More than 100 industry professionals from around the world came to the state-of-the-art technology center of Lectra in Bordeaux-Cestas, France, to look at how Industry 4.0 is shaping and transforming the global fashion and apparel business.

The conference brought together brands and manufacturers to discuss the major challenges fashion businesses are facing in today’s digital marketplace, and identify practical steps companies can take to digitalize their value chain. During two days of in-depth presentations and workshops, Pr Céline Abecassis-Moedas and Pr Valérie Moatti, ESCP Europe shed light on innovative new retail models; Liz Doupnik, associate editor, Women’s Wear Daily, shattered myths and set straight misconceptions about the millennial generation; and Fred Lemoine, Vice President, Weave Services, delved into the advantages of a digitalized supply chain.

Prominent Fashion Brands

Among the attendees were some of today’s most prominent fashion brands, such as H&M and Shanghai-based Dayang Group, one of the world’s largest suit manufacturers.

Lectra customers were on hand to share their own experiences with digital transformation. Manuel Castaldo, business analysis and sourcing operations manager for leading Italian fast-fashion retailer OVS, underlined the importance of identifying key collaborators to facilitate the transition to digital: “When you decide to make digital changes in your company, you are not only selecting the right tool, you are selecting the right partner to help you make those changes in your daily – and future – work.” Thanks to Lectra’s PLM solution, Manuel Castaldo explained, OVS has improved the quality of information shared throughout their process, positively impacting product development and quality.

Fred Walck, director, project management for Mexico-based clothing supplier Grupo Kaltex, also outlined their reasons for choosing Lectra: “In the spirit of Industry 4.0, what interests us as a vertical manufacturer is connecting our physical supply chain with our virtual supply chain–our software, ERP, and WRMS. For us, Lectra offers the most comprehensive solution: an end-to-end system designed specifically for fashion and apparel.”

The launch of Lectra Fashion PLM 4.0

Lectra took advantage of the occasion to announce the launch of Lectra Fashion PLM 4.0, proof of its commitment to empowering its customers with the best technology possible as they take their first steps towards Industry 4.0. With the widest functional scope on the market, the modular PLM solution acts as a connected, intelligent nerve center for today’s digital supply chain, from planning through design to production, ensuring a consistent flow of error-free data between processes, technologies and people, and providing companies with the agility to adapt to different business models and jump on trends quickly.

During the event’s keynote speech, Edouard Macquin, Chief Sales Officer, Lectra, explored mega trends that are turning the fashion industry on its head, and demonstrated how Lectra’s vision–and fashion-specific digital solutions–are helping fashion companies adapt to this ‘fourth industrial revolution’.

“Industry 4.0 is not only revolutionizing how manufacturers operate, but also how brands and retailers need to function. Lectra’s goal is to provide its customers with the technology and support they need to thrive and succeed in this new digital marketplace,” concluded Edouard Macquin.