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linkedin Interview #17 - Eric Liu; Founder & CEO Style3D
Is the Fashion Industry Having Its #TESLA Moment? That was at the heart of my conversation with Eric LIU, founder and CEO of Style3D. Eric is a true pioneer, driving the digital transformation of fashion’s back-end processes. With over 20 years of experience, he founded Style3D in 2015, blending his expertise in computer science with hands-on experience in apparel manufacturing.
event February 2026 WAIR Expert Exchange - 24 hours - Fast track to AI in fashio...
How will AI-powered merchandising, digital agility, logistics innovation, and next-generation supply-chain models are redefining the industry. This event isn’t just about visionary thinking—it’s about real, actionable transformation that retail leaders can put into practice immediately.
event March 2026 Tradebyte - ECD Premium
In partnership with Tradebyte, Achim is invited to hold a keynote conversation on the state of luxury in e-commerce, the rise of Agentic AI, and the evolving role of platforms.
The conversation also focuses on what comes next – from restoring creative momentum and sharpening strategic focus to embracing new technologies such as AI that are beginning to reshape operations and content production.
press May 2024 Lemonade is made with lemons and how Shein snuck into the Su...
Modeas.com by Pilar RiañoAchim speaks about circular business models, emphasizing the need to make these models more profitable in order to achieve sustainable growth.
The second day of the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen focused on sustainability, circular business models, and overproduction, with critiques of the fashion industry's current practices, including Shein's business model. Speakers emphasized the need for transformative change in the industry, highlighting circularity, creativity, and new regulations, while acknowledging challenges like reduced margins and increased complexity. The French government’s anti-Shein law, aimed at fast fashion regulation, and the call for companies to adapt to new market trends, were key topics discussed.linkedin January 2026 Smatch - raised €7.3m in Seed funding.
smatch is an AI-powered B2B marketplace transforming how unsold fashion hashtag#inventory is traded globally. By intelligently matching each item with the right buyer, smatch helps sellers regain control over distribution and margins, while buyers gain real-time access to a wide range of verified inventory. All transactions are discreet, fast, and data-driven. The opportunity is significant. In Europe alone, an estimated €300bn worth of fashion inventory is either heavily discounted or never sold, impacting profitability, brand equity, and sustainability efforts. Since launching in 2023, more than €15bn in inventory and 190 million items have offered to the platform. To support the next stage of growth, the team around Dr. Max Groberg and Dr. Hans-Martin Vetter has now raised €7.3m in Seed funding. The round was co-led by Transition Ventures, 42CAP, and 10x Founders, with backing from exceptional industry leaders including Noel Kinder (lululemon, former Nike CSO), Nigel Griffiths (former adidas SVP Global Sales), and myself.linkedin February 2026 Why the fashion industry needs to innovate!
I had the pleasure of speaking at the 24h Circular Fashion Journey in Amsterdam, organized by GS1 Netherlands and WAIR Retail Geeks. Pressure on the industry is mounting from all sides: macro uncertainty, squeezed margins, rising ESG expectations, and rapid technological change. Yet meaningful innovation remains limited. Most business models are still being stretched, not rethought. In Amsterdam, we explored the structural forces reshaping fashion today and made a deep dive on four challenges in particular: · The end of deflationary sourcing and logistics marking a structural cost reset that permanently changes the margin equation · Accelerating ESG regulation pushing circularity from strategic option to license to operate · A lack of true, system-wide innovation with too much focus on front-end and, apart from a few exceptions, not enough reinvention of the back-end · Rapid industry polarization and fragmentation where scale winners pull ahead while the rest struggle to stay relevant We further identified six concrete action points for brands to stay competitive in this challenging environment: 1. Reach critical mass or commit to a niche 2. Take back-channel control 3. Protect margins with cost discipline 4. Integrate technology end-to-end 5. Transform for sustainability from claims to proof 6. Embrace flexibility as a core capability With GS1’s work on product identification and Digital Product Passports accelerating, the link between regulation, transparency, and competitiveness is becoming impossible to ignore. A big thank you to Bram Broeks, Mitch van Deursen and ★ Steven Witteveen for the invitation, and for bringing together so many inspiring individuals and brands like Steve Madden and PVH Corp. And, thanks to everyone who contributed to such open, forward-looking discussions.linkedin March 2026 Luxury reality check in Milan
Last week, Tradebyte brought together an inspiring group of industry experts for ECD Premium in Milan – arguably a great setting to discuss the state of luxury in e-commerce, the rise of Agentic AI, and the evolving role of platforms. A particular highlight was the presentation of the new Tradebyte Premium report "Luxury in the Age of Algorithms", which set the stage for our keynote conversation on the State of Luxury in 2026. In the discussion, we explored why the industry has reached an inflection point: after decades of expansion, growth dynamics are shifting, consumer sentiment has softened, and the sector is increasingly confronting the limits of price-led growth. The conversation also focused on what comes next – from restoring creative momentum and sharpening strategic focus to embracing new technologies such as AI that are beginning to reshape operations and content production.
