Four stages, three days, two conference formats, one goal: a paradigm shift in the fashion industry towards a fairer future that saves more resources. ‘The current change in consciousness’, says Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt, ‘is not taking place in a vacuum. It’s hasn’t just appeared from nowhere. Rather, it is the result of discourse and discussions, competition and collaboration. The aim of Messe Frankfurt as a global player in the fashion and textile industry is to accompany this process of change and give it a platform. This is why we’ll be expanding the fashion trade show Neonyt in a consistent manner to include an even more broad-ranging fringe and conference programme whose content will partly be generated from our global Texpertise Network and will in turn be reflected in it’. Neonyt, which is taking place for the first time, is the synthesis of the two successful formats Greenshowroom and Ethical Fashion Show Berlin and will take place from 15-17 January 2019 as part of Berlin Fashion Week at the Kraftwerk, thus continuing the tradition.
The highlights of the fringe programme:
Fashionsustain
Technology, sustainability and innovation are important drivers of the fashion and textile industry and will revolutionise the industry and its processes and production methods. On 16 January 2019, the international conference format Fashionsustain will be dedicated to precisely these issues, focusing on the ubiquitous challenges to sustainable water management currently facing the textile industry. The conference, which is organised by Messe Frankfurt, will highlight how the interplay of cooperation and competition relating to new and sustainable technologies leads to innovations that drive the industry’s paradigm shift. Fashionsustain will be opened by Clare Press, Sustainability Editor-at-Large of Vogue Australia, author and fair fashion activist, with her keynote speech ‘We are Water. Inspiration & Respiration’. The subsequent conference programme comprises excellent international speakers, including Global Fashion Exchange, Greenpeace, Remei, Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Sympatex, Tchibo, We are Spin Dye and the WWF. Ticket required.
Fashionimpact
Fashionimpact is a counterpart to Fashionsustain and goes even more in-depth in order to give more space to topics relevant to smallholders: what glocal influence does the fashion industry have along the global textile value chain? Activism, empowerment, diversity, traditional craftsmanship, organic farming and fair trade – the Fashionimpact conference format on 17 January 2019 will discuss a broad range of current topics. Its patron is Bandana Tewari – editor-in-chief of Vogue India and columnist for The Business of Fashion. Among the topics discussed will be questions such as ‘Fair Trade Modern Thinking’ and ‘Will the future of denim be organic?’ With: African Fashion Reception, Folkdays, Mimycri, Osklen Rhumaa, WFTO, Yunus Social Business and others.
Thinkathon
The Thinkathon connects forward-looking companies with the Neonyt network, which is unique in terms of its diversity and professional expertise. During a period of 48 hours, 40 participants will work in six multidisciplinary teams on prototype solutions for three challenges using system-oriented methods. Sourcebook, which organises the Thinkathon on behalf of Messe Frankfurt, selected the experts from 19 countries, including India, the USA, Japan, Ghana, Israel, France, the UK and Germany, each with qualifications in areas as diverse as research, development, science, consulting, design and business development. The results will be presented to challenge hosts Otto, Bikini Berlin and TCBL first behind closed doors and then on the Fashionsustain stage at 4.30 p.m. on 16 January 2019.
Prepeek
Prepeek is the Neonyt influencer and blogger event. From 15-17 January 2019, social media professionals and lifestyle journalists are invited to have a Prepeek at the next collections, style them, photograph them and publish them on their channels. Lectures hosted by Prepeek on 15 January 2019 include sessions with influencers such as Alf Tobias Zahn, Blogger Bazaar, Fashion Changers, Jäckle & Hösle, Kirsten Brodde, Kleiderei, Marie Nasemann and The Wearness as well as the presentation of the new book ‘Wardrobe Crisis’ by Clare Press.
Schaltraum & Silent Forum
In addition to the large and already firmly established conference stage, the already familiar Schaltraum and the Prepeek area, an additional area will be added this year: the Silent Forum, which will provide space in Berlin’s Kraftwerk for discussions that support the transformation process of the fashion industry. Workshops, lectures and panels take place in silence on all three days in the Silent Forum via headphone conference. In the Schaltraum, expert panels join together with partners from the Knowledge Lounge. Highlights include the breakfast session ‘Introduction to the Higg Index for SMEs’ by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, the panel ‘The Future of Eco-Conscious Footwear Manufacturing’ with representatives from Lenzing, Procalcado and Santoni as well as various panel discussions, such as with Blauer Engel, BMZ, Fairtrade Deutschland, Fashion Council Germany, Filippa K, GOTS, GIZ, HUGO BOSS and Melawear.
Neonyt Fashion Show
Tuesday, 15 January 2019, ends with the Neonyt Fashion Show, which will take place at 7.30 p.m. on the runway of the official Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week venue E-Werk. ‘The Art of Assembling’ presents a best-of of the autumn/winter 2019/20 collections from various national and international sustainable fashion labels in curated multi-brand looks. Invitation only. The show will also be broadcast live at the Kraftwerk.
Neonyt Party
16 January 2019 from 7 p.m. in the Kraftwerk. Only for registered trade visitors to Neonyt or by invitation.
Pre-Screening: Fair Traders
On the eve of the official Neonyt launch, Monday 14 January 2019, the doors of the Kraftwerk will open for a pre-screening of the film ‘Fair Traders’ at 7 p.m. The film is dedicated to the ‘True Stories of Ethical Business’ and tells the story of Patrick Hohmann and two other protagonists in the free market economy whose companies operate locally, nationally and internationally and who have set themselves the task of taking on ethical responsibility, respecting future generations and reconciling markets and morals. Fair Traders will be shown in Swiss cinemas from 14 February 2019 and in Germany from March. This will be followed by a conversation with one of the main protagonists of the film, Patrick Hohmann (Remei), and director Nino Jacusso.
#Fashiontech Berlin
The conference, which is organised by the Premium Group and focuses on digitalisation, change management, innovation and disruptive technologies, will take place on 15 January 2019 on level 3 of the Kraftwerk. Ticket required.
Unlock Style by Zeitmagazin
17 January 2019, Kraftwerk: 300 decision-makers from the fashion, creative industries and media will discuss the latest developments in the creative world. Unlock Style by Zeitmagazin is more than an industry meet-up: the conference explores boundaries and transitions and explains how fashion, technology, photography, design and art influence each other. Onstage interviews, presentations and live performances. Neonyt and the Texpertise Network of Messe Frankfurt are partners of the format. Pre-registration required.