The New York style community is a world leader in pushing creative boundaries. Crowell & Moring’s New York Fashion & Beauty Breakfast Series is designed to create a forum that brings together fashion and beauty industry executives to explore topics of relevance and to develop lasting connections.
On June 6, 2019, industry insiders gathered for the third Fashion & Beauty Breakfast Series, titled “Spring Mingle – What’s News in Retail 2019,” to discuss developments in fashion during the first half of the year and what might lie ahead in the fashion and beauty industries. Key topics included sustainable fashion, intellectual property protection and makeup artists, and immersive retail experiences:
- Sustainable fashion has become a widespread design philosophy among industry participants. For instance, H&M sets an example by offering their “Conscious Collection,” which consists of clothing made using sustainable and recycled materials, while Fair Harbor, a new market entrant, has engineered a process for making high-quality beachwear for men and women out of recycled plastic.
- The focus on women’s faces, driven by the ascendance of selfies which, by definition, have to be close-ups…begs the question…when does a “look” become a work of art? Currently, copyright law only protects works of art that are fixed in a permanent state, and makeup washes off. Is this requirement worth revisiting, as the lines between fashion and high art continue to blur? How about as the lines between teenager, influencer, celebrity and artist are eroding altogether?
- The Hudson Yards isn’t the first development to combine dining, shopping, and cultural experiences; however, it is betting that consumers will flock to brick and mortar for shopping “experiences.” On the “Floor of Discovery,” brands that started online have not only opened storefronts but are also using their platforms in the space to test new concepts and immersive experiences, seeking to capitalize on the statistic that in markets where you have physical retail, e-commerce business increases by 30%.
Are you an industry executive who is interested in joining our next Fashion & Beauty Breakfast Series event? Contact mhsieh@crowell.com for more information or visit our Fashion Law webpage to learn more.
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