direct-to-Garment Printing is fast, easy, and best of all - profitable. Delight your customers by offering on-the-spot customized full color graphics and personalization.

We will demonstrate how this print process works, what is required, and the many advantages it gives in the retail environment. The demonstration will be'virtual' in concept, taking the customer experience from start to finish. Personalization, from basic text, to dynamic designs in unlimited colors, to distressed looks are all available as product offerings in only minutes. "On Demand" digitally printed garments that have beautiful resolution, bright colors and stay fast durability.

This technology offers retailers an affordable new opportunity to differentiate their product offerings by marketing and merchandizing a new product concept: "On-Demand Personalization."

-How to Make Great Product: Focus on Core Competencies and Strategic Technologies, Paul Friedman, Ph.D., Fashionware Solutions Inc., Room 5
In today's business environment apparel makers and brands are required to compete with others serving the same markets with similar types of product. For any manufacturer or brand to be successful and maintain a distinctive advantage over their competing brands it must: 1) Remain focused on its own core competency as relates to the design and development of great product; 2) Standardize and incorporate fashion industry best practices related to the product life cycle process across product categories, divisions and brands; 3) Incorporate strategic technology initiatives.

Over the last several years leading companies from both the manufacturing and solution side of our industry have struggled to develop technology breakthroughs to support the day's business requirements for managing and collaborating through the product life cycle. Apparel manufacturers remain frustrated with the lack of software solutions that fully address the specific requirements of our industry and at the same time make use of the power and flexibility to collaborate over the Internet. In this discussion Paul A. Friedman, President of Fashionware Solutions Inc., will present the benefits of industry tailored technology solutions that utilize fashion industry best practices and the software as a service model.

‚¬. PLM Therapy: A Prescription of Speed, Quality and Efficiency (Including Patagonia case study), Kathleen Mitford, PTC, Amphitheater
Join PTC to learn how your peers are enabling global product development and increasing quality while reducing time to market. PTC will share industry examples, including a case study presentation of Patagonia, of how leading retailers and brands have been able to achieve their company's Fast Fashion initiatives through a phased approach to PLM implementations. PTC will explain how its approach to PLM implementation has helped customers address process challenges in the different stages of the product development lifecycle from concept to adoption.

-Using Consumer Demand Insights to Create a Demand-Driven Enterprise, Stefano Lena, TXT e-Solutions, Room 9
For most Apparel & Fashion companies, creating consumer demand and delivering the right product on time is just half the battle. With up to 75 percent of new product introductions failing, gaining insights on consumer demand and then creating a profitable production and logistical response throughout the network of retailers, employees and suppliers is critical for success.

The experts from TXT along with a client will present a real-world scenario on how these challenges were met using an advanced demand analytics and a sophisticated planning and supply chain solution.

1:00-1:30 p.m.

‚¬. How Tightly Managed PLM Can Yield Maximum Return -- From Collection Planning to Product Delivery, Cindy Bahr, Infor, Room 9
In an industry in which fashion and trends change faster than ever, where globalization and outsourcing are crucial key factors for success and survival, the need to shorten time to market (from design through shipping), and for providing systems that facilitate collaboration is growing on a daily basis.

Success is about getting accurate and relevant information to the right people in a timely manner. In order to remain competitive in a rapidly changing marketplace, companies must be able to communicate seamlessly throughout the entire product life cycle. They must figure out ways to shorten the timeline, and get product to market while it is still a hot trend, and not yesterday's news. Consequently, a drastically streamlined and disciplined product management process, and a proactive approach to problem resolution have become absolute necessities to achieving success in this business environment.

This highlights the need for highly integrated solutions that provide support from one end of the business to the other, without data re-keying. Systems must provide flexible and proactive access to management information, clear oversight of the design process, and support the collection planning process -- success should be in the plan from the outset of a collection.

In this session Infor will discuss these concepts, and illustrate their implementation at actual customer sites.

-Increase Productivity In A Collaborative Environment!, presented by Computer Generated Solutions, Amphitheater
Tech-savvy companies recognize that technology provides an unparalleled competitive edge, allowing organizations to produce high quality products quickly and more cost effectively, which ultimately delivers increased margins to their businesses.

Join us for this valuable session to hear directly from a customer's perspective how the implementation of BlueCherry Supply Chain, ERP and PLM solutions improved the level of product efficiency and effectiveness within their company. Listen as the company describes the overall collaboration among their designers, product developers, contractors, suppliers, and related partners through the use of this new collaborative framework. This strategic business decision, along with collaborative best business practices, has reduced their time to market, helped improve product quality, and increased savings through a totally integrated business approach.

-The Key to Successful Data Management for Small- to Mid-Sized Apparel Companies, Louis Wohlmuth, Polygon Software, Room 4
Today's global business environment demands that sewn goods manufacturers, brands and distributors have a centralized repository for all their business data, from product development through to shipment. To maintain a competitive position, this information needs to be instantaneously available to authorized personnel anywhere in the world. Louis Wohlmuth, the acknowledged "father of apparel CAD," assisted by one of Polygon's clients, will describe the challenges that small-to-midsize sewn product enterprises face when implementing data management computing solutions. He will share his vision of the tools and software capabilities needed to succeed in the current global economy.

-Back to the Future: Pattern Making on Paper (and Automatic Digitizing), Davi Geiger, N-hega, Room 5
The industry is as eager as ever for new technologies to increase its productivity. Is creating new patterns on paper better than using computer aided design? If so, what is the role of technology? Pattern Makers say: From a concept of a pattern to its first creation, doing it on paper is better. Using a pencil on paper feels better than using a computer pen or mouse, and has more resolution, and it is done on real size patterns so that every curve is real. They like to manipulate and check physical patterns. Working with paper and pencil is undeniably the best way to make a new pattern, leaving modifications to be done on a computer. Is it efficient? Artificial Intelligence today allows for scanners and computers to automatic digitize paper patterns, to save on virtually all file formats, allowing corrections and changes to be done on a computer and e-mailing of patterns all over the world in seconds. The technology is here to allow creativity and talent to be enhanced with efficiency, not compromised. An elaboration about the role of R&D for technology in this industry will also be addressed.

2:00-2:30 p.m.

-Does PLM Support Your Entire Product Lifecycle?, John Holt, Business Management Systems Inc., Amphitheater
With nearly as many different definitions as product vendors, product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions vary significantly in scope and industry relevance. Some PLM systems appear to be better suited for building hardware than apparel. Others seem to support the idea that the product lifecycle stops with sample approval. This session highlights the strategic value of PLM across your entire fashion product lifecycle, from planning and design to sourcing and delivery. Learn how some leading fashion companies are getting more from PLM by expanding its application to all areas of their business and across their supplier networks.

‚¬. Creating the Intimate Supply Chain, David F. Ross, Ph.D., CFPIM, Lawson Software, Room 9
Over the past decade the concept of Supply Chain Management (SCM) has expanded to cover several strategic perspectives. SCM has been conceived as creating value by being integrative across channel enterprises, adaptive to channel events, lean, and intelligent through the application of smart technologies. This presentation contends that supply chain customer intimacy is the next strategic direction for SCM. Channel intimacy begins with an understanding of the demand chain, channel capabilities, distribution of channel power, and role of the competition. An intimate channel can then be constructed by 5 key disciplines: channel cultural change, effective customer segmentation, devising the intimate supply chain map, applying the right technologies, and value chain building.

-Integrating the Consumer into the Product Development Process, Michael Fralix, [TC]2 and Bill D'Arienzo, WDA BrandMarketing Solutions, Room 4
Are merchandisers tired of working with designers that fail to see the big picture? Are designers tired of the controls that production and sourcing managers are putting on their creativity? Are sourcing executives tired of the design staff taking liberties with practical necessities, that is, to keep price quality and brand relevancy in balance? Are sales and marketing managers looking for a way to play a more active role in product development?

As companies have moved from domestic production to offshore souring, inefficiencies in the product development cycle are having a greater impact on the overall effect of products that are in development and it is usually too late when it is discovered that a product is not going to be accepted by the consumer at retail.

Attend this session and learn how technology can positively impact the decision making process to improve the success rate of product development. Products Preferred is a process which allows digital, controlled data bases to provide consumer insights as to their preferences prior to making sample/piece goods commitments. Qualified consumers of targeted brands provide an objective platform for guidance, helping to resolve differences of opinion between design and merchandising and other functionalities in the product development chain. Products Preferred incorporates a consumer certified process that can identify which SKUs are likely to sell and which are likely to fail, thereby increasing the opportunity to improve the bottom line.

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