Roundtable: Fashioning Data

Hey friends! It has been a while since we connected so I thought a roundtable would be a great way to see each other again and discuss fashion and tech through the lens of big data. A Roundtable is a causal semi academic format to discuss, explore, and debate a common piece of material. More info on the report below. Fashion uses big data in unique ways. We have idiosyncratic inputs (including style quizzes), distinct outputs (think of sizing preferences), and a distinctive data life cycle (such as allowing consumers to buy directly from the runway).

In all industries, access to big data is changing the ways we do business. Those of us in fashion, however, are using big data tools to create and facilitate unique kinds of predictions, empower design and merchandising decisions–and most importantly, to encourage deep interactions.

To explore this further, O’Reilly Media commissioned an in-depth report about fashion and big data in conjunction with a brand new fashion track at their hugely popular big data conference, Strata. Included in the report are interviews with Rent the Runway, ModCloth, and Poshly; introductions to 27 different data-focused fashion tech startups, and an in-depth look at the challenges and opportunities facing fashion today.

It is a free download so reads the report before coming and let's discuss the points as well as how this information could impact Philadelphia. There will be planned discussion questions to get the party started. Afterwards, let's grab a drink and talk about current projects and collaborations.

Report available here. http://www.oreilly.com/data/free/files/fashioning-data.pdf