BUILDING OUR FASHION COMMUNITY
ONE BUSINESS AT A TIME
GET READY FOR THE BIGGEST FASHION EVENT OF THE YEAR
SAVE THE DATE
10 AM - 5 PM
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2019
AT TWELVE OAKS MALL, NOVI, MICHIGAN
Get ready for something completely different from Detroit Garment Group. We are taking our two biggest events, FashionSpeak, our conference that focuses on the business of fashion, and Verge, our trade show bringing together buyers and sellers, and merging them into one event!
And, we're also making Verge a market, too, so vendors can sell their products to FashionSpeak attendees,
Twelve Oaks Mall patrons, buyers and more!
Upon arrival, FashionSpeak ticket holders will receive a map, schedule and swag bag filled with store coupons. Set your own schedule for the day, choosing the workshops and times that work best for you, shop the market, use your coupons for great deals at the mall, and enjoy some food and beverages, courtesy of Taubman.
Potential sponsors, please email karen@detroitgarmentgroup.org for a sponsor packet.
2019 WORKSHOPS
We are grateful for our sponsors:
VP OF DESIGN
PRESENTING SPONSOR
SENIOR DESIGNER
DESIGNER
ASSOCIATE DESIGNER
IN-KIND SPONSOR
Keynote Speaker
Jewelry Designer Jolie Altman
Jolie is a shining example of designing what you love and being your own best marketing tool to get into the most exclusive stores. As a result, her on-trend designs have graced the shelves of Bergdorf Goodman, Kitson, Ikram, Intermix, Anthropologie and Fred Segal, and locally at Barbara Boz in Harbor Springs and Girlie Girl in Grosse Pointe. They have also been featured in publications, including People magazine and the Huffington Post, and on the wrists and necks of celebrities, such as Oprah Winfrey, Deepak Chopra, Elizabeth Gilbert and Carole Radziwill.
Parking & Event Map
Workshop 1
How To Win at Trade Shows
Join trade show expert Aferdita Rakipi on a walking tour of the Verge Trade Show + Market, where she will showcase real-life examples of successful trade show set ups, teach you how to pick up on body language of buyers and shoppers, demonstrate how to effortlessly draw people into your booth, and provide critical tips on how to make the sale.
Workshop 2
Merchandise Your Space Like a Pro
Go on a merchandising field trip around Twelve Oaks Mall with Robin Bliss and Matt Grace from Taubman Company. At each stop, your tour guides will point out what’s working, what’s not, and how to do it on a budget. The field trip will end at EMERGE, the pop-up space where local brands can apply to sell their goods for a weekend duration.
Workshop 3
How To Carve Your Fashionprenurial Path in Today’s Digital Age
Breaking out in fashion has always been a challenging goal. In today’s digital age with social media, influencers and an overcrowded market, it takes more than just passion to succeed. Grand Rapid’s RC Caylan, however, is making waves in the industry, dressing dozens of celebrities, including Carrie Underwood and Holly Robinson Peete, showing his collection of traffic-stopping gowns at NYFW and doing it on his own terms, and he’s coming to FashionSpeak to share his secrets with you.
Workshop 4
That's My Business! Game Show
Randomly selected FashionSpeak attendees will go head-to-head to answer the most fashion business questions correctly to win prizes. Test your knowledge and find out just how much you really know about the business of fashion.
PAST KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:
2018: Phoenix Mellow
2017: Stacy London
2016: Jeffry Arsonsson
2015: Kevan Hall
2014: Tracy Reece
2013: Daniel Vosovic
Check out pics from previous FashionSpeak conferences!
Did you miss FashionSpeak?
Check out our promo video below and see what the buzz is all about!