Moderated by:
Jamal Majid – Jamal’s origins emanate from a manufacturing and tailoring background within which fashion apparel was an inherent concern. He has worked in the Manchester Metropolitan University since 2002, where has successfully taught on various fashion related programmes in modules ranging from statistical analysis and international culture to that of fashion merchandising. His academic practice seeks to push students to their full potential, by enabling them to critically assess all information presented to them, so that they can develop progressive solutions within which successful changes in the fashion supply chain can be implemented.
On the panel:
Cathy Hackl – Futurist, Founder of Futures Intelligence Group, and VP at Avatar Dimension. Cathy Hackl is a leading tech futurist and globally recognized business leader specializing in augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), spatial computing, & the metaverse. She is one of LinkedIn’s t op technology voices (the highest honor on the platform) and a champion for diversity in tech. Cathy leads the Futures Intelligence Group, a futures research & consulting firm that works with clients in tech, fashion, media, government, and defence implementing innovation strategies, strategic foresight, and emerging technologies. Cathy also serves as VP at Avatar Dimension, helping brands in entertainment, fashion, enterprise, and beyond create holograms. Avatar Dimension helped Dimension Studio in London with some of the work on Balenciaga’s futuristic fusion of volumetric capture and video gaming for the launch of their 2021 Fall Collection.
Wayne Hemingway – Designer, Co-founder of Red or Dead, HemingwayDesign, The Good Business Festival. Wayne co-founded Red or Dead with his wife Gerardine, grew it into a globally-celebrated label, and after 21 catwalk seasons, sold it in a multi-million-pound deal. Wayne and Geraldine then founded HemingwayDesigns in 1981, a unique blend of designers, creators and producers with the philosophy ‘Design is about improving things that matter in life’. Wayne has a particular expertise in overcoming negative perceptions of places, internally and externally, through community led place-making, events strategies and meanwhile uses. Wayne is on the Design Council Trustee Board and on the Design Council CABE Committee. Wayne received an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list of 2006 for services to design. In addition, Wayne is a Professor at Northumbria University and has Doctorates / Fellowships at Leeds Beckett, University of Stafford, Lancaster University, Regents University London, Blackburn and University of Cumbria.
Safia Minney MBE – Social Entrepreneur, Founder of People Tree, a pioneer of sustainable
fashion. Safia led the business as Global CEO for 20+ years in Japan & Europe. She is recognised by the World Economic Forum as an Outstanding Social Entrepreneur and is a leading influencer and international speaker on sustainable business and supply chains, climate action and Fair Trade. Safia is an advisor, executive coach and author of 9 books including; ‘Slave to Fashion’, campaigning to eradicate modern day slavery in the fashion industry and ‘Slow Fashion – Aesthetics meets Ethics’. Safia recently launched www.realsustainability.org to promote sustainable living and leadership and joined other business leaders inspired by XR to establish www.businessdeclares.org.
Jamie Windust – Author, Model, Presenter, and Contributing Editor at Gay Times. Their work has seen them work and speak with TEDxLondon, The Barbican, Gucci, Jameela Jamil, and Facebook exploring LGBTQ+ identity through fashion, and how our creative industries can be more inclusive and less exclusive. Their debut book In Their Shoes: Navigating Non-Binary Life was published in October 2020 with JKP and PFD Agents.