Dear Tom:

Following our conversation on February 9^th, I spoke with Crystal and Serena about how they hoped the Internet and computer technology could assist them with their businesses.

We first began by reviewing the various stages of production that they would take each season:

1. Designing the new collection
2. Creating the prototypes (samples)
3. Costing of the samples
4. Marketing of the new line
5. Selling
6. Credit checking
7. Pattern corrections
8. Grading of patterns
9. Production cutting, sewing and finishing
10. Quality control and shippiing
11. Accounts Receivable
12. Financing the next collection (access to money)
13. Repeat from #1

Keeping these stages in mind, we then discussed each stage in depth and came up with some ideas as to how the Internet & computer technology might help the designers with their business:

• FABRIC RESEARCH: (note: designers need to SEE the fabric & colours offered in all cases)
• Search by: type of fabric, price, country of origin (addresses and contact information needed here), minimum size orders. Allows designers to pre-edit fabric appointments which would be very effective in streamlining tasks (frees up more time to manage other areas of the business)
• Visiting fabric trade expositions such as "Premiere Vision" in Paris (March 6 - 9), "Interstoff" in Dusseldorf (April 6 - 8), "New York Fabric Show" (date TBA but usually held late March) without physically having to travel and incurring these expenses
• Locate companies who can provide custom surface changes to fabrics (dyeing, embroidery, printing etc.). Deal with these companies via e-mail to reduce courier costs, time and in-person meetings or telephone calls
• Immediate access to textile duty rates, brokerage fees, shipping rates etc., for fabric importation into Canada (helps designers make quick, intelligent decisions before buying goods)
• Speak directly to mills, such as Dupont, to find out what new technological advances are being developed for fabrics (gives designers innovative ideas, market edge over competitors)
• Find out from the mills or from the International Colour Authority, which colours they are forecasting for the next season (should refer to "Pantone" colour numbers for reference)
• ACCESS TO CULTURAL, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL INFORMATION:
• Visit art exhibits at museums & galleries around the world
• Access trend reports (i.e. "Popcorn Report")
• Quick reference to international headline news (as designers don't have time to read through the entire newspaper each day)
• CREATING/ SKETCHING: (See editorial on "Computer Technology" - 3 pgs.)
• Having the ability to modify fabrics (re-colour, re-print, re-size prints etc.)
• Having the ability to arrange all fabrics selected for the season and to see these at a glance
• Having the ability to graph designs & fabrics onto a cyber-model to see what their creation would look like before actually producing the sample (would save time, money, encourages adaptations for better designs)
• Having the ability to modify cyber-models to suit store's customer (for example, if the store sells "petite" clothing for women and the designer was willing to offer her goods in these sizes, you could show the buyer what the garments would actually look like on a "petite" model). See editorial on "3-D Body Scanning". Encourages more sales, private label arrangements
• Having the ability to show buyers or media their full collection before actually producing the samples (buyers and media often ask for this information very early in the season and in many cases, samples are not ready for presentation)

• Probably not able to make this process any more efficient as it involves the actual sewing of the prototype.
• May be able to access patternmakers "on-line" to assist with the designer (see attached "Virtually Perfect" editorial.

• There are different software packages available for designers to assist them with this task (see attached references). Currently the designers and the TFI do not have access to this software.

• Having the ability to participate in virtual trade shows and showrooms (see attached letter from the Canadian Apparel Federation)
• Having the ability to launch their fashion shows over the Internet (wider audience, greater promotion, greater creativity in the actual presentation, less cost???)
• Having the ability to test market their goods (private focus group sessions for example)
• Researching licensing agents for marketing of the designers' brand label, and then having the ability to present their portfolio to them

5. SELLING:

• Finding sales prospects including international buyers, buying offices, trade offices, sales agents, access to mailing lists (i.e. Retail Council of Canada, Fashion Group International)
• Having the ability to reach the above directly and providing them with a visual reference of the designers' collection or portfolio
• Having the ability to negotiate terms of sales with greater speed
• Receiving immediate feedback from your sales agent to improve sales & service
• electronic banking for direct payment of any deposits (if requried)

• Access to credit services provided by Creditel or Dun & Bradstreet (credit checking, collection services etc.)
• Having the ability to hold chat sessions with other designers to discuss credit history or problems with specific retailers
• Having the ability to e-mail clients a credit application form and process orders with greater speed

• Computer technology or Internet may not be able to help here except. Most contractors hired by the designers to produce the collection are not computer savvy and many do not speak English as their first language
• There are software programs available to do grading and pattern corrections, but these are too expensive (they require additional hardware) and intensive training (we had a system here at the TFI from 1994 - 1997, but no one used it - - too difficult to use)

• Having access to freight rates and service information for greater accuracy and efficiency
• Immediate access to clothing duty rates, brokerage fees, etc., for clothing exportation from Canada
• Having the ability to complete and file exporting documents with greater speed
• Being able to receive immediate feedback from retailers (i.e. repeat orders, special orders, etc.) to improve sales and service

• Electronic banking for direct deposit of payments from customers
• Access to credit services provided by Creditel or Dun & Bradstreet (reminder notices, collection services etc.)

• Having access to international venture capitalists and presenting (in private) the designers' business plans and portfolio
• Access to small business loans, government programs, awards
• Having the opportunity to broadcast freelance design, pattern making & grading services to the international fashion industry, film, television (part time assignments aid designers' cashflow). See attached, "Virtually Perfect" and "Computer Technology" stories that appeared in Canadian Apparel magazine.

With regards as to how the Internet might assist the Toronto Fashion Incubator, here are my thoughts:

• Promote our Centre's services & facilities to an International marketplace
• Create a "Virtual Outreach" program for members who do not want to physically visit the Incubator, but who need to access the information stored in our Resource Centre or who want to arrange on-line consultations with myself or who want to be promoted in our "virtual showroom" in our site
• Presenting a "walk-through" tour of the premises to promote memberships
• Allowing potential members to access more information about the TFI
• Encouraging potential Resident members to receive an application to the program
• Having the ability to participate in virtual trade shows (such as the National Apparel Technology Show, April 26 - 28, or the Bobbin Show - - usually September)
• Having the ability to test market our ideas for membership services, promotion etc., (private focus group sessions for example)

• Presenting our success stories to encourage new members, corporate sponsors and media coverage
• Broadcast segments of the TFI's special events and fashion shows to create interest and curiosity
• Increasing our awareness to the public to enhance our platform to attact corporate sponsors
• Thank our sponsors by providing them with free publicity on our web site and newsletter
• Create a "virtual showroom" of our members' work to international buyers to encourage sales and "one-stop shopping" experience

• Allow for on - line newsletter subscriptions, Outreach memberships, Virtual Outreach memberships
• Advertise pay-per-use consultations with myself
• Broadcast our seminars & workshops
• Having the ability to seek mailing lists of potential corporate sponsors and present our corporate portfolio to them
• Selling space in our "virtual showroom", in the TFI News, in our fashion shows, on our site etc.
• Increase bookings in our production facility and Resource Centre
• Advertise selling of our mailing lists to others
• Advertise sub-memberships to our credit group program

• Correspond to our Board of Directors, Advisory Committee, Corporate Sponsors and TFI members with greater efficiency
• Reduce office supplies: ink cartridges, paper etc.
• Re: Our resource centre: Allows for immediate updating of information, immediate tracking of information source for replenishing data or gathering more data
• electronic banking: depositing members fees, accounts payable, accounts receivable deposits
• Create links with information sources to improve our service to members (ie. Other organizations, publications, government etc.
• Receive immediate feedback from our members to improve sales & service
• Access to credit services provided by Creditel or Dun & Bradstreet (credit checking, collection services etc.)
• Having the ability to hold chat sessions with other suppliers to discuss credit history or problems with potential / current Resident designers

Many of the ideas presented in this letter may not be feasible at this time, or may not be possible at all. Nevertheless, I hope it helps to give you an idea of what all of us hope to achieve through use of the new technologies.

Yours truly,

Susan Langdon

Executive Director