Leslie is the Co-founder of The Digital Fashion Group (TDFG) and The Future of Fashion Collective (FoF). Founded in 2020, TDFG is a European-led collaboration between Fashion Academics and Industry Innovators. Working with industry leaders TDFG equips fashion education, professionals and brands with the relevant skills, mindset and strategies for tomorrow's workplace. FoF was founded in 2024, aiming at connecting likeminded fashion innovators, creating a community of knowledge and momentum to speed up the adoption of innovation in the fashion sector. Previously, as Head of Fashion at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI) and a member of the AMFI board for over 14 years, Leslie was responsible for the redevelopment of the international curricula focussing on digitalisation and sustainability in fashion. And as design director and entrepreneur with over 20 years experience in the fashion industry Leslie worked for such companies as Dunhill, Stefanel, Byblos, Burberry and Liberty. Leslie sits on the Steering Committee of The EU Worth Partnership Project. He was for many years an Executive Board member of the International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI), and a trustee of The UK Graduate Fashion Foundation. Leslie is an experienced keynote speaker and moderator and recently nominated by Brytehall as in the top 100 of the most influential leaders in digital fashion.

Clare is the founder of Digital Fashion Week, and the curator of The Drip － an haute couture digital fashion boutique. With over two decades of experience innovating at the intersection of fashion design x technology, she launched DFW to throw a spotlight on the possibilities in the fashion industry. An event platform, DFW explores innovation from design concept to consumer. Before founding Digital Fashion Week, she co-created a software to align the design-to-sales process into a single virtual experience and developed wearable technology products.

Sean Chiles is a graduate of St. Martin's School of Art and a co-founder at the groundbreaking online education, The Digital Fashion Group. As Head of Northumbria University School of Design London, Sean was responsible for a unique Master Qualification Programme Framework for Fashion and the Creative Industries, and the Degree level fashion programmes. He is an academic strategist experienced in innovative programme conceptualisation, validation and delivery, an experienced lecturer, visiting professor, and External Examiner for MA and BA programmes around the world. As a divisional board member of Coats Viyella PLC, he set up and directed the first contemporary, computerised, brand design studio in India. He consults on executive and designer recruitment to deliver creative excellence and collections for studios around the world. For the Royal Society Arts Student Design Awards, he introduced the Fashion Promotions Section to represent changes in fashion education delivery, serving as a fashion judge for 13 years, for 7 years was a Fashion & Marketing judge for Graduate Fashion Week in London

Dr. Yeung is a physicist, engineer and artist. To drive integration between science and art, she also founded a sustainable and STEAM fashion brand, Art by Physicist and the fashion-tech incubation at Microsoft and worked as its founder CEO. Prior, she was a Senior Quantum Architect at Microsoft Quantum, Manager and Creative Technologist of the Bay Area Microsoft Garage Program, UX Designer at Intel Maker Group, Research Scientist and Hardware Engineer at Intel Silicon Photonics. She's the producer of Microsoft's quantum learning materials, including the MS Learn quantum modules and the Quantum Learning website; author of comic series Quantum Computing & Some Physics; lecturer at HackadayU and Microsoft Reactor on Quantum Computing. She received her Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Harvard University in 2015 (Thesis: Engineering Plasmonic Circuits in 2-Dimensional Electron Systems) and a M.Sci., B.A. and M.A. in Natural Sciences from University of Cambridge in 2010. Kitty's career has been focusing on the integration of technology, science, design and art. Kitty frequently gives technical and career talks reflecting her passion and experience in quantum computing, wearables industry, digital transformation, and startups.

Beata Wilczek is an advocate for digital transformation and systemic change in fashion and creative industries. She specializes in building projects for sustainable and diverse fashion in web3. Wilczek has founded Unfolding Strategies, a fashion consultancy and education lab, and hosts the Fashion Knowledge podcast. Wilczek has an academic background in Social Psychology (MA), Fashion Studies (PhD, ongoing), Digital Cultures and Curating (MA). As an educator, she teaches fashion and design at universities worldwide and in past held Guest Prof. at the University of Virginia (Digital Design), co-wrote an MA program in Social Design and Sustainable Innovation, and gave talks on fashion in London, Tokyo, Mexico City and Beirut. In the years 2007-2017 she worked extensively as a fashion art director, VR film concept developer and curator on projects for such clients as Uniqlo, Diesel, Moncler, Novembre, Marco Brambilla, Space Doctors, Contemporary Museum Wroclaw and European Congress of Culture.

Adriana is a pioneering force at the intersection of fashion and technology, co-founding The Fabricant - a fashion tech start-up - to revolutionize the industry through digitalization and AI-powered tools. Prior to her entrepreneurship journey, she spent two decades at large corporations in fashion and retail.She is a passionate advocate for empowering creators and driving a more inclusive, sustainable, and digitally-driven future for fashion.

Cameron is a pioneer in AI digital fashion, best known as the CEO and founder of The Diigitals － the world's first all-digital modeling agency. Cameron's journey began in fashion photography before transitioning to 3D digital work, culminating in the creation of Shudu, the world's first digital supermodel. Shudu gained international acclaim, capturing attention from celebrities like Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell, and sparking a conversation around digital representation. Through projects like Shudu, Kami (the first virtual influencer with Down syndrome), and Awa (representing cacao farmers for Magnum), Cameron emphasizes storytelling, inclusivity, and democratizing beauty. By partnering with brands such as Vogue, Balmain, Louis Vuitton, and Burberry, Cameron aims to blend authenticity with innovation, ensuring digital models create opportunities rather than replacing real talent. The Diigitals strives to make beauty accessible to anyone with creativity and a computer, encouraging a diverse and inclusive approach to fashion.

Alvin Wang Graylin is a recognized technology pioneer, entrepreneur, executive, and thought leader with 30+ years of experience delivering innovative products in the AI, XR and semiconductor industries. He is the co-author of Our Next Reality: How the AI-powered Metaverse will Reshape the World, published by Hachette Book Group. Having built his foundation in VR research at the Human Interface Technology Lab over 30 years ago, Alvin has also developed his expertise in AI and Natural Language Processing after extensive studies at the University of Washington and MIT. In his recent professional journey, Alvin served as the China President of HTC (2016-2023) and continues to contribute as Global VP of Corporate Development at HTC, a global leader in the VR/AR space. His commitment to the immersive computing field is further reflected in his roles as Vice-Chairman of the Industry of Virtual Reality Alliance (IVRA), President of the Virtual Reality Venture Capital Alliance (VRVCA), and co-head of the ViveX VR Accelerator. Alvin's entrepreneurial spirit is evidenced by his founding of four venture-backed startups in areas ranging from AI-based natural language search, mobile social to big-data AI analytics, across China and the US. His broad operational experience also includes global P&L roles at multinational corporations like Intel, Trend Micro, WatchGuard Technologies, and IBM. Alvin holds an M.S. in Computer Science from MIT, where he specialized in AI, and an M.S. in Business from MIT's Sloan School of Management on the entrepreneurship and operations track. He also earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Washington, focused on VR, AI, and CPU architecture. He was born in China during the Cultural Revolution and emigrated to the U.S. in 1980 as the country's reform period started. Alvin has recently relocated back to the U.S. after almost 20 years working/living in China during its internet/mobile boom and is currently based in Seattle, Washington.

Kurt Chang, is a co-founder of LiquidFabric3D and 3DFit.ai. Kurt started his career in the sewn products industry 30+ years ago as an Industrial Engineer. Prior to fully immersing himself in 3D fashion technology, he worked for and with US brand names; CAD/CAM companies and ASTM standards organization; experienced in ERP/CRM/QA/PDM/CAD/CAM/MTM systems and supplier certification programs.

Richard Hobbs, CEO of Brand New Vision. Richard has been in the fashion business for many decades and has always been keen to apply technology into all aspects of the industry. From developing an EPOS system for small retailers in the mid 80s, building an ERP system for a listed jeans company shortly thereafter before moving to Hong Kong working on the design, development and supply chain side and running his own businesses and brands. Brand New Vision was formed in 2016 to research how tech applications could improve the wasteful, slow and expensive traditional apparel development cycle. After spending time in California in 2017 during the ICO boom and working on 3D product development the company pivoted to purely digital and blockchain enabled in 2019, launching BNV.ME in 2021. Originally a platform and marketplace for tokenised digital fashion it is now a full ecosystem for the future of fashion with a global team building out products, tools, experiences and services to empower both brands and participants in these new economies of web3.

Beatrice Newman is the Head of Department at the University of East London, where she leads efforts in curriculum innovation and strategic investments aimed at fostering digital skills and technology-driven processes. In addition to her pivotal role at UEL, Beatrice assumes the role of venture builder at Beyond Form, a Fashion tech venture studio. In her role as venture builder, she offers consultancy and support tailored to emerging start-up companies. Recognizing an unmet need in the industry, Beatrice spearheaded the creation of the MODE educational platform in collaboration with Beyond Form. This innovative platform is dedicated to providing emerging designers and graduates with additional knowledge and resources in the realms of business, technology, and sustainability. As a design entrepreneur herself, managing her fashion brand, KORLEKIE, Beatrice effortlessly navigates the intersection of creative business strategy and contemporary digital tools. Her multifaceted expertise allows her to traverse diverse fields within the fashion industry, helping shape its future trajectory.

Francesca Rosella, co-founder of CuteCircuit. Francesca is a visionary entrepreneur, fashion technologist, and creative powerhouse, known for her groundbreaking work at the intersection of fashion, technology, and design. CuteCircuit is the world's first wearable technology fashion brand. Francesca's work at the forefront of the digital and physical intersection, merges the fields of AR, interactive connected fashion and wearable haptics. Her innovations have been awarded patents for their groundbreaking designs as well as their underlying enabling technologies and construction methods. Francesca received the Everywoman in Technology Innovator Award 2023 for her pioneering work in fashion technology.

Elly has over 20 years of experience in the fashion industry, with a focus on digital product creation, 3D solutions, and technical design. As the Director of Digital Product Creation at Makalot, she is leading the implementation and adoption of 3D technologies for our clients, including Walmart, HanesBrands, Gap, and Target. She also consults at Portal:M, a platform that connects startups with industry experts and mentors, where she provides guidances and feedback on 3D fashion design and innovation. Her goal is to catalyze the digital transformation and sustainability of the fashion industry, by leveraging 3D tools and techniques to enhance efficiency, quality, and creativity.

Eric Briones, aka Darkplanneur, is Co-founder of Paris School of Luxury. With 20-year track record in strategic planning and luxury marketing, Eric currently holds Special Luxury Advisor of CatchPoint.com, General Manager of Journal du Luxe and Strategic Planner of Darkplanning. Eric is also a sought-after speaker, an entrepreneur, and an author. He has penned books such as 'Buzz Marketing,' 'Generation Y and Luxury,' 'Luxury and Digital,' and 'The Z Shock'. Eric has served as Strategic Planner at Publicis EtNous Group, Luxury Curator at Le Monde, Associate professor at Moda Domani Institute, as well as advisor of several brands such as Hermès, Le Printemps, Club Med, L'Oréal Luxe, Vuitton, LVMH, Chanel, Boucheron, Audemars Piguet, Chopard, Clarins, Thierry Mugler, Dom Perignon, Maserati, Carrefour, Renault, Nescafé, Via Michelin, Make Up Forever, Puma, Cartier...

Anita Michaluszko, Co-founder of Augmented Weaving. Anita is a Textile and Fashion Designer specialised in jacquard weaving. Her experimental work ranges from traditional craft to digital prototyping and designing for the virtual world. She collaborates with Digital Weaving Norway, the maker of the TC2 loom and Penelope CAD, a textile graphic software developer. Augmented Weaving is an experimental research project around physical, digital and virtual tools in textile and shape creation. Initiated by Anita Michaluszko and Flavia Bon in 2021, based in the Netherlands. They believe that physical crafts are the technologies of the pre-digital age while digital tools are becoming the crafts of the future. With a solid technical background and industry experience in their respective fields, they transfer their skills into the virtual space to continuously develop them further with today's means. Envisioning a future where the digital realm is a boundless playground while the creation of physical objects becomes rare and the ultimate luxury. Their work has been exhibited at Dutch Design Week in 2022, showcased during the Future Front Row event at Amsterdam Fashion Week 2023 and nominated for Swiss Design Awards 2023.

Yoobin is based in Paris and works as Sustainable Fashion lead at Plug and Play Tech Center, a Silicon Valley headquartered venture capital and corporate innovation platform. She has an academic background of chemistry and fashion design and worked as sustainable textile buyer and development consultant before joining Plug and Play in 2022. Yoobin is bringing unique expertise on the sustainable textile and fashion product development for early-stage investments at Plug and Play and the fashion corporate partners' sustainable innovation strategy.