Council of International Fashion Designers (CIFD); Fashion Business Portal for Emerging Designers announces Retail Strategy Partners

Council of International Fashion Designers (CIFD)
Fashion Business Portal for Emerging Designers announces Retail Strategy Partners

Miami – April 10, 2017 – The newly launched, Council of International Fashion Designers (CIFD) partners with Tompkins International and The Center for Client Retention to support the latest in retail strategies for emerging designers. The first of its kind for the fashion industry, the CIFD platform provides a direct link to experts, information, and resources to help emerging brands succeed in the North American and global markets.

The CIFD is a one-stop shop for designers seeking advice and guidance in positioning their businesses for growth in a complex domestic and international fashion market. Among the many benefits, CIFD members will have access to the industries top experts to help them navigate through the critical stages and challenges facing designers and to help them sustain in today’s digital and disruptive market.

Leading the charge is Tompkins International, a supply chain consulting and implementation firm that maximizes supply chain performance and value creation. Tompkins collaborates with client teams to develop improved operational strategies, supply chain planning, and execution across all the Mega Processes of the supply chain: PLAN – BUY – MAKE – MOVE – DISTRIBUTE – SELL!

Nancy Marino, Senior Vice President at Tompkins serves as its Chief Development Officer for their MonarchFx Division. Nancy’s expertise is in providing consulting services to retailers and brands for implementing “Go-To-Market” strategic tools from design to delivery, covering processes to drive design, product development, buying, procurement, sourcing, and production for fashion apparel, accessories, and home products.

Nancy is working with the CFID to provide its’ members with an educational introduction to a program for taking their product to market globally, while providing insight into the methodology and adaptation of a brand strategy to gain visibility into global demand. The program also focuses on the importance of insuring that designers “think local” for specific targeted markets that they wish to serve by providing the ability to develop a clear and actionable Go-To-Market strategy that will support an efficient and effective Go-To-Market plan.

“We provide a full spectrum of supply chain services, including analysis, design, implementation support, and turn-key solutions. Our end-to-end supply chain knowledge means we view all projects in the context of how the solution will impact overall corporate performance,” said Nancy Marino.

Another key partner on our retail strategies team is Richard Shapiro, President of The Center For Client Retention. Founded in in 1988 in New York City, The Center For Client Retention (TCFCR) was established to provide customized survey research, training, and consulting to enhance a company’s customer service and retention capabilities. Service goals are identified and specific practices developed to nurture brand loyalty and guarantee repeat business.  TCFCR helps designers and brands build strong client relationships with retailers and create personalized experiences for e-Commerce and brick & mortar interactions. Whatever the sales avenue, TCFCR equips their clients with a strategic and detailed roadmap to create a quintessential customer experience and ensure success.

“An often overlooked – but ever important – aspect of every business is customer service and retention.  In an industry with a myriad of brands, styles, and choices, there is a constant: customers are loyal when they are treated well and their unique needs and concerns are met.  A “customer” can be an individual, wholesaler, retail store, or whoever or whatever purchases global fashion.  My company strives to help CIFD members understand the value of customer service and tailor that service to ensure repeat business,” said Richard Shapiro.

The CIFD and its strategic partners have joined forces to create a safety net for the world’s emerging designers providing relevant, current, and correct best business practices and to create unique access, opportunity, and value for new business development with the shared vision of supporting CIFD members by helping them grow their businesses in the American and global markets.

“Our members will have what is essentially a dream team of advisers and experts guiding them every step of the way,” says Beth Sobol. “Our goal is to arm them with innovative information and advice to prepare them for the many challenges facing them in today’s market.”

To learn more about the Council of International Fashion Designers (CIFD), please visit www.CIFD.net or follow @CIFD on Twitter.

About CIFD

The CIFD Strategic Partners are a group of top experts within the global fashion and business industries that have joined forces in providing information and resources on relevant, current, and correct best business practices for the American and global markets.  The purpose of the CIFD and its strategic partners is to create unique access, opportunity, and value for new business development with the shared vision of supporting CIFD members by helping them grow their businesses in the United States. The Council of International Fashion Designers, Inc. (CIFD) is a not-for-profit trade association which offers selective membership to emerging and established apparel, jewelry, accessories and textile designers/brands, home décor, fashion retailers, international trade offices, empowerment foundations, fashion councils and related industry professionals.