As VP, Creative at Fashion Snoops, Melissa Moylan is recognized as an expert in trend forecasting. Based out of Los Angeles, she leads Fashion Snoops’ womenswear team to provide analysis across runway, tradeshows and retail. Throughout all market levels, Melissa’s well-rounded view allows her to successfully report on trends from inception to commercial realization. With over 14 years of experience in New York City, Paris and Los Angeles, she’s previously held buying and senior merchandising positions with department stores and manufacturers. Melissa has traveled extensively to train research teams and trend partners. She is a sought-after speaker at industry events in the U.S., Europe and Asia and is also involved with branding for international consulting projects.

Facilitator:

Melinda Tually, Director Ndless: The New Normal
Melinda is a responsible business strategist advising brands and retailers on ethical sourcing and supply chain strategy, social and environmental risks, communications, partnerships and sourcing.

Panelists:

Marnie Goding
Creative Director and Co-founder
ELK

Marnie Goding is co-founder and Creative Director of Melbourne fashion label ELK. The brand was launched in 2004 alongside husband and jeweller Adam Koniaras.
Marnie’s background in Marketing and Adam’s experience as a craftsman combined to launch a label offering niche product through the provision of ethically made, contemporary accessories and fashion items that were limited in the Australian market at the time. Their combined capabilities for running a business, designing, manufacturing and marketing has given ELK a competitive edge and resulted in a passionate, independent fashion business over the past 15 years.

Today ELK has emerged as a leader in the industry as a brand at the forefront of positive change and is the first fashion business of its size to release an in depth transparency report. With four years of research and training, a dedicated team and active industry participation there are few other Australian labels with the depth of knowledge or all encompassing commitment to redesigning their business.

The brand is on a journey to create great Australian design for a growing global audience, to share the story of a business in transformation, to innovate and to challenge traditional thinking for a better way to make and work in the world of fashion.

Eloise Bishop
Head of Sustainability
David Jones and Country Road Group

As Head of Sustainability for David Jones and Country Road Group, Eloise leads the retailers’ Good Business Journey sustainability strategy. This program embeds sustainability into every aspect of the David Jones and Country Road Group brands, including their work with suppliers, partners and customers across eight key areas: ethical trade, sustainable farming and sourcing of raw materials, energy efficiency, waste reduction, water stewardship, social development, health and wellness, and people and transformation. Eloise and her team work with suppliers to maintain high ethical and social standards in the supply chain and to ensure the use of responsibly sourced fabrics.

John Condilis
Chair / Co-Founder
NOBODY DENIM

John Condilis, Chair and Co-Founder of Nobody Denim and Australian Fashion Council Board Co-Chair is passionate about growing and re-establishing the clothing manufacturing industry in Australia. The Nobody story began with a small, family-built denim laundry in the backstreets of Melbourne, Australia in 1999. Founded on the belief that making jeans could be imbued with integrity and creativity, Nobody Denim has continued to go from strength to strength. From fabric sourcing to fit and finish, the Nobody team show a dedication to their craft, a commitment to quality and a genuine understanding of their customers’ needs.

John is committed to maintaining an ethical and sustainable operational facility, with transparency at the core of Nobody’s business activities. The label is accredited with Ethical Clothing Australia, ensuring everyone involved in making their designs receives fair wages and are provided with safe working conditions.

David is currently CEO of the Australian Fashion Council – AFC (Formerly Council of Textile & Fashion – CTF), and spent several years on the CTF board of directors. He was recently involved with smart textiles technology company, Imagine Intelligent Materials, which is at the forefront of developing the future of wearables. His primary background lies in technology and business development in sports apparel with a number of companies including WL Gore (Gore-Tex). David has had the experience of starting his own sports fashion label, and also in performance apparel and equipment for defence. David spent a number of years living and working in Germany and the UK and has been back in Australia since 2008.

About Australian Fashion Council

The Australian Fashion Council (AFC), as the peak industry body, exists to promote the growth of the textile & fashion industry in Australia, with over 65 years service to the industry. The AFC is a not-for-profit membership organisation, with members drawn from across the fashion and textile industry value chain.

When we look at the industry, we are viewing ‘fashion’ as encompassing the entire spectrum of the value chain. From students to multinational companies. From shopping centres to fibre growers. From workwear companies to luxury goods. From the product to the consumer.

All activities and projects act to support the AFC’s Five Growth Pillars; strengthening supply chains, growing Australian exports, helping new businesses become established, developing industry practices in ethical and sustainable product, and, fostering design & innovation.

https://ausfashioncouncil.com

Facebook: @ausfashioncouncil

Instagram: @ausfashioncouncil

LinkedIn: @ausfashioncouncil

Juris Master of University of International Business and Economics, 18 years experience in international textile and apparel industry and trade, international trade exhibition.

As VP, Creative at Fashion Snoops, Melissa Moylan is recognized as an expert in trend forecasting. Based out of Los Angeles, she leads Fashion Snoops’ womenswear team to provide analysis across runway, tradeshows and retail. Throughout all market levels, Melissa’s well-rounded view allows her to successfully report on trends from inception to commercial realization. With over 14 years of experience in New York City, Paris and Los Angeles, she’s previously held buying and senior merchandising positions with department stores and manufacturers. Melissa has traveled extensively to train research teams and trend partners. She is a sought-after speaker at industry events in the U.S., Europe and Asia and is also involved with branding for international consulting projects.

Elizabeth is the Founder of Fashion Equipped, a Melbourne based consultancy agency specialising in the business of fashion.

Elizabeth has worked with some of Australia’s largest retailers and privately owned wholesalers, and she’s gained valuable industry experience working in senior roles in retail buying, product development, sourcing, sales, brand building, marketing, strategic planning and team management.

As a consultant and mentor, Elizabeth now shares her knowledge and experience with Australia’s next generation of fashion businesses and designers.

Most recently, Elizabeth’s passion and mission has been focussed on launching an Online Programme for fashion start-ups.

This immersive programme brings big business knowledge to emerging business and is a valuable asset for those planning, launching and growing a fashion business.

www.fashionequipped.com.au
Facebook – @FashionEquipped
Instagram – @FashionEquipped

Pinakin Chaubal brings years of experience in developing, assessing, purchasing and managing TCF products.  Pinakin regularly provides expert opinion in legal and commercial disputes and helps businesses minimize risks before it is too late.  Through APN Performance Testing www.apnperftest.com he and his team provide an independent testing and consulting service.

Born in Barcelona, Simon first went to Asia in 2009. After living in Thailand for one year, he decided to move to China to set up a small sourcing company to help companies develop their business in China for nearly six years, he then moved to Vietnam where he has lived since 2016.

Simon has a Master degree in International Relations and Foreign Trade.

Before this experience in Asia, he spent almost 10 years in the logistics business focusing on sales working with companies like American Airlines, UPS and Expeditors. 

Simon currently lives in Hanoi and speaks Spanish, Catalan, English and basic Chinese and basic Vietnamese.

Discover what’s behind the curtains of bamboo in Asia…since landing in Asia in 2010 he has his five sense’s (and has already develop the sixth) in finding solutions to prevent fraud, combat the Quality Control, protect the Intellectual Property in China and try to contribute to provide a more efficient supply chain to buyers.

FACILITATOR: Patty Huntington is a Sydney-based journalist, producer and media commentator. She is the Australian correspondent for US fashion trade ‘bible’ Women’s Wear Daily, the Australian fashion correspondent for Hong Kong’s newspaper of record, The South China Morning Post and a regular commentator on Australia’s ABC tv and radio network, where she presents a monthly fashion business-dedicated segment on the Weekend Breakfast tv news program.

Elizabeth Park – Fashion Business Consultant 

With over 20 years of experience in international fashion supply chains, Elizabeth comes from a place of deep industry knowledge and market awareness, honed by extensive international experience in leadership positions with responsibility for product sourcing, technology, quality, value chain management, social, environmental and ethical compliance. Her career began in the UK working in a technical and sourcing capacity in large scale, high quality, global manufacturing and more recently, leading value chains for fashion retail companies based in the UK and Australia.

Elizabeth believes passionately about the importance of ethics and responsibility in value chains and now works as an industry consultant and tertiary educator, sharing her deep knowledge and experience with fashion companies and designers to inspire and embed ethical and sustainable practice for ongoing success.

Ellie Vaisman – Director of Overseas Operations, SOURCI

Ellie Vaisman is an overseas manufacturing specialist who has established, and currently manages, dozens of manufacturing relationships for Australian & New Zealand based businesses. He is the Co-Founder of Sourci, a Melbourne based end-to-end sourcing company that has teams across China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka & India. With expertise across a plethora of different industries & product categories, Ellie’s passion is in helping small to medium businesses truly grow & succeed by finding them the best possible suppliers across the globe.

Simon Caballero (Vietnam)- Sourcing & Supply Chain – Asia Director – Velilla Confeccion

Born in Barcelona, Simon first went to Asia in 2009. After living in Thailand for one year, he decided to move to China to set up a small sourcing company to help companies develop their business in China for nearly six years, he then moved to Vietnam where he has lived since 2016.

Simon has a Master degree in International Relations and Foreign Trade.

Before this experience in Asia, he spent almost 10 years in the logistics business focusing on sales working with companies like American Airlines, UPS and Expeditors.

Simon currently lives in Hanoi and speaks Spanish, Catalan, English and basic Chinese and basic Vietnamese.

Discover what’s behind the curtains of bamboo in Asia… since landing in Asia in 2010 he has his five sense’s (and has already develop the sixth) in finding solutions to prevent fraud, combat the Quality Control, protect the Intellectual Property in China and try to contribute to provide a more efficient supply chain to buyers.

Anita is a trade marks lawyer at Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick with more than 10 years’ experience in trade mark clearance work, prosecution, oppositions and enforcement, both locally and internationally. She has also been involved in proceedings before the Australian Trade Marks Office and the Federal Court of Australia.  Anita develops strategies for and advises on the protection, commercialisation and enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights of both large and small Australian and foreign companies across a range of industries including life sciences, fashion, manufacturing, cleantech and information technology.  Anita is also a recent Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and strives to provide commercially realistic legal advice.

LinkedIn: @PhillipsOrmondeFitzpatrick

Twitter: @POFIP