Avery Dennison Apparel Solutions Discusses How Technology Revolutionizes the Consumer Experience at DECODED Fashion New York Summit 2016

November 2, 2016

Avery Dennison Apparel Solutions, and designer Rochambeau hosted a panel discussion and showcased solutions to enhance the consumer retail experience 

NEW YORK – Avery Dennison Apparel Solutions (NYSE: AVY), a global leader in apparel and footwear branding, packaging, labeling, and RFID solutions, attended the DECODED Fashion Summit yesterday in New York City. Avery Dennison Apparel Solutions and menswear brand Rochambeau, hosted a panel discussion on how technology is revolutionizing the consumer retail experience, featuring an exclusive line of ‘born digital’ interactive jackets. Additionally, Avery Dennison showcased its latest collaboration with eponymous London designer Sarah Angold to create custom-made jewelry pieces embedding Avery Dennison RFID technology.

Panel Discussion
During the panel discussion, “The Customer Experience Revolution: Leveraging Technology to Build Loyalty and Drive Engagement”, topics ranged from sharing best practices on how retailers can unlock value from the Internet of Things (IoT) and influence consumers, to how ‘connectivity’ is the new material designers must work with to create meaningful and lasting consumer experiences.   

Josh Rubin, founder and editor of Cool Hunting, moderated the panel and was joined by top designers and retail industry experts, including:

• Laurence Chandler, co-founder, Rochambeau

• Kim Schneider, senior director, Technology Solutions, Avery Dennison Apparel Solutions

“The demand for products that integrate digitally into the everyday lives of consumers continues to accelerate,” said Kim Schneider, senior director, Technology Solutions, at Avery Dennison Apparel Solutions. “As contemporary fashion and retail stores become increasingly connected by digital means, brands must become cognizant of ways to incorporate technology into their products – and Avery Dennison offers retailers this opportunity.”  

Rochambeau Interactive Smart Jacket
Avery Dennison Apparel Solutions also debuted the smart digital jacket via its cutting-edge collaboration with New York-based Rochambeau, a 2016 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist. The exclusive Fall/Winter run of ‘BRIGHT BMBR’ connected jackets are powered by the Avery Dennison’s Janela™ platform. The #BornDigital garments offer consumers exclusive personalized dining, art, retail and fashion experiences.

“We started Rochambeau as an outlet for creative expression and artistic collaboration,” said Laurence Chandler, founder of Rochambeau. “We can’t think of a more amazing way to do this than to create beautiful garments with culture and connectivity stitched into the very fabric of the item. We’re excited about designing more Rochambeau products which are born digital."

Triggered by a smartphone, the ‘BRIGHT BMBR’ jacket allows wearers to receive personalized content  exclusive rewards, and gain access to one-of-a-kind experiences. The left sleeve of the smart jacket features a hidden zipper pocket containing a limited-edition label containing NFC technology and a unique QR code, allowing consumers to connect with these smart tags and access rewards and curated experiences. Only 15 versions of the jackets will be released to retail in early December, and will be sold exclusively at The New Stand locations in New York City. The ‘BRIGHT BMBR’ smart product experience can be previewed here: http://brightbmbr.nyc.

Interactive Jewelry Collaboration with Sarah Angold
Avery Dennison also featured its latest collaboration with Sarah Angold, a UK-based jewelry designer and Vogue Italia’s “Vogue Talents” award-winner. Through this partnership, Sarah Angold showcased four custom-made accessory pieces embedded with Avery Dennison RFID technology. Working side-by-side with Sarah, Avery Dennison linked Oak Labs’ interactive mirrors to her jewelry to elevate the consumer experience. Through a live demonstration at DECODED, attendees had the chance to interact with the mirror, gaining immediate access to item-level product information, insights on where and how the pieces were made, and were even given styling recommendations for a unique retail experience. Learn more about Avery Dennison’s collaboration with Sarah Angold here: http://bit.ly/2f6inAV.

“Technology is absolutely integral to our practice,” said designer Sarah Angold. “Avery Dennison and I are collaborating on four really exciting accessory pieces embedded with RFID technology. We worked together on laser cutting, 3D printing and experimented with conductivity, testing at every single stage.”