LA Fashion Festival 2019 - Panel Discussions

Festival Opening: LAFF with the Swagabonds

Justin Merino, Founding Director opens LAFF19 with words from The Swagabonds founders Gigi Freyeisen and Audrey d'Erneville about their mission to discover awesome Downtown LA talents while helping them rise above their circumstances through art and fashion.

Moderator: Justin Merino - LAFF Founder

Panelists: Gigi Freyeisen and Audrey d'Erneville - The Swagabonds

The ABCs Of Conscious Consumerism

We are often faced with conflicting priorities when weighing the pros and cons of our purchase decisions. What might seem like an easy choice for one person might not be so for another. But all change starts with a single step. Your journey as a conscious consumer doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Let’s start with something basic.

Moderator: Olga Johnston Antonova - sustainable fashion expert, journalist and stylist

Panelists: Luke Haverhals - Founder & CEO of Natural Fiber Welding, Alison Gates - Creative Director of Nuuly, Elizabeth Thomas James - Co-Founder of Taylor&Thomas and Maurizio Donadi - Co-founder & Creative Director of Atelier&Repairs

NEONYT Presents: The change of fashion is now – powered by TENCEL™

Sharon Denise Perez, Business Development Manager, Lenzing and Max Gilgenmann Content Director, NEONYT introduce the companies as well as give a brief overview of The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 for the year 2030.

Moderation: Sharon Denise Perez - Business Development Manager of Lenzing and Max Gilgenmann - Content Director of NEONYT

NEONYT Presents: Let's change fashion – powered by TENCEL™

Changing fashion together. Through collaboration, communication and entrepreneurship. Today's profashionals are having a forward-looking approach and an affinity to technology. They are united by their sustainable awareness, their interest in multidisciplinary cooperation and solution-oriented thinking and their desire to drive change in the fashion industry.

Moderation: Sharon Denise Perez - Business Development Manager of Lenzing and Max Gilgenmann - Content Director of NEONYT

Panelists: Nicole Azevedo - Designer at Boyish Jeans and Kestrel - Storyteller & Conscious Style Host of Conscious Chatter

NEONYT Presents: The Modern Definition of Denim – powered by TENCEL™

Consumers today are demanding more from their denim than ever before. It needs to be comfortable, functional and perhaps most crucially, it needs to be produced responsibly. So the question is what do industry professionals think about the challenge ahead? Get a glimpse into the inner thoughts of some of the most knowledgeable jeaners of the day and understand to expect down the line.

Moderation: Sharon Denise Perez - Business Development Manager of Lenzing and Max Gilgenmann - Content Director of NEONYT

Panelists: Adriano Goldschmied - Fashion Designer, Anatt Finkler - Head of Design & Creative Director at Global Denim and Adam Taubenfigel - Creative Director and Speaker at Triarchy

NEONYT Presents: Talk'n'Film – powered by TENCEL™

Episode 1 follows Common Thread Founder Scott Morrison as he travels to Italy to meet with fashion industry icon, Renzo Rosso of Diesel, denim producer Candiani, and finishing company Tonello, to explore the historical and current landscape of the industry, innovations in denim production, and the future of sustainable denim.

Moderation: Sharon Denise Perez - Business Development Manager of Lenzing and Max Gilgenmann - Content Director of NEONYT

Panelists: Scott Morrison - Founder 3x1 Denim Co-Creator & Host - Common Thread: Italy (Docu-Series) Founder of Leo's Lighthouse Foundation (501c3) and Damiano Dall'Anese - Vice President of Candiani Denim USA

Queer Identity in Fashion and Film as a Subversive Art

We’ll explore our role as artists, performers, designers and storytellers in a world that seems to have become the chaotic, amoral and violent place that many also find ways to blame us for. Do we highlight and contribute to the perception of chaos or do we shift the spotlight to the harmony that art carries in all of its forms no matter what our message is?

Moderator: Ramon J. Goni - Filmmaker and founder of Swoon

Panelists: Rain Valdez - Actress and Writer, George Bamber - Film and theater director, Chandra Feltus - Talent Agent, Marc Littlejohn - Fashion Director and Celebrity Wardrobe Stylist

The Human Experience of Brick-And-Mortar Retail

Online shopping might be the preferred mode of shopping given its convenience and accessibility, but it can’t replace the human interaction one gets from visiting physical retail shops. In-store shopping experiences matter now more than ever. The challenge lies in using digital mediums to draw consumers into brick-and-mortar stores for the full, immersive experience. Join us as we explore how successful brick-and-mortar retailers in LA navigate the ever-shifting retail landscape and continue to thrive despite the digital competition.

Moderator: Dechel Mckillian - fashion stylist and designer

Panelists: Stefan Siegel - Founder of Not Just a Label and Leslie Bedolla - LAFFF Founding Partner

Merle Ginsberg hosts a Private Preview for the Debut of Matthew Rolston

Glamour, high technology, sustainability, and style will come together in a unique form presented by LA Fashion Festival 2019: a virtual reality gallery experience of celebrity photographer Matthew Rolston’s 1980s retrospective exhibition, “Hollywood Royale: Out of the School of Los Angeles.” Presented by LA Fashion Festival 2019 and Created by The Mill.

Host: Merle Ginsberg, jornalist, editor, and content creator

Matthew Rolston - photographer

StartUp/StayUp: demystify the process of becoming a creative entrepreneur

Hosted by filmmaker, Temi Hollist Rest and LAFF publisher, Holger Homann. Our guests are Cherie Birkner, LAFF19 Juror, Photographer & Founder of SUSTAINABLE FASHION MATTERZ and Hannah Kromminga, Founder of sustainable fashion brand, Silfir.

Moderator: Temi Hollist Rest - filmmaker and Holger Homann - LAFF publisher

Panelists: Cherie Birkner - LAFF19 Juror, Photographer & Founder of SUSTAINABLE FASHION MATTERZ and Hannah Kromminga - Founder of sustainable fashion brand, Silfir

NEER Presents: Dynamic Storytelling In The Digital Landscape

NEER invites you to enjoy a collection of work from the leading filmmakers providing dynamic content specialized for the digital audience. A brand's culture and values are powerfully communicated through cinematic storytelling by talented artists. See the various visual approaches and direction NEER's artists have taken to bring brand visions to life.

NEER's team

Sustainable Fashion: An Inclusive Way of Life

Now one of the most pressing global issues of our time, sustainability remains unchartered territory for most businesses, particularly within the fashion industry. It’s high time to transition from lip service marketing campaigns to transparent full-scale sustainable systems to make real change happen.

Moderator: Ngozi Okaro - Executive Director of Custom Collaborative

Panelists: Jeanice Parker - Custom Collaborative graduate and star of Fashion Is Love, Jessica Kelly - Founder, thr3efold.com and Olga Johnston Antonova - sustainable fashion expert, journalist and stylist

Chemicals, Seduction, and God: Exploring Perfumery Through Time

Did Cleopatra really use scent to seduce Marc Antony? Was Marie Antoinette really captured because of her perfume? Have modern chemicists really bottled the smell of human pheromones? The folklore of perfumery is as irreverent and varied as the medium itself. The Institute for Art and Olfaction founder Saskia Wilson-Brown will lead participants through an anecdote-laden and aromatic talk exploring how humans have used scent through time and explain the workings of the modern perfume industry.

Moderator: Saskia Wilson-Brown - The Institute for Art and Olfaction founder

Directors’ Panel: The Social Responsibility of Branded Storytelling

Every time we tell a story, it leaves an impact on the audience, whether positive or negative. Be it a story to entertain, inspire, or empower, it has the potential to shape the audience’s perspectives and influence their actions. So while brands must develop narratives to stimulate favorable consumer behavior, let’s not forget to pose the question: “What kind of society are we building as a result of these stories?” Join our featured film directors in this thought-provoking deep dive.

Moderator: Luke Gledhill - fashion industry

Panelists: John-Michael Triana - LAFF Creative Director, Amber Moelter - LAFF Juror, James Jenkins - Directors Hiss.tv, Alexandra Kaucher - Directors Hiss.tv, Marco De Ornellas - LAFF Juror