IPOL Conference 2021

Online | 26-28 May 2021
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Theme

The IPOL 2021 conference focused on ‘Luxury in the Age of Technology’. The virtual event hosted speakers including internationally renowned designer Maria Grachvogel, Lydia Slater, Editor in Chief at Harper’s Bazaar, Kevin Bethune, Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Dreams. Design + Life, and Alireza Parandian, Head of Global Business Strategy Wearables at Materalise.

We also hosted a variety of academic and industry panel debates exploring topics such as ‘Luxury and the circular economy’, ‘Visionary women’, Luxury and innovation, Luxury and technology and ‘Democratised Luxury’.

Politecnico di Milano, Materialise, Intellect Books, Design Observer, and All Saints supported the event.

The conference explored the role of technology in the creation of luxury experiences and products, through both an industry focused and academic lens.

The 2021 IPOL conference was held in collaboration with FiP – Fashion in Process, research laboratory at Design Department – Politecnico di Milano / co-chaired by Associate Professor, Dr Chiara Colombi

Our key questions for IPOL 2021 were:

  • How is the luxury market changing?
  • How is technology impacting on this change?
  • How are luxury corporations adopting technology?
  • How can innovation and technology play a strategic role in implementing a circular economic model?
  • What is innovation?
  • Why innovate?

Our four themes:

Luxury and Technology

This theme addresses technologies which impact on luxury, in terms of adoption, data acquisition, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and social media.

Luxury and Innovation

How does innovation affect/impact/alter our experience and understanding of what constitutes luxury, including changes to the retail environment (physical and online), new forms of communication, branding, manufacture, materials, and craftsmanship.

Democratised Luxury

Consideration of democratised luxury will include collaboration, supply chain, branding, the retail environment.

Luxury and the Circular Economy

Issues of social responsibility will inform this theme, including materials, distribution, manufacture, and the ethics and practices of sustainable luxury.

For further information about our conference programme, please contact our coordinator Nicholas Thomas (info@inpursuitofluxury.com) or complete the contact form below, providing a statement of your background, interests and the areas in which you wish to contribute.

If you would like to contact us, please send us a message.

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