SFFAMA: Tell us about yourself and what you do.?
JRW: I am CMO and partner of 360fashion Network (www.360fashion.net), 360Fashion is a network of high-level fashion professionals using the latest web 2.0 and mobile technology to market their brands. 360Fashion members use live blogs, mobile magazines, Facebook streaming and Facebook/Web/Mobile ecommerce stores to expand their brand reach. I work closely with fashion professionals to generate revenues through the technologies developed by the 360fashion team. My focus and mission is to increase exposure, revenues and monetization for the leading brands as they go global. 360Fashion is the first business network focused on using technology to innovate and push forward the fashion industry. The digital platforms support and bring the brand message and product to where the customers are online. 360Fashion was the first company to bring blogging and social media to the fashion industry and pioneered mobile reporting with Nokia Corporation.
SFFAMA: Where do you see fashion and technology heading?
JRW: I see fashion using mobile catalogs, live TV/Steaming, Facebook/SNS shopping, ecommerce video/commercials engaging the online buyer, fashion games, geo-locating of merchandise, sema codes (bar codes that launch mobile application showcasing the brands products), twitter engagement (D&G). * It is extremely important to understand the power of the blogger or user generated content, with over half the web content being user generated (discussing brands, making videos about brands, “liking’ and ‘friending’ brands, it is important brands have a voice, but also listen and engage the audience, making them want to ‘share’ their information. *Facebook, blogs, Twitter and customer reviews are considered the most effective tactics for getting consumers to talk up products online. (Etailing survey of 117 companies, September 2009)