#WGSNhangout: Now, New, Next - 15 years of fashion & retail

When WGSN started out 15 years ago, Google was still in its Beta phase and most retailers hadn't begun to consider the prospect of selling their wares online, let alone envisioning the global connectivity sites like Facebook and Twitter would bring. Fast forward to 2013 and the world as we knew it has completely transformed. Classic marketplaces have been disrupted, new initiatives have both emerged and disappeared at the speed of light, and consumers now have more of a voice than ever. Keeping up is a 24/7 challenge; but never more of an exciting one. The question is, what will the next 15 years hold? We got together with industry leaders for a Google Hangout to celebrate our anniversary with both a walk down fashion's memory lane in an exploration of the modern history of the internet, and a viewpoint on the innovations set to shape the future. WGSN's senior digital media editor, Rachel Arthur moderated the debate and was joined by a panel of industry experts including: · Uri Minkoff, CEO of Rebecca Minkoff · Justin Cooke founder and CEO of Innovate7 and former CMO of Topshop · Nicola Peters director of innovation and experience at Innovate7 · Amy Levin founder and creative director of College Fashionista · Sandra Halliday, editor-in-chief of WGSN · Ruth Marshall-Johnson director of advisory services at WGSN Group