While creating our Data on the Runway Report about the four major global Fashion Weeks, we interviewed a selection of impactful fashion insiders about their opinion on the current state and future of the fashion industry on a global scale. Here is what Carlo Capasa, President of the Camera Nazionale delle Moda Italiana (CNMI) had to say.
In your opinion, what is the most challenging obstacle Italian brands face today?
The hardest obstacle is sustainability: it is one of the founding pillars in the strategy of CNMI and we are constantly working to assure that sustainability can be measured by: providing concrete data, publishing specific guidelines related to the different issues and by organizing an international event dedicated to this topic, The Green Carpet Fashion Awards, Italia.
We should worry about people, about the planet, about the future of our children. Everything came from this idea – we worry! Our objective is to bring the entire fashion supply chain closer to sustainability, beginning with the textile producers, the tanneries, the artisans, and involving all these processes, including the creative one, which should be at the head of the sustainable strategy.
How do you think technology and digitalization have changed the fashion industry?
Digitalization has changed the relationship between the consumer and the corporation; before there were filters (buyers, stores, the media), but today the relationship between the brand and the end consumer is much more direct. Consumers feel involved in the lifestyle of a brand and can be proactive towards it. The communication channels between the brand and the end consumer are no longer meaningless, but bidirectional because, in terms of image, the massive diffusion of digital communication has changed the way a brand sells its lifestyle and its products: the key role today is played by images and online activities.
Do you think “See now, buy now” will conquer Italian brands too? What’s your opinion on the phenomenon?
High-quality companies are obsessed with their own standards and I don’t think “See now, Buy now” is the right way to guarantee that. Designers work to create a desire; fast fashion works to meet needs.
Personally, I think that instant fashion works better for streetwear and product-focused collections. The situation gets complicated when there is a strong creative guide supporting the inspiration for designers.
The market needs more time to mature and understand the product, and consumers need time to metabolize and be ready for new creations. The same problem is encountered by emerging brands that do not have sufficient resources to begin this demanding process.
How are Fashion Weeks changing? What will they be like in 10 years time?
I see a future that is very fluid, with fewer and fewer rules; the difference between menswear and womenswear shows has become very minimal and is destined to disappear. The seasons themselves are less rigid and both fashion shows and presentations are no longer strictly linked to seasons.
The mission of our association is to allow each brand to tell its story in ways that are more consistent to its own vision.
What do you think of the influencers who sit front row at Fashion Week? Will they have a future?
We live in a world of communication. You share your ideas, your lifestyle, and make sure everyone is involved. At the same time, the offering of products of any kind is really very wide. In this scenario influencers are becoming increasingly important. There have always been influencers, but they change according to the times, keeping up with the digital and web-oriented communication.
By Launchmetrics Content Team
The Launchmetrics content team is always on the lookout for new trends in the fashion and technology sector. We are geeks with style and lovers of good stories!
