Highlights from BoF VOICES at Soho Farmhouse

The Business of Fashion’s annual gathering for big thinkers returned to Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire last week. Through a series of in-person and digital events held over three days, industry experts including Dame Vivienne Westwood, Tommy Hilfiger and Harris Reed sought to reimagine the post-pandemic fashion industry, set the agenda for its global community, and analyse its role within current global affairs. Here, we take a look at the highlights from the week.

Day One 

From mushrooms to the metaverse, movement and circularity in fashion, there was a lot to take away from day one of VOICES. The Business of Fashion founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed opened the floor to guest speakers including activist Janaya Future Khan, Dame Vivienne Westwood and Rebecca Hui, who addressed the climate crisis, loneliness epidemic and the debate around cultural appropriation. In the evening, guests had a chance to catch up over an intimate dinner and cocktails, courtesy of Soho House. American designer Tommy Hilfiger and his wife, Dee Ocleppo, caught up with Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor, while brothers Simon and Andrew Salter mingled with other attendees including Alighieri designer Rosh Mahtani, Susanna Lau and Jasmine Hemsley. 

Day Two

On the morning of day two, the great minds of fashion came together to reimagine the future of a post-pandemic fashion industry. Balenciaga Chief Executive Cédric Charbit, Dame Ellen MacArthur and Tommy Hilfiger spoke about virtual fashion and forging authentic collaborations to a crowd that included Kris Jenner and Cory Gamble. In the afternoon, attention turned towards the innovations changing fashion as Ian Rogers and Wayne McGregor discussed everything from virtual clothing and cyber threats to AI advancements. After dark, guests chilled out in the Mill Room, and enjoyed a performance by artists Alok Vaid-Menon and Lila.

Day Three 

Health and wellness activities (and a clean breakfast) got Friday off to an invigorating start, and quickly established day three’s theme: ‘Live Your Best Life’.  Christian Louboutin, Rozan Ahmed, Harris Reed, Vanessa Kingori and Roger Frampton took to the stage to talk about finding personal fulfilment. In the evening, guests including David Koma, Jourdan Dunn, Neelam Gill, Priya Ahluwalia and Bianca Saunders attended the closing gala dinner, cooked up by Jackson Boxer, which also featured live music from singer Ama Lou. The night ended with an homage to Virgil Abloh, the late fashion designer who had a transformational influence on the industry.

For more information on BoF VOICES, click here.