Anyone who wants to contribute to shaping the future of the textile industry can submit a presentation for the Techtextil and Texprocess Forum by 15 December 2025. Both stages represent innovation and practical solutions and promote exchange between research and industry. An international Programme Committee selects the contributions and curates a programme on key future topics in the textile sector. From 21 to 24 April 2026, the two leading trade fairs will once again be the centre of global business dialogue in Frankfurt.

Techtextil and Texprocess have invited experts to submit presentations for their 2026 forums by December 15, 2025.
To be held from April 21–24, 2026 in Frankfurt, the events will spotlight innovation, sustainability, AI, and digitalisation, promoting collaboration between research and industry.
Participation is free, and selected speakers will be announced in Feb 2026 for the four-day programme.

Progress happens where people share their knowledge and work together on new solutions. Those who present here play a part in shaping this progress – visibly, connected, with access to decision-makers and direct influence on the topics of tomorrow. Textile developments are becoming more complex: research, application, and production are increasingly intertwined; production processes are changing, and aspects such as automation through AI and circular economy are gaining in importance. Formats that promote dialogue and connect different perspectives are particularly valuable. The Techtextil and Texprocess forums offer such a space, enabling networking and knowledge transfer on a global level.

“Those who participate not only help shape the programme but also actively contribute to the professional exchange within the industry“, says Sabine Scharrer, Director Brand Management Technical Textiles & Textile Processing at Messe Frankfurt. “The forums are among the content highlights of Techtextil and Texprocess, once again demonstrating how much textile expertise, innovative strength, and commitment drive this industry.“

The forums address key topics of the future textile industry – from material development and production to sustainability and digitalisation. This generates new insights and impulses that have an impact far beyond the days of the trade fair.

Programme Committee

Experts from industry, research, and development can submit their contributions now. An international Programme Committee of experienced experts will review the submissions for relevance and quality and compile a versatile range of presentations.

Categories Techtextil Forum 2026

• Beyond Function – The Next Generation of Technical Textiles
• Engineered for Impact – Designed for lasting change
• Textile Intelligence – Smart, Connected, Responsive
• Manufacturing Intelligence – Digitalization, Automation, and AI
• Resilient Textiles – Solutions for an unstable World
• Pushing Boundaries – Interdisciplinary and disruptive Innovations

Categories Texprocess Forum 2026

• Sustainable solutions
• CAD/CAM
• Digitalisierung und KI
• Legal requirements
• Design Tools

Participate now and submit your contributions by 15 December 2025

Participation in the Techtextil and Texprocess Forums 2026 is free of charge. Short presentations should be written in English and supplemented with visualisations. The selected speakers will be announced at the beginning of February 2026. Their contributions will be part of the four-day programme of Techtextil and Texprocess 2026.

Techtextil and Texprocess will be held from 21 to 24 April 2026.

Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)

French luxury brand LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton has generated revenue of €58.1 billion (~$67.4 billion) in the first nine months (9M) of 2025, marking a 2 per cent organic decline year-over-year (YoY).

Despite persistent economic uncertainty and geopolitical disruptions, the luxury group displayed resilience, with the third quarter registering a one per cent organic improvement supported by better trends across most business groups except Europe, where tourist spending weakened due to currency fluctuations.

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton reported €58.1 billion (~$67.396 billion) in revenue for the first nine months of 2025, down 2 per cent YoY.
Fashion and Leather Goods fell 6 per cent organically, yet Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Loro Piana sustained creative momentum through new launches and shows.
Selective Retailing rose 3 per cent. DFS’s recovery in Asia, and Le Bon Marche’s continued strength.

Revenue in the Fashion and Leather Goods division dropped 6 per cent organically to €27.6 billion (~$32.01 billion), reflecting the normalisation of tourist spending compared with the strong growth seen in 2024. Yet, local demand stayed robust, and LVMH continued to strengthen its creative leadership. Louis Vuitton remained a standout performer, blending heritage and modernity through captivating shows by Nicolas Ghesquière and Pharrell Williams, LVMH said in a press release.

The Maison’s Shanghai destination, The Louis, designed as a museum-like space inspired by a cruise ship, drew significant visitor traffic.

At Christian Dior, the appointment of Jonathan Anderson as creative director ushered in a fresh interpretation of Dior’s ‘new look’, receiving an enthusiastic response for both men’s and women’s collections. The opening of two new House of Dior flagships in New York and Beverly Hills underlined the Maison’s global expansion strategy. Loro Piana reaffirmed its mastery of natural fibres with a new collection presented at Milan’s Palazzo Citterio, while celebrating its continued partnership with Team Europe, winners of the 2025 Ryder Cup.

Fendi witnessed a leadership transition as Silvia Venturini Fendi became honorary president and Maria Grazia Chiuri was appointed chief creative officer. Celine, Loewe, and Givenchy also debuted collections under new creative directors Michael Rider, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, and Sarah Burton, respectively, each receiving strong acclaim for their renewed vision.

Selective Retailing recorded a 3 per cent organic rise in revenue to €12.6 billion, with all three retail banners performing positively.

Duty free shoppers (DFS) showed a marked recovery in the third quarter, particularly in Macao and Hong Kong, benefitting from returning travel and spending by Asian tourists. Streamlining initiatives launched earlier in the year improved operational efficiency and profitability. Le Bon Marche, LVMH’s Parisian department store, posted steady growth driven by its refined product mix, experiential retail focus, and curated cultural events that continue to differentiate it in a competitive retail environment, added the release.

Despite global uncertainties and fluctuating demand patterns, LVMH remains confident in its long-term prospects. The group aims to strengthen the desirability of its brands by focusing on creativity, craftsmanship, and customer experience. With strong local demand and a commitment to sustainability and innovation, LVMH plans to leverage its portfolio’s diversity and brand equity to reinforce its leadership in the global luxury sector throughout 2025.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)

WOW opened its doors on Madrid’s Gran Vía in 2022, introducing a new department store concept to the heart of the Spanish capital. In 2023, it launched a second location on Calle Serrano and, by 2025, the company aims to reach €30 million ($32 million) in sales, with long-awaited profitability expected between 2026 and early 2027. Its founder, Dimas Gimeno—former president of El Corte Inglés—spoke on Oct. 30 at the 4th Aragonese Congress on Commerce and Innovation, held in Zaragoza and organized by the Government of Aragon. FashionNetwork.com spoke with Gimeno about his vision for the retail sector, the key challenges it faces, and the evolution of the WOW platform.

FashionNetwork.com: You mentioned at the beginning of your talk that retail defines a city’s identity. How can that identity be maintained in a world where commerce is increasingly uniform?

Dimas Gimeno: By focusing on the local. It’s essential to recognize that a city—and its retail scene—should showcase local products. Spain is particularly privileged because it offers extraordinary craftsmanship and gastronomy. We are also manufacturers and home to thriving brands—that’s what tourists are looking for.

FNW: You maintain that omnichannel hasn’t worked, despite being the major focus of many brands, and that we must move toward the “phygital” model. Why?

D. G.: Omnichannel was a logical idea at the time, but poorly executed. The mistake was trying to digitize the physical world instead of starting from a fully digital mindset. Businesses attempted to adapt new tools to an old model rather than redesigning their approach entirely. It’s not about digitizing the physical—it’s about thinking 100% digitally and, from there, building the physical presence. Some call this “unified commerce”; I call it “phygital.”

The key is understanding that channels no longer exist. We must stop separating “physical” and “digital.” Today’s customer moves fluidly, interacting with your brand across multiple touchpoints.

FNW: Do customers no longer make that distinction between channels?

D. G.: If you ask them, they likely don’t care. A customer might discover a brand on social media, purchase through e-commerce, and then visit the physical store. The store is where loyalty forms and brand relationships deepen—conversion rates are also higher as a result.

Think of the online shopping cart: the ideal would be for the same cart to be accessible both online and in-store. Omnichannel fails when it simply digitizes a physical process. The first step toward true unification is making your entire range available online—a goal many brands still struggle with.

FNW: How can small businesses face this challenge, given that they define cities’ identities?

D. G.: By staying authentic and unique. Small businesses excel in this area because they offer a unique personality, a sense of legacy, and genuine relationships with customers. Their main obstacle is technology: they often can’t invest in digital tools. The solution lies in collaborative platforms that bring small retailers together to create shared online marketplaces. Public funding should help support the development of these initiatives.

FNW: Why do you believe physical stores represent the future of retail?

D. G.: Because I’m a shopkeeper at heart—and a former salesperson. I’ve seen firsthand how a well-executed store can inspire customers to buy everything. That’s something digital alone can’t achieve. Add a distinctive product range and motivated, well-trained sales staff equipped with the right tools, and you create something unbeatable. That’s how you compete with major platforms—by offering what they can’t.

FNW: Customer experience has been a buzzword in recent years. What does it really mean for retailers?

D. G.: The experience is everything. You can have a beautiful store, but if the salesperson doesn’t treat the customer well, it fails. It’s about creating an environment that feels welcoming, where staff connect with shoppers on a personal level. When a customer plans to buy one thing and ends up buying seven, that’s customer experience. It’s about knowing your customer, anticipating their needs, and giving them reasons to return.

FNW: You emphasize sales staff. Is it difficult to find those profiles in retail today, as in hospitality?

D. G.: It is. The service industry is often not viewed as a prestigious career path, which makes hiring challenging. At WOW, we attract talented young salespeople by providing solid training, motivation, and clear career growth opportunities. If companies hire people for a year and then replace them without offering opportunities for advancement, no one will stay. Retail needs to value sales as a long-term profession.

FNW: Speaking of WOW, what’s the company’s current status?

D. G.: We’ve been operating for three and a half years. Our vision hasn’t changed, but we’ve learned how to translate innovation into profitability. You can have an original concept, but you also need a business model that works. We’re not profitable yet, but we can see it on the horizon—expected by next year or early the following year.

Our growth strategy centers on physical retail. Barcelona is the next obvious step, but our digital channel is our biggest opportunity. Online expansion enables us to reach new markets faster and with reduced risk. Ultimately, growth only matters if it’s profitable.

FNW: What share does online currently represent in your sales?

D. G.: Less than a year ago, we migrated our e-commerce operations to Shopify, which meant resetting the digital system. Online sales are now growing fast, and by 2026, we expect them to account for over 15% of total business—and eventually, much more.

FNW: Is your platform available outside Spain?

D. G.: Yes, though for now we only ship within the European Union. By 2026, we plan to expand into new markets.

FNW: Which store performs better—Gran Vía or Serrano?

D. G.: Serrano performs better overall because it’s larger and more consistent, but Gran Vía continues to surprise us. It’s visually striking and benefits from Madrid’s bustling retail corridor. Serrano attracts repeat customers, while Gran Vía gains strong visibility from tourists.

FNW: You talk about curating the assortment. What does that mean?

D. G.: Curation was WOW’s starting point—it’s about building a distinctive product selection. But we’re not just a showcase of brands; we’re a commercial platform. We initially carried high-end luxury and semi-luxury labels but shifted toward a more profitable model. It’s not about expensive versus affordable—it’s about offering originality and innovation. We aim to feature brands that are not typically found in most physical stores. That’s the essence of WOW’s value proposition.