The city of Perth has been selected to host the third International Conference of Fashion Incubators this year, which will be held from September 11 to 13, alongside the Perth Fashion Festival.
The Fashion Incubators' Conference, previously held in the UK and US, aims to offer new opportunities for fashion business educators and fashion trade events from around the globe to network, discuss best practice and expand global designer marketing and promotional opportunities.
The event will also see the official launch of an International Fashion Incubator Organisation that will form strategic alliances, share networks and develop new opportunities for fashion incubators and its designer members.
The conference, which is currently calling on interested partners and sponsors, was brought to Perth via conference convenor Carol Hanlon, who is also founding manager and facilitator at the Belmont Business Enterprise Centre Inc. (BEC), Textile Clothing Footwear Resource Centre of Western Australia Inc. (TCFWA) and the designedge fashion incubator. Hanlon presented the case for Perth at the second International Fashion Incubator in Atlanta in 2009 and the conference will now be being hosted by community organisations TCFWA, designedge Fashion Incubator, TCF Global and the Belmont BEC.
According to Hanlon, the upcoming Fashion Incubators Conference has already received interest from speakers from fashion incubators in Los Angeles, Toronto and Amsterdam. Additionally, expected in attendance will be organisers from other incubators, educators and fashion weeks in the world including New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, USA, Europe, UK and Singapore.
Speakers are yet to be confirmed, but will include a range of industry personnel as well as practitioners who will share their experiences and expertise at the event. An extensive range of pre and post conference social and business opportunities will also be available, including fashion parades, displays and fashion exhibitions tied in with the 2011 Perth Fashion Festival.
The conference themes for 2011 will include:
• Fashion business growth and professional development
• Incubator best practice, financing and business support available
• International fashion trade exhibitions, festivals and marketing opportunities
• Sourcing global networks for raw materials, manufacturers, agents, retailers
• Indigenous fibres, textiles, traditional crafts, global village sewing projects
• Expand the global fashion ‘helpline’ network and designer exchange
• Managing intellectual property in global fashion & design industries
• Environmental & eco friendly sustainable fashion development
• International trend development and forecasting services
• Virtual business incubation, mentoring online, webinars
• Doing business online, social media
fashion networks
The third International Conference of Fashion Incubators will be held at the Parmelia Hilton Perth from September 11 to 13, 2011. The closing date for papers is April 30, 2011 - for more information and an event schedule, go to: www.fashionincubators.com.