Creating Digital Fashion Week with Clare Tattersall

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<v Speaker 1>Hi and welcome to the Handbag Designer 101 podcast with your host, emily Blumenthal, handbag designer expert and handbag fairy godmother, where we cover everything about handbags from making, marketing, designing and talking to handbag designers and industry experts about what it takes to make a successful handbag.

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome, claire Tattersall, to Handbag Designer 101, the podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm very excited to have you creator, founder, inceptor however you want to call it to everything of the first digital fashion week.

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<v Speaker 1>How clever of you to come up with this and be an early adopter to something that people are killing themselves, that they should have done first, welcome, welcome.

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<v Speaker 2>Hi, thank you so much for inviting me to be here.

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<v Speaker 2>It's great to talk to you.

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<v Speaker 1>Yes, you have got some cool pictures behind you in green with some bar codes.

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<v Speaker 2>And for those of you who can't see, what is that behind you, so this is from one of the earlier digital fashion weeks where we had a fashion trail around New York City.

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<v Speaker 2>So we've grown tremendously since inception in 2020, going from just being in these virtual galleries not even the Metaverse, but virtual galleries to being in New York, london, paris and Milan, to being in New York, london, paris and Milan.

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<v Speaker 2>So huge growth thanks entirely to the community, the supporters, the creators, the thought leaders.

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<v Speaker 2>It's all about community, but so the QR codes that I have behind me.

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<v Speaker 2>So we had an exhibition.

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<v Speaker 2>It started down at the World Trade Center and it went all across New York City to hotels, blog posts, event spaces.

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<v Speaker 1>So they weren't all in your home.

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<v Speaker 1>Like people weren't going from one to one in your home, they were actually leaving.

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<v Speaker 2>So actually these ones that I have around me, that you can see were down in the World Trade Center, so yes, but I just hold onto them very dearly.

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<v Speaker 2>They're a memory of really the early days and knowing, like, where you've come from and how, everybody just scrambling together to make something work.

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<v Speaker 2>It's all about the vision that we all have and the direction that we're going in together.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, we got to keep it humble and scrappy, don't we?

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<v Speaker 1>Exactly, exactly, yeah, yeah Not everyone likes to look scrappy, but yeah, dude, it is what it is.

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<v Speaker 1>People have to get over being so sensitive.

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<v Speaker 1>It is exhausting.

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<v Speaker 1>Like you know, I've worked with people who have had day jobs and it hits them in the face when they realize when you're starting a brand, a business by yourself, it is lonely.

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<v Speaker 1>When you're starting a brand, a business by yourself, it is lonely, it is isolating, it is slow.

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<v Speaker 1>People don't pay you.

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<v Speaker 1>You have to start doing things for free.

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<v Speaker 1>It is not a sexy, illustrious I am an entrepreneur kind of journey.

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<v Speaker 1>It's not so cool, it's like no one sees you.

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<v Speaker 1>You have to make sure you're seen and this construct of market share is a joke and if you are going to create something that no one has ever done before, that is like to pave the way you were, like actually laying brick yourself.

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<v Speaker 1>So you know the story.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know.

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<v Speaker 1>They have it.

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<v Speaker 1>Where you are the the little chicken who's making the bread, and everyone like who's gonna pick the wheat?

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<v Speaker 1>Nobody wants to come.

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<v Speaker 1>Who wants to break the wheat?

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<v Speaker 1>Who wants to roll the dough?

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<v Speaker 1>And everyone, like who's gonna pick the wheat?

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<v Speaker 1>Nobody wants to come.

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<v Speaker 1>Who wants to break the wheat?

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<v Speaker 1>Who wants to roll the dough.

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<v Speaker 1>And then you know the bread smell is wafting through and everyone's in line and it's like sorry, I'm eating this bread by myself.

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<v Speaker 1>So you know the old gag, so scrappy it is.

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<v Speaker 2>I think it's okay I hear you know absolutely, progress is scrappy.

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<v Speaker 2>Things are not always beautiful.

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<v Speaker 2>Hopefully, the presentation at the end of the day, like the show must go on and you want to hide the scrappiness behind the scenes.

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<v Speaker 2>But, yeah, I think anyone who's in the startup industry, any entrepreneur it is about being scrappy and nimble and agile and, yeah, seeing how you can constantly reinvent your vision and stay relevant.

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<v Speaker 1>Yes, so you told me that you were in Harlem, and that is not Harlem, netherlands, where all the lovely tulips are.

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<v Speaker 1>This is Harlem, new York.

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<v Speaker 1>I've been in both, actually probably the same amount of times, but you, based on your said accent, are not native to Harlem, correct?

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<v Speaker 2>I'm not.

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<v Speaker 2>No, I'm from the UK originally.

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<v Speaker 2>New York is definitely home.

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<v Speaker 2>Now I've been here a long time, but you know, the world is a small place.

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<v Speaker 2>New York is a small place.

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<v Speaker 2>New York is a very small island, yes, yes, and just full of innovation and creativity and a lot of people who don't really belong or feel you're a fool.

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<v Speaker 2>It is an open market.

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<v Speaker 1>And where I tell my students that's where the old people go to connect.

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<v Speaker 1>So you know you and I message there frequently.

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<v Speaker 1>So you know there's an open opportunity.

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<v Speaker 1>But apparently you had taken some time in the wedding dress category in some capacity.

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<v Speaker 2>So I've been in design for a while.

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<v Speaker 2>My previous company was Thunder Lily, thank you.

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<v Speaker 2>It was back in the day of when Yahoo and Google and names that you could sort of have to express, rather than now.

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<v Speaker 2>We're very, very literal, hence Digital Fashion Week.

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<v Speaker 1>Well done.

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<v Speaker 1>People don't get it, so you need it that way, right?

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<v Speaker 2>But yeah, so 2009,.

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<v Speaker 2>I started Bundle Lily, which was a vertical virtual fashion industry.

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<v Speaker 2>So our goal was sketch to launch in 24 hours for designers, so really starting in digital fashion, building a software, draping it, you know all of these.

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<v Speaker 2>We're there now.

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<v Speaker 2>It was very, very early days.

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<v Speaker 2>It was really hard to get investment because people said they were interested in independent designers.

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<v Speaker 1>Girl, I get it.

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<v Speaker 2>Right, right, and I was also creating robotic fashion, so not really wedding fashion, but fashion for exhibits, for runways, curating the tech night of fashion shows as well, and putting like wearable technology on the runway, partnering sometimes with other designers and bringing the technology to their designs as well, and that really built my inside point of view of the industry.

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<v Speaker 2>Networking with a lot of other innovators in fashion tech.

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<v Speaker 2>That really led to Digital Fashion Week.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, I think, if you are one of those people that has to as we all have at some point given had to step on an apple box and give an explanation of like, well, this is what it is, this is how it works, this is what we do, this is what you do, here's the ROI, here's how you can benefit.

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<v Speaker 1>And you're listening to these people and these people are listening to you and you know, by like second number 92, you've already lost them and you're like, okay, well, you just have to trust me.

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<v Speaker 1>This is the future, like I don't know.

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<v Speaker 1>And then meanwhile, you're doing this again and again and you're going from brand to brand.

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<v Speaker 1>So it's a slow moving pace.

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<v Speaker 1>And again, and you're going from brand to brand.

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<v Speaker 1>So it's a slow moving pace.

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<v Speaker 1>But the fact is you were on the inside early on to see that this, in fact, is where it's going.

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<v Speaker 1>And you know we spoke with Ada earlier, whom I know.

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<v Speaker 1>You know we know her from the Handback Awards by Ada Lourdes and another early adopter within the metaverse NFT world, which I'd love to hear.

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<v Speaker 1>Your point of view in terms of NFT is a dirty word, but in recognizing that, as bumpy as the metaverse is, there is more to it than just Roblox and opportunities that lie.

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<v Speaker 1>So can you just dive right in to share your thoughts?

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<v Speaker 1>Because obviously, to create a digital fashion week, what does that mean and why?

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<v Speaker 1>Kind of thing, right.

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<v Speaker 2>So digital fashion week is actually about the digitalization of fashion.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not just about digital assets, it's everything from concept to consumer and beyond.

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<v Speaker 2>How does technology influence change?

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<v Speaker 2>How does fashion interact with technology?

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<v Speaker 2>So, for example, in 2024, we're really looking at this from a strategic and tactical point of view.

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<v Speaker 2>We've done so much of the hype, and hype is fantastic.

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<v Speaker 2>Hype gets an idea out there.

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<v Speaker 2>But now, in 2024, it's really time to look at the nuts and bolts, the hows, the whys.

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<v Speaker 2>What is the real value that it brings to a designer or to a brand or to a retailer, and how do they get on board with it?

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<v Speaker 2>How do they build their strategy?

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<v Speaker 2>Looking at, like you do with any other strategic decisions, how do you look at what the problems are and how you want to solve them.

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<v Speaker 2>So that's really what it's all about.

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<v Speaker 2>We work under the three pillars on thought leadership, innovation and creativity.

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<v Speaker 2>So we have panel discussions, we have demos and exhibits as well.

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<v Speaker 2>So bringing really exciting innovators Again going back to your scrappy conversation people who are self-funded, putting things together, some people who are funded as well, some people who are in content strategy as well and rolling out technology to the luxury industry or to the middle range industry.

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<v Speaker 2>But all these people are bringing them together so that we can talk about why and then we can try something out, so kind of a tasting menu you can go around, and I really feel if you can understand more how it works in real time, you're going to have a much greater likelihood of really adopting it.

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<v Speaker 2>And we have digital runway shows as well.

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<v Speaker 2>So we don't want to move away from physical fashion.

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<v Speaker 2>We all need clothes to wear.

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<v Speaker 2>Digital assets are amazing.

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<v Speaker 2>Digital assets can change the world.

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<v Speaker 2>But we really look at having a digital runway show.

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<v Speaker 2>So we're not talking about a digital world and a digital world.

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<v Speaker 2>It's one world.

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<v Speaker 2>It's the world of fashion, and we have many ways to experience it, both as a consumer, a producer, a developer.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>So I want to jump on this to the neophytes listening what is digital, and so is digital fashion purely online or is there an opportunity to see, touch, feel, and how does Fidgetal convert to designers and primarily in our case, handbags?

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<v Speaker 2>Great.

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<v Speaker 2>So this is absolutely enormous conversation.

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<v Speaker 2>So I'll deal with some points of it.

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<v Speaker 2>What is Fidgetal?

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<v Speaker 2>I used to cringe at the word digital.

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<v Speaker 2>I thought it was a word like you remember I don't know.

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<v Speaker 2>15 years ago people were talking about things being global and local and I was like such a cringe-worthy word.

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<v Speaker 2>And now digital, and now I've just embraced it.

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<v Speaker 2>I think it just really explains where we are.

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<v Speaker 2>So take it or leave it.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm sorry for you if anyone hates it, but here's what it is.

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<v Speaker 2>It is different for everybody.

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<v Speaker 2>It's about layering your digital and your physical assets.

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<v Speaker 2>Let's have a correlation with communication.

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<v Speaker 2>You don't say, when you're calling someone on the phone, well, I'm going to talk to you digitally.

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<v Speaker 2>You talk to them.

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<v Speaker 2>You communicate with people.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm going to talk to you only IRL.

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<v Speaker 2>We talk to people in many ways.

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<v Speaker 2>We're face-to-face.

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<v Speaker 2>When we can be, we call them on the phone, we Zoom everything.

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<v Speaker 2>So there's many layers to communication.

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<v Speaker 2>It's the same thing with fashion and again, this is completely unique for each brand and their brand strategy as well.

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<v Speaker 2>What is their brand vision?

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<v Speaker 2>Do you want to be entirely in the gaming industry and be entirely digital?

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<v Speaker 2>And there is huge opportunity really.

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<v Speaker 2>That is a burgeoning industry for designers.

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<v Speaker 2>Do you actually want to create merchandise for people who love wearing your assets in the gaming industry, or do you want to be a brand who you sell in a boutique or you sell D2C online and you want to provide more opportunities, more ways of engaging your consumer, more opportunities to extend the life of your clothing, essentially that you got this beautiful garment.

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<v Speaker 2>That's so exquisite.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's do it for handbags.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's do it for handbags Right right.

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<v Speaker 2>So you buy a handbag.

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<v Speaker 2>You can put an NFC chip in that handbag that can provide authenticity.

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<v Speaker 2>You know where it's come from.

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<v Speaker 2>This is huge, especially for the luxury industry.

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<v Speaker 2>Connect it to a wallet.

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<v Speaker 2>You can also provide assets through that chip as well that people can take into the Metaverse or into Web2 gaming as well.

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<v Speaker 2>It doesn't have to be Web3.

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<v Speaker 2>And there is an increasing amount of universal interoperability just bursting onto the scene now.

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<v Speaker 2>It's been really a hard step forward, but we're working with several companies at the moment who can take a digital asset and export that into these very, very different metaverse environments or online environments as well.

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<v Speaker 2>So it's such a big space, which is why, really looking at the strategy and the how to, to understand what is best for you.

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<v Speaker 1>If you ever wanted to start a handbag brand and you didn't know where to start, this is for you.

00:14:48.768 --> 00:14:54.606
<v Speaker 1>If you had dreams of becoming a handbag designer but aren't trained in design, this is for you.

00:14:54.606 --> 00:14:59.238
<v Speaker 1>If you have a handbag brand and need strategy and direction, this is for you.

00:14:59.238 --> 00:15:07.889
<v Speaker 1>I'm Emily Blumenthal, handbag designer expert and handbag fairy godmother, and this is the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass.

00:15:07.889 --> 00:15:24.397
<v Speaker 1>Over the next 10 classes, I will break down everything you need to know to make, manufacture and market a handbag brand, broken down to ensure that you will not only skip steps in the handbag building process, but also to save money to avoid the learning curve of costly mistakes.

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<v Speaker 1>For the past 20 years, I've been teaching at the top fashion universities in New York City, wrote the Handbag Designer Bible, founded the Handbag Awards and created the only Handbag Designer Podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm going to show you like I have countless brands to create in this in-depth course, from sketch to sample to sale.

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<v Speaker 1>Join me, emily Blumenthal, in the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass.

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<v Speaker 1>So be sure to sign up at emilyblumenthalcom slash masterclass and type in the code PODCAST to get 10% off your masterclass today.

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<v Speaker 1>On cast to get 10% off your masterclass today.

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<v Speaker 1>So I have a couple thoughts.

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<v Speaker 1>So I look I am by no means an expert the way you are within this Web3 space and for people listening, web3 is different from Web2.

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<v Speaker 1>If you want to get a quick breakdown, you can listen to the episode with Ada Lourdes, because she gave a really great overview.

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<v Speaker 1>But, just in case Web 2 is for those who don't know, it's what we do day to day.

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<v Speaker 1>Right, it's like you're playing a regular game.

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<v Speaker 1>It's that's what we do.

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<v Speaker 1>That's how we interact.

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<v Speaker 1>Web 3 is a digital platform where it's open source.

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<v Speaker 1>Theoretically you can tell me, correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm sure I'm going to bugger this up but it is in a way that we can all interact in a totally different way, where we're able to share assets, as you said, and NFC chip is something per se that you can put inside a bag where people can then scan with a barcode of some description and allowing your community, because, really, what the strength is in anything we have as a brand is growing our community and if you can grow your particular community within your own brand, that allows your 80-20, that 80% of your business comes from 20% of your customers, that just empowers you more and allows you not to have to worry about so much about cost of acquisition, of getting more customers.

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<v Speaker 1>This all sounds so hyper-layered and nutso, but it all kind of makes sense and, as terrifying as it is, I encourage everybody to, as your people would say, give it a go and try to learn more, because every opportunity for marketing is an opportunity for sales and that's what we want.

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<v Speaker 1>We want people to come back and buy your product again and again, and again.

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<v Speaker 1>I want to talk about the only native brand I know of right now is House of Blueberry, which is a really fascinating story, and again I might bugger it up, but this clever woman who was very active in Roblox, I believe, built a fashion brand on Roblox and it did so well that she was able to turn it into an actual brand and is one of the very few quote-unquote fashion houses, if you will, on a digitally native platform.

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<v Speaker 1>It's pretty fascinating as far as I'm concerned to be, you know, a one of one in that regard.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you think there's more opportunities for brands to launch themselves that way?

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<v Speaker 1>Absolutely.

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<v Speaker 2>And for many different reasons as well.

00:18:48.509 --> 00:18:57.280
<v Speaker 2>So do you want to take your brand and have marketplaces in Roblox, in Sandbox, in Zepeto?

00:18:57.280 --> 00:19:10.337
<v Speaker 2>Do you just want to build your marketplaces in there as an increased opportunity, or do you want to be in there and then look at how you can create merchandise, merch in the real world?

00:19:10.337 --> 00:19:31.049
<v Speaker 2>So, yeah, we have some really exciting designers on our runway who started entirely in the gaming space with virtual fashion, and now they're on the runway and their design's so creative and they're really informed by a very different point of view as well.

00:19:31.049 --> 00:19:36.932
<v Speaker 2>So it is a different way of thinking when you go from IRL to URL.

00:19:37.494 --> 00:19:44.757
<v Speaker 1>I know that doesn't sound funny to you, but to me it's like oh yeah, that's a funny way of saying it makes total sense IRL, in real life URL.

00:19:44.897 --> 00:19:47.164
<v Speaker 1>There you go, digital To that point.

00:19:47.585 --> 00:20:35.465
<v Speaker 1>I've also seen a handful of handbag brands try to launch in a digitally native way and then attempt to go IRL and so forth, and I have found that to be a problem, personally at least, in terms of understanding the marketplace, because a digital marketplace and a digital consumer is extraordinarily different than the person who is not, and understanding the construct of economies of scale or producing, or assuming that you may be perceived, a luxury item on a digital platform, but by no means will someone find the value of paying for your handbag $900 because you don't know how to produce it the correct way.

00:20:36.208 --> 00:20:59.424
<v Speaker 1>So I think which I've seen multiple times because again I'm only speaking about handbags and there's a handful of brands and they get a ton of press and they get a lot of coverage because it's unique and no one's done it, but if you're going to try to convert it to something that is usable and functional, the same rules apply to you once you hit 2D or the second world or whatever world, the IRL world.

00:20:59.424 --> 00:21:05.018
<v Speaker 1>So I think there's a huge opportunity of learning of those brands to go.

00:21:05.018 --> 00:21:08.252
<v Speaker 1>It's great to hit the runway, but then what you know what I mean.

00:21:09.435 --> 00:21:16.285
<v Speaker 2>Right, right.

00:21:16.285 --> 00:21:19.336
<v Speaker 2>So in terms of accessories, I look at things from the point of view of why would you not incorporate technology into what you're doing?

00:21:19.336 --> 00:21:23.869
<v Speaker 2>Now, this doesn't have to be in the gaming industry, but for any accessories.

00:21:23.869 --> 00:21:32.749
<v Speaker 2>The technology for virtual try-on is so good, far beyond where it really is for fashion, although fashion is catching up.

00:21:32.749 --> 00:21:49.358
<v Speaker 2>But looking at eyewear, jewelry, handbags, being able to see it in your space through technology so this is totally different from using it in a game.

00:21:49.818 --> 00:22:07.420
<v Speaker 2>But, as I said before, having an NFC chip in your handbag, how you can communicate at the point of sale with a consumer, how you can communicate after purchases and you can continue to update the information that's on that chip.

00:22:07.420 --> 00:22:16.800
<v Speaker 2>You can invite people to events, so you can create layers of exclusivity with this.

00:22:16.800 --> 00:22:23.749
<v Speaker 2>You can send people images, reports, things that they can do with the virtual accessory.

00:22:23.749 --> 00:22:33.949
<v Speaker 2>But then, if you look at using AR as part of your sales process as well, how do people see it?

00:22:33.949 --> 00:22:35.355
<v Speaker 2>How can they try it on?

00:22:35.355 --> 00:22:37.920
<v Speaker 2>How can we reduce returns?

00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:46.721
<v Speaker 2>And the return rate is greatly, greatly reduced when people have tried something on and with bags, how does it look on your table?

00:22:46.721 --> 00:22:47.864
<v Speaker 2>How does it look in your room?

00:22:47.864 --> 00:22:50.217
<v Speaker 2>How does it look with this outfit?

00:22:50.217 --> 00:22:57.088
<v Speaker 2>You have a much, much better idea of it before you can actually buy it.

00:22:57.088 --> 00:22:58.056
<v Speaker 2>How?

00:22:58.135 --> 00:23:01.704
<v Speaker 1>just for those who don't know, let's just say I'm a handbag designer.

00:23:01.704 --> 00:23:06.425
<v Speaker 1>I'm a small brand, I have a decent following on social.

00:23:06.425 --> 00:23:11.386
<v Speaker 1>I want to try and venture into the quote unquote digital world.

00:23:11.386 --> 00:23:14.402
<v Speaker 1>How do I go about getting an NFC chip?

00:23:14.402 --> 00:23:15.505
<v Speaker 1>What do I need to do?

00:23:15.806 --> 00:23:17.339
<v Speaker 2>Oh my God, so it's so easy.

00:23:17.339 --> 00:23:22.928
<v Speaker 2>So NFC chips you can order on Amazon, and how you program them as well.

00:23:22.928 --> 00:23:25.463
<v Speaker 2>You can just order these anywhere.

00:23:25.463 --> 00:23:27.141
<v Speaker 2>It's really really simple.

00:23:27.141 --> 00:23:29.663
<v Speaker 2>But how do you connect it to a wallet?

00:23:29.663 --> 00:23:39.401
<v Speaker 2>So we have a strong relationship with Solaire, which is a wallet that's really designed for the digital industry as well.

00:23:39.401 --> 00:23:54.916
<v Speaker 2>It's a very, very elegant, very easy solution to take a brand into Web3 and empower them with very intuitive tools for how they can connect with their consumers and consumers.

00:23:54.916 --> 00:24:04.016
<v Speaker 2>So the wallet is created on the back end as well, so people don't have to say this is a digital wallet, just so people understand.

00:24:04.036 --> 00:24:06.721
<v Speaker 2>Yes, yes yes, so you know.

00:24:06.721 --> 00:24:16.599
<v Speaker 2>It's going back to your mention of NFTs and whether NFTs are a dirty world and that's all dirty words.

00:24:16.599 --> 00:24:28.555
<v Speaker 2>Behind that, it's all very clean, very above board, very intuitive and user-friendly as well.

00:24:28.555 --> 00:24:40.019
<v Speaker 2>So it's enabling a brand to have all the benefits of Web3 without intimidating either the brand or their consumers as well.

00:24:40.019 --> 00:24:51.432
<v Speaker 2>But yeah, NFC chips are very easy to access and just to clarify for your audience, what NFC means is near field communication and we're all using it.

00:24:51.432 --> 00:24:55.923
<v Speaker 2>Every time you use your phone and tap to pay, you're using NFC.

00:24:55.923 --> 00:25:02.945
<v Speaker 2>So it is part of our life very, very much already, without having a name associated with it.

00:25:03.414 --> 00:25:07.482
<v Speaker 1>Right, right, no, I think all of that is so very important.

00:25:07.482 --> 00:25:15.007
<v Speaker 1>Again, I always you know as a small brand or as an independent brand or even a brand that's doing fairly well.

00:25:15.007 --> 00:25:44.393
<v Speaker 1>I mean, a lot of the designers with whom we work are making upwards of a million dollars a year and are still considered small because they are theoretically doing everything themselves, which is a problem from an M&A perspective for people to want to invest Because, as one of my close colleagues said, if you're making that much and it's still mostly you you are basically a law firm with a high billable hourly rate, so taking on all these new ideas is so daunting.

00:25:44.393 --> 00:26:07.060
<v Speaker 1>But anything to help you grow and add value to your brand, to make it look more appealing, to add value to your customers, is always something that's worthy of learning, and I teach entrepreneurship at FIT and so many of the students I deal with are design based and you know I took this class.

00:26:07.154 --> 00:26:31.281
<v Speaker 1>I thought it was important to learn and there's such a gap of people who want to get into something creative without realizing that you need to be the publicist, you need to be the salesperson, you need to be the marketer, you need to be everything before you start doling it out to anybody else, because you need to understand it, you need to understand the audience, you need to understand the customer, you need to get the feedback.

00:26:31.281 --> 00:26:38.326
<v Speaker 1>So let's just say you invest in this NFC chip and then you hear it from a series of customers I don't get it.

00:26:38.326 --> 00:26:44.483
<v Speaker 1>Well, you need to be the one who responds and does a deeper dive and saying hold on, let me create a short video.

00:26:44.483 --> 00:26:47.589
<v Speaker 1>Watch this, invest in this, let's grow together.

00:26:47.589 --> 00:26:56.742
<v Speaker 1>And there's so many opportunities and I bet a lot of your time is still spent educating people over and, over, and over again, which must be exhausting.

00:26:57.203 --> 00:27:10.561
<v Speaker 2>Well, digital Fashion Week has an educational component, so FIT is actually hosting us in New York for this event, led by Michael Ferraro of the DTECH Lab at FIT.

00:27:11.394 --> 00:27:16.584
<v Speaker 1>Oh, I just heard about this on Monday that's the funniest thing, I didn't put two and two together, go figure.

00:27:17.377 --> 00:27:21.905
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah, and you know it makes so much sense for me.

00:27:21.905 --> 00:27:33.003
<v Speaker 2>You know I'm really grateful for FIT's support, but it makes so much sense especially with the DTECH Lab because it's about the meeting point of industry and education.

00:27:33.003 --> 00:27:38.969
<v Speaker 2>And students are the influences of the future in industry.

00:27:38.969 --> 00:27:41.451
<v Speaker 2>They're taking the new ideas.

00:27:41.451 --> 00:28:00.942
<v Speaker 2>So when they have professors like you who are really encouraging them, pushing them to innovate, to try something new, to explore what is out there, and then they're going to take this into industry and they're the ones that are going to be changing the industry in the longer term as well.

00:28:01.462 --> 00:28:03.586
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, this is so exciting.

00:28:03.586 --> 00:28:09.423
<v Speaker 1>So by the time this runs, this fashion week, this digital fashion week, will have passed.

00:28:09.423 --> 00:28:30.215
<v Speaker 1>I want you to just share a little bit about why following you and being part of your community has value beyond just the two digital fashion weeks that you so thoughtfully throw your life into twice a year, because it is quite the endeavor of throwing an event like this for so many different kinds of people.

00:28:31.356 --> 00:28:31.678
<v Speaker 2>Right.

00:28:31.678 --> 00:28:37.166
<v Speaker 2>Well, the planning, especially with the designers, can take months.

00:28:37.166 --> 00:28:53.934
<v Speaker 2>We have an application process and then, if you're accepted, and then the designers have to create the assets, and then our tech partners have to incorporate these assets and everything has to be tested.

00:28:53.934 --> 00:28:57.746
<v Speaker 2>The more technology you have, the more you have to test.

00:28:58.255 --> 00:29:06.549
<v Speaker 1>So do you consider designers that do not have tech involved to be part of this, and then you work with them to get them techified, if you will?

00:29:13.681 --> 00:29:38.167
<v Speaker 2>So this is the first season, actually, that we've been able to do that the A-list on the forefront of change, who are driving this, that they are, to a very, very large degree, self-educated, they've picked up tools, they communicate with each other, so that's a very, very good reason for being involved is the community, the learning from each other.

00:29:38.167 --> 00:29:41.987
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, there's so much that needs to happen.

00:29:41.987 --> 00:29:59.368
<v Speaker 2>So we have some designers who are on the digital runway this season and the closest they've gotten to being digital is having something for sale on their website Very old school web too, and I don't mean to laugh about that.

00:29:59.368 --> 00:30:03.227
<v Speaker 2>No, no, no, no, no.

00:30:03.227 --> 00:30:13.467
<v Speaker 2>But we have some amazing partners who are digitizing their assets and bringing them in.

00:30:13.467 --> 00:30:15.891
<v Speaker 2>So, for example, we have Warespace.

00:30:15.891 --> 00:30:27.359
<v Speaker 2>They're a company that they're based in Paris and they're working with a couple of our designers to create their assets in Sandbox, and Sandbox is a creator community.

00:30:27.359 --> 00:30:28.762
<v Speaker 2>Sandbox is our partner in Paris.

00:30:28.762 --> 00:30:39.099
<v Speaker 2>So create their assets in Sandbox and put them in a marketplace and then together it can work to profit share when we sell these.

00:30:39.160 --> 00:30:58.785
<v Speaker 2>So I love the partnership and the collaboration that is happening and how we're bringing these companies together, the tech innovators with the creatives, and creating these new revenue opportunities as well, and that is really fundamental to what this is about.

00:30:58.785 --> 00:31:02.025
<v Speaker 2>Everybody wants to sell at the end of the day.

00:31:02.025 --> 00:31:05.596
<v Speaker 2>To what this is about.

00:31:05.596 --> 00:31:06.660
<v Speaker 2>Everybody wants to sell at the end of the day.

00:31:06.660 --> 00:31:07.903
<v Speaker 2>So yeah, building new partnerships, new opportunities.

00:31:07.903 --> 00:31:08.726
<v Speaker 2>It's very exciting.

00:31:08.726 --> 00:31:09.509
<v Speaker 2>This is change.

00:31:10.496 --> 00:31:12.420
<v Speaker 1>Dude, this is really exciting stuff.

00:31:12.420 --> 00:31:35.229
<v Speaker 1>So I think for those of you who aren't aware, claire or if you haven't even figured that out Claire is probably the go-to to listen to, to follow, to learn, just because you are such a beyond a wealth of knowledge and information, but you're just so generous with sharing that information and it is tough to be a pioneer and it is exhausting.

00:31:35.229 --> 00:31:56.398
<v Speaker 1>So you know to be the person who has to constantly educate and say here's the values, here's the reason, make the effort, put in the time and then to reap the benefits that if someone happens to listen to this episode and of course, it's past February, and then your next fashion week is September, correct, digital Fashion Week is September.

00:31:56.398 --> 00:32:06.144
<v Speaker 1>So then that's the opportunity to check in, reach out, see how they can participate and then hopefully become ready to be part of the next Digital Fashion Week.

00:32:06.144 --> 00:32:14.228
<v Speaker 1>So I think there are so many exciting opportunities to learn more about what you do and the why is something I always talk about.

00:32:14.228 --> 00:32:16.496
<v Speaker 1>The why is truly key and the why here.

00:32:16.517 --> 00:32:17.876
<v Speaker 1>You know, and you touched upon it, the profitability.

00:32:17.876 --> 00:32:35.670
<v Speaker 1>You know, and you touched upon it, the profitability, the constant opportunity in Web3, like a good friend of mine, sharon Weissman, who's big in Web3, who spoke to my students and said OK, I'm where, and I'll never forget this because the contextualized it so well.

00:32:35.670 --> 00:32:38.612
<v Speaker 1>She said here I am wearing this sweatshirt that had the Simpsons on it and I bought it at a flea market.

00:32:38.612 --> 00:32:42.315
<v Speaker 1>Well, let's just say you were the person who made that sweatshirt that had the Simpsons on it and I bought it at a flea market.

00:32:42.315 --> 00:32:45.928
<v Speaker 1>Well, let's just say you were the person who made that sweatshirt originally.

00:32:46.589 --> 00:32:50.741
<v Speaker 1>Now, by the time something hits a flea market, it's been bought and sold five, six times.

00:32:50.741 --> 00:32:59.738
<v Speaker 1>So if you've made it once and you sell it to a retailer and you sell it to a customer this is speaking in Web 3, you only get paid once.

00:32:59.738 --> 00:33:07.643
<v Speaker 1>But in Web3, every time that sweatshirt gets bought and sold, you get a piece of it again and again, and again.

00:33:07.643 --> 00:33:12.701
<v Speaker 1>So for every owner there is for this particular item, you continue to get paid for it.

00:33:12.701 --> 00:33:17.558
<v Speaker 1>So for the life of that item, you will always make a profit one way or another.

00:33:18.240 --> 00:33:47.190
<v Speaker 1>And I think, thinking long term in terms of what you can do to grow your audience and to continue to make money, speaking in terms of handbags, handbags life cycles, they grow, they're sold eBay that I think all these opportunities for growth should always be considered and it's worth taking the time, no matter how daunting and scary and overwhelming it is.

00:33:47.190 --> 00:33:56.241
<v Speaker 1>You have lovely people like the Claire's of the world who you can learn from without having to do so much heavy lifting, so does that make all sense?

00:33:56.241 --> 00:33:57.565
<v Speaker 1>Am I saying this all correctly?

00:33:57.565 --> 00:33:58.667
<v Speaker 1>Just want to make sure.

00:33:59.415 --> 00:34:00.157
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah.

00:34:00.157 --> 00:34:05.368
<v Speaker 2>So something I want to say is I do not believe that anybody is an expert at the moment.

00:34:05.368 --> 00:34:09.565
<v Speaker 2>You know we're really all in this together.

00:34:09.565 --> 00:34:15.148
<v Speaker 2>You know it's about staying current rather than looking at expertise.

00:34:15.148 --> 00:34:20.588
<v Speaker 2>I think if you consider yourself an expert, probably a lot of your information is out of date already.

00:34:21.815 --> 00:34:31.400
<v Speaker 1>Listen, when the NFT thing grew out of nowhere, the people who were giving these talks, and I remember asking one of them saying how long have you been doing this?

00:34:31.400 --> 00:34:32.855
<v Speaker 1>And the person said 18 months.

00:34:32.855 --> 00:34:34.061
<v Speaker 1>And I'm like Jesus Christ.

00:34:34.061 --> 00:34:38.255
<v Speaker 1>That's like saying you could like perform a surgery with 18 months worth of training.

00:34:38.255 --> 00:34:41.204
<v Speaker 1>Like how could anybody be an expert in 18 months?

00:34:41.204 --> 00:34:47.443
<v Speaker 1>So this is moving really fast and if you're new to it and you're just learning, that's okay.

00:34:47.443 --> 00:34:56.077
<v Speaker 1>There's still time to pick up where everybody else left off, because whatever where it was six weeks ago is a totally different market at this point.

00:34:56.639 --> 00:34:56.961
<v Speaker 2>Right.

00:34:56.961 --> 00:35:01.739
<v Speaker 2>I think that's a great point and this is something that I always tell students as well.

00:35:01.739 --> 00:35:06.001
<v Speaker 2>This is just the beginning, where you are in this formal education.

00:35:06.001 --> 00:35:07.606
<v Speaker 2>This is just the start.

00:35:07.606 --> 00:35:10.277
<v Speaker 2>Don't think when you leave here you have the answers.

00:35:10.277 --> 00:35:26.630
<v Speaker 2>What you are learning is how to learn, how to constantly stay relevant, because everything is just such incredible rapid change and evolution at the moment that you know you can come in.

00:35:26.630 --> 00:35:27.940
<v Speaker 2>The boat has never sailed.

00:35:27.940 --> 00:35:29.059
<v Speaker 2>The ship has not left.

00:35:29.059 --> 00:35:35.788
<v Speaker 2>You know, some things are going to be harder to learn than others, but you can learn them.

00:35:36.356 --> 00:35:38.822
<v Speaker 1>It's basically the booze cruise that stayed at the port.

00:35:38.822 --> 00:35:40.244
<v Speaker 1>No one's gone anywhere.

00:35:40.244 --> 00:35:45.195
<v Speaker 1>You know Exactly.

00:35:45.195 --> 00:35:52.056
<v Speaker 1>Oh my gosh, claire Tattersall, how can we follow you, learn from you, get a piece of what this is that you've so beautifully created?

00:35:52.577 --> 00:35:56.405
<v Speaker 2>Well, so, we have our website, digitalfashionweeknyc.

00:35:56.405 --> 00:36:03.565
<v Speaker 2>I'm on LinkedIn as well and on Instagram again, it's digitalfashionfashionweeknyc.

00:36:03.565 --> 00:36:07.541
<v Speaker 2>No dot in that one Always connect with us.

00:36:07.541 --> 00:36:13.778
<v Speaker 2>It's a growing community and so many people in that community are really willing to share.

00:36:13.778 --> 00:36:19.737
<v Speaker 2>But I think starting with a website and finding links from there, it's probably the best place.

00:36:19.737 --> 00:36:21.221
<v Speaker 2>Join in.

00:36:21.221 --> 00:36:25.097
<v Speaker 2>We have a membership program as well now, so people can come.

00:36:25.097 --> 00:36:38.126
<v Speaker 2>They have access to free tickets to events and reports as well that are drafted from our speakers at events and access to videos from them as well.

00:36:38.126 --> 00:36:45.188
<v Speaker 2>So yeah, just trying to build a network of information and kindness and progress.

00:36:45.695 --> 00:36:47.039
<v Speaker 1>That's what it's about Claire.

00:36:47.039 --> 00:36:49.286
<v Speaker 1>Thank you so much for being part of the podcast.

00:36:49.286 --> 00:36:54.606
<v Speaker 1>Would love to have you back to talk about this in six months, where it's totally different.

00:36:54.606 --> 00:36:56.139
<v Speaker 1>It will be.

00:36:56.139 --> 00:36:57.362
<v Speaker 1>Thank you so much for having me.

00:36:57.362 --> 00:36:59.577
<v Speaker 1>Thanks for listening.

00:36:59.577 --> 00:37:04.938
<v Speaker 1>Don't forget to rate and review, and follow us on every single platform at handbag designer.

00:37:04.938 --> 00:37:05.842
<v Speaker 1>Thanks so much.

00:37:05.842 --> 00:37:06.824
<v Speaker 1>See you next time.