Style and Substance – Condé Nast Luxury Conference, Seoul, March 2016

When it comes to the world of publishing there are few that can touch the power and influence of Condé Nast. The crown in its stable of titles, which include W, Vanity Fair and the New Yorker, is Vogue. And at its digital heart sits the world’s most respected and revered fashion editor – Suzy Menkes. Always ahead of the curve, after 25 years helming the International Herald Tribune, Suzy left the world of print to be the global fashion editor of Vogue Online.

Her ability to lead debate and discussion on fashion and luxury is unsurpassed and in particular she has built an enviable reputation for bringing together the worlds’ leading thinkers, influencers and thought leaders. The Condé Nast Luxury Conference is the epitome of this, and this year’s event “Future Luxury” was held in Seoul, Korea.

As the world’s most respected gathering for sharing ideas, the Asian Couture Federation’s Dr. Frank Cintamani, Ms. Emily Hwang and leading Korean designer Song Zio attended the two day event. With a focus on the future direction of the ever-changing world of luxury, the conference welcomed some of the most influential personalities from the world of fashion, luxury and lifestyle to the Shilla Hotel in Seoul.

This included Eva Chen, Head of Fashion Partnerships at Instagram, Anya Hindmarch, Founder of her eponymous label Anya Hindmarch, Nadja Swarovski, Member of the Swarovski Executive Board, and ACF Governor, Kim Sung Joo, Chairman of MCM. With such an impressive line up of over 20 speakers and an audience of 500, the two-day event generated some fascinating insights and perspectives on the future of luxury.

One aspect that came across strongly was the seismic shift to the digital world. As the sector matures, the confluence of influencers, consumers, production, design and creative has come of age. This resonated strongly with Dr. Frank Cintamani and Ms. Emily Hwang who have both championed the Asian Couture Federation new on line fashion portal – Couturissimo.

A groundbreaking initiative, it echoes much of the sentiment and vision expressed at the conference. In particular, the power of technology and social media to drive online and virtual consumerism and how the Internet is truly the vehicle to drive advertising, marketing and sales. The role of the manufacturer was also key in realizing the creative vision of the designers. Areas in which Couturissimo has invested heavily and which bode well for a successful launch in July.