CONDÈ NAST INTERNATIONAL'S LUXURY CONFERENCE ON HOW TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING FASHION

The first Condè;Nast;International luxury conference held in Florence and curated by Suzy Menkes, explored the impact of technology and social media on luxury through expert keynote speakers such as Karl Lagerfeld, Lanvin's Alber Elbaz, David Lauren, Antoine Arnault, ceo of Berluti, Jonathan Ive,; Apple’s senior vice president of design and Isabelle Harvie-Watt, Global CEO Havas LuxHub.;
The conference tackled a number of issues with insight and often humorous anecdotes. Elbaz, for example, joked about his difficulties with technology, especially complicated gadgets, while Lagerfeld underscored how he likes to keep everything his head and not on a computer.;
Others admitted that while fashion lags behind in the technological revolution, technology in part replaces the glamour of fashion. Infact, many still believe in creativity and the need to create dreams versus marketing-centric strategies.;
According to Harvie-Watt, ;though, “technology isn’t an afterthought, it’s at the core of their business. Traditional luxury companies have yet to get there and digital commerce is still a single-digit percent of their business,” she said.;
She also stressed how next-gen luxury consumers think about luxury in terms of experience and technology. “Instead of acquiring things, they’d rather activate. Rare and authentic experiences like running ice marathons in the Antarctic or climbing Kilimanjaro are the new bling,” she added.