“There is no doubt that Covid-19 has stretched the limits of anyone’s imagination,” says Show Director, Kathryn Frew, “but that stretch has also resulted in innovation and the use of technology as a powerful tool to empower economic recovery. Businesses and buyers alike are searching for cost effective means to market and source quality product at good prices. In our quest to continue supporting the apparel, textile, footwear, leather and fashion industries in Southern Africa, we made the decision to heavily invest into an expo platform used by Messe Frankfurt International in global markets this year and to take allfashion sourcing virtual, rather than postpone.”
The platform uses an Artificial Intelligence powered networking engine that delivers smart recommendations for attendees to meet and enhances the reach for visitors and exhibitors across Africa, as well as globally. “We’re investing time in exhibitors by providing comprehensive toolkits and training to ensure that everyone gets the most out of the technology that we’re providing. This also applies to our visitors, who all receive detailed information on how to use the various tools to get real value from this virtual edition of the show.”
The virtual platform will remain live for a period of 3 months after the ‘live’ show and the content delivered for the duration of the virtual seminars will be recorded and made available to all attendees who have opted in to receive it. “Our primary aim for the virtual expo is to empower industries and we are cognisant of people’s time and budgets, so have opted to extend the amount of time that the platform will remain live.”
The Fringe Programme includes the following:
- The State of the African Textile industry
- Trade and investment solutions
- Womenswear and Menswear Trend Forecasts by renowned trend analyst Nicola Cooper
- Sustainability lead fashion
- AGOA (Africa Growth and Opportunity Act) - the trade benefits, textile related categories and the partner country benefits
- What US Buyers look for in products imported into America from African suppliers and how AGOA effectively drives and promotes textile market- led economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa
- Virtual fashions show
- allfashion sourcing Cape Town Young Designers Awards 2020 showcase where the top 10 curated finalists will go head to head in this elite young designer competition
“The showrooms and seminar content have been carefully crafted to enhance both the exhibitor and visitor experiences and we are really looking forward to engaging on the virtual destination that we’ve put together.” says Frew. “According to our survey done earlier this year, 96% of past attendees are looking forward to virtual networking with suppliers, manufacturers and buyers across the globe and we are excited to deliver a platform that allows them to do that.”