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Fashion fit expert reveals
‘Effective fit strategies for apparel brands in an era of globalization’
at
SmartFit Conference, Belgium
Thursday 22nd May 2014, 09.15am to 17.00pm
University College Ghent, Department of Fashion, Textile and Wood Technology, Valentin
Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Ghent, building D, auditorium DAUD, BELGIUM
BELGIUM, 30 APRIL 2014 Alvanon, the world’s leading apparel size and fit expert, has announced that its
president, Ed Gribbin will be a guest presenter at SmartFit, a dedicated fashion fit conference being held
at the University College Ghent (HoGent), Department of Fashion, Textile and Wood Technology,
Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Ghent, building D, auditorium DAUD in Belgium on Thursday 22nd May
2014 from 9.15am to 17.00pm. In his presentation entitled: ‘Effective fit strategies for apparel brands in
an era of globalization’ Ed Gribbin will explain how the weak domestic market in Europe over the past
five years has converged with two major factors - rapid advances in internet technologies and huge,
emerging markets of middle-class consumers in China, India and Brazil - to create new global growth
opportunities for European brands. He will reveal that one of the biggest challenges for taking
advantage of those opportunities is apparel fit. Drawing on his unparalleled experience of global body
shape analysis he will show how people are sized and shaped differently all over the world and will
explain how brands should adapt, if at all, to be successful in overseas markets. He will conclude with
practical real-world examples of what works and what does not, as brands compete in this new era of
globalization.
The main themes of the SmartFit conference will be apparel sizing and fit in relation to 3D body
scanning, mass customization, e-commerce and digital fashion. Ed Gribbin will join a specialist line-up of
international speakers that include: Jean-Loup Renneson of Telmat speaking on ‘Low cost 3D body
scanners with full functionality’; Mariëlle van den Hurk of Lectra on ‘How you can increase revenue with
good fit’; and Joris Cools of HoGent who will announce the results and implementation of the latest
SmartFit measurement campaign 2012-2013. For a full line-up of speakers and agenda see programme
details below or visit: www.fnt.hogent.be/faculteit/agenda/smartfit-congres/ or contact: Tine Engelen
on email: [email protected]
Ed Gribbin. President, Alvanon, Inc. is generally regarded throughout the global apparel industry as the
world’s foremost authority on apparel sizing and fit and serves numerous global organizations dedicated
to the success of the retail, apparel and textile sectors. He leads Alvanon teams around the globe
helping fashion industry clients optimize their fit, sizing and product development strategies. He joined
Alvanon in 2006 to launch the AlvaInsight strategic consulting division. At Alvanon he has played an
outstanding role in developing global fit strategies based on the 3D body shape data analysis of over
300,000 consumers. His expert advice on improved fit strategies has secured consultancy contracts with
some of the world’s largest brands and retailers in the fashion, lingerie, sportswear, swimwear,
corporate clothing and mail order sectors. Ed Gribbin currently operates from the group’s head office in
New York and regional offices in the UK, Hong Kong and Germany. Prior to Alvanon, Ed served as
president of Intellifit Corporation, where he co-invented the revolutionary Intellifit Body Scanner. As
senior vice president at Angelica Corporation, Ed managed sales, marketing, design and production for
one of the largest corporate-wear companies in the US.
About SmartFit
Apparel companies in Belgium are currently only able to offer well-fitting clothing to between 30 and 40
per cent of their customers. This is due to body measurement tables which have not been updated in
the last 25 years. With the financial support of the Agency for Innovation through Science and
Technology (IWT), the University College Ghent (HoGent) has, in the past two years, carried out a
national measurement survey using advanced 3D body scanners. The results of the survey have led to
defining new body measurement tables for the Belgian population and these will be announced by
HoGent at the SmartFit conference. In addition HoGent has assembled a line-up of internationally
acclaimed speakers on sizing and fit to address an audience of garment retailers, brands, manufacturers
and academics. For registration to the conference and more information please visit:
www.hogent.be/fnt and fntextra.hogent.be/events/extern/smartfit/
About Alvanon
Founded in 2001, the Alvanon Group of companies is the global leader in providing full service,
integrated fit solutions for the apparel industry. In the past ten years Alvanon has evolved into a global
group and in addition to its head office in New York , R&D centre in Hong Kong, manufacturing facilities
in Donguan and Shenzen in China and regional offices in London and Germany , it operates through a
network of professional apparel fit specialists worldwide. It currently employs 70 dedicated sizing and fit
professionals around the globe in addition to 250+ employees in its manufacturing operations. Alvanon
has compiled the world’s largest database of 300,000 body scans and provides customized fit strategies
and product development tools to the world’s leading fashion brands, retailers, lingerie, swimwear,
sportswear, mail order and corporate clothing suppliers.
SmartFit Conference Programme
University College Ghent, The Faculty of Science and Technology, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000
Ghent, building D, auditorium DAUD, BELGIUM
Thursday 22nd May 2014, 9.15 am to 17.00pm
Please note that all presentations will be given in English.
09:15 09:45 Registration
09:45 09:50 Creamoda
Patrick Vanhauwaert
Welcome
09:50 10:00 HoGent
Alexandra De Raeve
Introduction
10:00 10:25 Telmat
Jean-Loup Rennesson
Low-cost 3D body scanners with full
functionality
10:25 10:50 Lectra
Mariëlle van den Hurk
How can you increase revenue with
good fit
10:50 11:15 Alvanon
Ed Gribbin
Effective Fit Strategies for Apparel
Brands in an Era of Globalization
11:50 12:15 HoGent
Joris Cools
SmartFit measurement campaign
2012-2013 - results and
implementation
12:15 12:40 Andres
Ilse Van Cauwenberghe
Costumelle, personalised tailoring by
Xandres
12:40 13:05 Bivolino
Michel Byvoet
Getting the right fit must be quick, fun
and easy
11:15 11:50 Coffee break
13:05 14:45 Lunch
14:45 15:10 Van de Velde
Christel Aarts & Dick Laan
Innovative in-store sizing services
15:10 15:35 KU Leuven
Dorien Van Deun
Modeling of 3D human avatars using
body scan information
Hein Daanen
The CAESAR 3D anthropometric
survey: approach and applications
16:30 16:55 W.I.V.
Gaëlle Isaac
Disparities between self-reported and
measured weight and height in a
Belgian population and its impact on
BMI classification
16:55 17:00 HoGent
Alexandra De Raeve
Closing
15:35 16:05 Coffee break
16:05 16:30 TNO
17:00
Reception and networking
For more information please contact:
Sue Waters
Alvanon Europe PR
Tel: +44 (0)1858 555179
[email protected]
ALV 145
Bob Giuliano
Alvanon, Inc. US PR
Tel: PH: 610-328-1051
[email protected]
Alvanon Global:
www.alvanon.com
P +1.212.868.4318 ( New York ) P +44.207.792.5977 ( London , UK ) P +852.2423.6786 ( Hong Kong )

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