Join us in person on October 8, 2024, in Warsaw for a day of inspiring and insightful conversations with some of the most influential figures in fashion and beyond! Engage with your favorite sustainable brands, including GANNI, VEJA, BEVZA, and hear from leading sustainability advocates like Dana Thomas, Nuria Val, and Sara Sozzani Maino.
The 5th edition of Business Fashion Environment Summit organized by “Vogue Polska” in partnership with Boston Consulting Group will focus on global governance and policymaking as the industry navigates significant changes. Incoming legislations will have an industry-wide impact due to the global nature of fashion’s supply chains, which are increasingly vulnerable to climate disruption and geopolitical upheavals. The summit will highlight the interconnectedness of the fashion industry, where clothes are manufactured, sold, resold, and discarded across different continents. Key discussions will center on sustainable sourcing and transparent supply chains, offering a comprehensive approach to fostering a more resilient and ethical fashion ecosystem.
The opening keynote will spotlight Dana Thomas, British Vogue's European Sustainability Editor, a NYTimes bestselling author, and award-winning style journalist. Dana is returning to BFES to lead a conversation with our special guest…soon to be revealed! Read through our fascinating agenda and secure your tickets today.
On the changing fashion landscape
Fashion as an Act of Resistance
Moderated by Karolina Sulej, co-founder of KRAINA Foundation, this panel will spotlight Ukrainian creatives whose work embodies freedom and independence. Featuring Svitlana Bevza, Creative Director of luxury womenswear brand BEVZA, known for blending minimalist aesthetics with Ukrainian cultural codes; Maria Gavryliuk, CEO of GUNIA Project, which celebrates local folk traditions in contemporary fashion, jewelry, and design; and Venya Brykalin, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Ukraine, a vocal advocate for Ukrainian artists and artisans during this critical time for the war-torn nation.
The New Face of Influence
Delving into the changing culture of consumption, the rise of authentic influencing, and the principles of clean beauty and lifestyle, will be Nuria Val, co-founder of plant-based skincare brand ROWSE, photographer and traveler, alongside Karolina Sobańska, host of a popular podcast on conscious living and wellness.
Sustainable from the source: the journey of VEJA
Ghislain Morillion, Co-Founder of VEJA, will share the inspiring story of how the company, now celebrating its 20th anniversary, has revolutionized the sneaker industry through sustainability. From sourcing organic cotton in Brazil to collaborating with cobblers in Paris, VEJA's ethical business model underscores the importance of establishing strong relationships with suppliers and paying farmers a living wage. VEJA, meaning "look" in Portuguese, encourages people to look beyond the sneakers and consider how they are made.
Transforming Supply Chains: Technology, Transparency, and Sustainability
This panel will explore how new technologies are reshaping supply chains with focus on blockchain-enabled transparency, inventory optimization, and last-mile delivery solutions. Discussing the future of supply chains will be Leyla Ertur, Head of Sustainability and former Global Supply Chain Manager at H&M Group; Dagmara Brzezińska, VP of InPost; Magdalena Dziewguć, Director of Google Cloud in Poland; and Borre Akkersdijk, founder of textile innovation company BYBORRE.
Financing Green Transition
Sustainability has moved to the forefront of corporate agendas, yet it still lacks the necessary funding. Without investment and support from brands willing to take a leap of faith, innovative solutions may never gain traction nor scale. Highlighting the importance of green investments will be Agnieszka Kulas, Managing Director & Partner at BCG Poland, in conversation with Ulrika Leverenz, Head of Green Investment at H&M Group, who is committed to aligning environmental goals with corporate strategies. The discussion will focus on funding and scaling climate solutions and the critical steps needed to support a just transition in the fashion sector.
Forces For Change: on activism, education, legislation
Voices for the Earth: Indigenous Resistance
Despite fashion’s reliance on natural resources for its most luxurious materials, the Indigenous and local communities, who are caretakers of 80% of the world’s biodiversity, have long been excluded from corporate sustainability conversations. In her powerspeech, Zaya Guarani, the first indigenous Brazilian model, climate activist, and Co-Founder of the Indigenous Creative Collective, will speak on the collective fight against climate change, ancestral knowledge, and environmental stewardship.
Bridging Activism and Knowledge for Sustainability
Exploring the powerful synergy between activism and education in fostering a more equitable fashion future will be Sara Sozzani Maino, Creative Director at Fondazione Sozzani, Head of Vogue Talents, and Deputy Director of Vogue Italia; Frederica Brooksworth, Executive Director of the Council for International African Fashion Education, Prof. Dilys Williams, Director of Centre for Sustainable Fashion at London College of Fashion and Zuzanna Krzątała, Sustainability Officer of Vogue Polska. Together, they will discuss how to reconcile ethics with industry practices, address issues of knowledge accessibility, and challenge the role of gatekeepers in maintaining the status quo.
Rethinking Fashion: Systemic Change for a Sustainable Future
To overhaul the fashion industry’s take-make-waste model, we need systemic change. Helping us rethink fashion from various perspectives will be Pippa Smart, Head of Sustainability at B Corp certified Danish textile brand Tekla, known for its sleepwear and homewear collaboration with Jacquemus; Laura Bonareu, Board Member at the the fourth-generation Spanish family-run manufacturing company Hallotex, and Nicole Rycroft, Founder and Executive Director of Canopy, a Canadian non-profit tackling fashion’s deforestation problem and collaborating with over 900 companies to protect ancient and endangered forests globally. The discussion will be moderated by Alicja Jordan, a Senior Circularity Manager at Zalando.
On the critical role of innovation and design
Material Matters: Innovations in Sustainable Textiles
Last year, over $500 million was invested in next-gen materials, from mushroom leather and spider silk to viscose made from coconut water. These innovations are often seen as the future of fashion, yet producing them en masse at competitive prices remains a significant challenge. Exploring the smart materials of tomorrow will be Dr. Amanda Parkes, Chief Innovation Officer at Pangaia and a pioneering fashion scientist with over 20 years of experience; Julie Verdich, Material Innovation Lead at GANNI's Fabrics of The Future program; Orr Yarkoni, CEO and co-founder of award-winning biotech scale-up Colorifix; and Vera Banas, innovation designer from Poland, who has worked at the Healthy Materials Lab in New York and collaborated with Silicon Valley companies on emerging sustainable technologies.
„Re/Outfitted: design & storytelling”
From creative upcycling to compelling storytelling, this panel will showcase sustainable design as a force for positive change in the fashion industry and beyond. Anna Konieczyńska will lead a conversation with Yayra Agbofah, Founder of The Revival, a community-led organization in Ghana dedicated to transforming global textile waste into new opportunities. Yayra recently collaborated with the V&A Museum on a collection of one-of-a-kind recycled patchwork denim jackets.
Communicating Values: Fashion PR and Marketing
Values play a crucial role in modern communications, particularly resonating with younger consumers and challenging market standards. Whether rooted in sustainability, art, or heritage, how and to whom we communicate these values is vital. Industry experts Sophia Roe, Danish content creator and digital pioneer; Ana Andjelic, doctor of sociology and author of “The Business of Aspiration”; Doina Ciobanu, ambassador of the NGO No More Plastic and sustainability advocate; and Anaïs Durand, Global Director of Marketing and Communication at TOUS, will share their insights. The discussion will be moderated by Szymon Machnikowski, PR and Marketing Director of “Vogue Polska”.
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