nd will bring together fashion and tech businesses to identify and overcome obstacles with collaborative solutions,” said Kellie Hush, acting CEO of the AFC. “Most importantly, the hope is that digital transformation in the design process will ultimately reduce textile waste and carbon emissions by limiting the number of physical samples created.” Launching in January 2022, the program has been created with the support of City of Sydney and aims to help fashion and textile start-ups accelerate their adoption of technology and as a result, become more sustainable. It will kick off with an incubator and network event, where participants will use FutureMap, a business diagnostic tool to test technology adoptions and readiness from the Innovative Manufacturing CRC and the University of Technology Sydney.  The program will also include workshops where each brand pilots a piece of technology and shares their experiences with others in the group. They will also be matched with a technology business, which will guide them through consultations and a trial of tech solutions.  “Once brands transform their designs into digital assets – the metaverse is really their oyster! It sets the foundation to leverage and explore augmented reality, virtual reality, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and gaming skins which is typically an expensive place to play and accessible for only the big end of town,” added Hush. Here, Inside Retail chatted with Hush about why the metaverse is worth investing in, what the modern fashion designer needs to succeed – and the upcoming Australian Fashion trademark the AFC plans to unveil shortly.  IR: This is a big investment into the metaverse by the AFC. What is it about digital fashion that makes you think that it’s here to say and not just a flash-in-the-pan trend?  KH: Technology is how our industry can evolve. Using new technology will enable our industry to improve, learn, adapt and evolve to become world leading in purposeful innovation and mindful creativity. It’s not only about the metaverse, it’s about developing and harnessing technology to increase sustainability, be more efficient and productive and allow our unique industry to not only compete with the global players but lead.  IR: Which brands do you think have done really great work in terms of digital fashion thus far? KH: Unfortunately, we have really only seen the big players at the big end of town be able to create traction and success in this space. FashTech Labs will really unpack why it is – besides the funding – that SMEs and smaller brands have been hesitant to take these opportunities. There is hesitation and lack of education and understanding of how the metaverse can work and how you can leverage it.   IR: What are some of the biggest benefits that digital fashion can bring to both the industry and consumers?  KH: Technology can really offer many things, but we are hoping to really focus on how technology can help brands be better. How technology can create more efficient, productive and sustainable pathways and bring new light into the standard workflows that actually enrich the process rather than take away from it. Australia can never compete on the global stage in terms of labour costs, so we need to be smart to ‘right-shore’ and deliver on quality, provenance, traceability and sustainability.  We are also facing the fact that small family-run businesses, like button hole making, will cease to exist one day and this is where technology can step in.  IR: What do you think modern fashion designers and brands need right now to succeed in the current climate? KH: This is what the FashTech Lab will be all about. It’s creating an environment, where tech and industry can come together to advance the industry by demystifying current perceptions, giving brands direct dialogue and opportunity to trial commercially viable pathways to inspire and enable them to be better, mindful brands. Technology is also how we will be able to bring back local manufacturing to Australia, so our brands can leverage the passion behind supporting local.  The AFC is working on driving consumer demand for Australian fashion brands. We have a unique positioning on the global stage to leverage our unique attributes and really drive business growth and jobs for our industry, so we are really excited to launch the ‘Australian Fashion’ trademark and campaign early next year – watch this space! IR: What are some of the most interesting things that you’re noticing in the work of up-and-coming fashion designers? What are you excited about? KH: This year has seen Indigenous design in the spotlight and I hope this continues into the future. We have an incredible depth of talent in Australia and for too long, Indigenous representation in the industry and at Australian Fashion Week was rare, beyond a handful of models. But this year we saw at least 12 designers from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds on the runway. As [First Nations Fashion & Design founder] Grace Lillian Lee said when she accepted the inaugural 2021 Carla Zampatti Laureate for leadership:  “This is not a moment. This is a movement.”