Fashion & Design Academy 2011

Dates:

AUGUST 6th – AUGUST 17th 2012

The Fashion & Design Academy started in July 2009 and is annually organized by Fashion Patrons. We offer a series of workshops and lectures, which focuses on coaching creative start-ups. Our 2012 module takes place in August and specializes in supporting young fashion designers in all aspects of successfully setting up their own business. We combine the common one-on-one interviews with group workshops picking up on topics and current tendencies in fields such as Public Relations, Sales, Production or Marketing. Invited experts explain business-relevant processes in the fashion scene in order to develop new strategies with our participants. Our coaches are highly experienced in their fields and will provide insights on the many opportunities and challenges that start-ups face. All lecturers aim to increase your knowledge surrounding the commercialisation and implementation of your ideas, designs, products and concepts.

Hear and receive valuable advice from business founders themselves about the journey of turning an idea into a product. Get the inside scoop on raising money, term sheets, and how to deal with banks, VCs or investors. What should you look for when choosing a co-founder, and when should you incorporate or file patents? How do you write a successful business plan? How do you file your income tax return? What can go wrong in a start-up, and how does an acquisition work?

The workshops offer an all-round training and make the often-difficult way of founding a company easier. Each aspect of starting a business is taken into consideration. In this way you can benefit from our experiences, competences and our networks.

Nothing has changed the fashion industry as much and as fast as the internet age. New online opinion leaders, as well as information exchange on social networks replaced the traditional form of media and communication, transforming the designer into a trendsetter. New platforms have evolved in recent years bringing the customer in direct contact with the product on a much quicker scale. Consumers look for their personal styles in their own rows and are attracted by the spontaneous authentic web language. Buyers require more transparency concerning the origin and production of their products. Others feel confused by the variety and prefer selective assortments, as well as extended service and consultation.

In order to be able to keep up with these radical changes, designers face the challenge to reposition themselves in all matters like product placement, communication as well as distribution. Especially the conventional way of bringing the actual product to the customer passing the distribution agent and retailer is being questioned. The course will break away with the straight conventional ways and offer insights on how to better tackle the market using the right weapons. Twelve workshops will give you space to discuss and analyze new ideas – find new tendencies around the sales business of the fashion industry, as well as result in new strategies to make you a successful start-up.

All courses will be held in English.
Download our March 2011 Programme Click Here our October 2011 Programme Click Here . Our 2012 programme will be available soon!