The business environment both in India and internationally, is currently displaying unpredictability. In such an environment being able to respond quickly to market changes is the only way a company can remain profitable and successful. Brands, manufacturers, retailers and their suppliers need to understand and evolve flexible business models that will allow them to weather the storm.
 
Keeping this need in mind, Third Eyesight, a leading Consulting firm in the area of retail, consumer goods and textiles, recently presented a workshop titled "Fast Fashion" in Delhi. This workshop was part of the Third Eyesight Leadership Series that provides best practice learning’s to the Indian industry which wishes to facilitate the Indian clothing and textile industry's learning from the experiences of the world's successful businesses. The event was supported by Italian textile company Tessitura Monti, and provided the participants with in-depth insights on the success of international businesses like Zara and other international retailers of fashion, relevant to the Indian context.

The faculty for the workshop comprised of two professionals with extensive international experience in the fashion retail and supply chain, Ken Watson (Director of Industry Forum, UK) and Devangshu Dutta (Chief Executive of Third Eyesight). Watson, a supply chain expert with knowledge of international retailing, has worked in Europe, Middle East, Asia and North America, and has been the Director of Industry Forum Service for the past 12 years. He has spent this time focusing on developing best practices within the retail, fashion design and manufacturing supply chains and has been advising governments on industry development strategies. Dutta, in his career of over 18years in India and abroad, has held senior management positions in retail and management consulting organisations, and is a well-known professional in the business of retail and consumer products.

The workshop focused on issues related to product development, resource planning, supply chain management and product consumer relationships in a dynamic and changing business environment of lifestyle retailing in India and globally. Sharmila Katre of Third Eyesight opened the session with an overview of the Clothing and Textiles Industry's evolution from its inception to the present day, and placed the need for Fast Fashion in context. Dutta defined 'Fast Fashion', explaining how it had evolved over time. He stressed the need to practice it in today's competitive retail environment to sustain and grow businesses. Watson introduced the Zara model, and took the group through the process from design to delivery, covering both the front end and backend processes involved. The workshop looked at the need for effective communication; teamwork between the sellers, producers and designers of fashion merchandise; and understanding of consumer needs and responses for 'right first time' product development and timely product delivery. A video showed some of the multi- farious behind-the scenes activities of Zara. Participants were also required to analyze and improve previously prepared process maps of the traditional supply chain and come up with solutions to convert these supply chains to Fast Fashion. Dutta used the Zara model in the Indian context, suggesting that it could be applied both to the domestic and export sectors. The Fast Fashion strategy, implemented and practiced correctly, could help businesses retain, consolidate and sustain markets through pre-emptive and proactive product development and product delivery to consumers, and in turn, grow the market.

The program was attended by several owners and CEOs from the clothing and textile sector in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi. Retailers and brands such as Reliance, Tata, Benetton, Aditya Birla Group, Wills (ITC), Levi Strauss, ColorPlus and W were well represented. The export community was represented by MM Exports, Pee Empro, Fiori and Auric Merchandising. The workshop also had the participation of the design community, including the business heads of Tarun Tahiliani and Anita Dongre, and Sumeet Nair, Executive Director of the Fashion Design Council of India.

The program was attended by several owners and CEOs from the clothing and textile sector in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi. Retailers and brands such as Reliance, Tata, Benetton, Aditya Birla Group, Wills (ITC), Levi Strauss, ColorPlus and W were well represented. The export community was represented by MM Exports, Pee Empro, Fiori and Auric Merchandising. The workshop also had the participation of the design community, including the business heads of Tarun Tahiliani and Anita Dongre, and Sumeet Nair, Executive Director of the Fashion Design Council of India.