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Interview with Mrs Aviela Sherbu Cohen

Mrs Aviela Sherbu Cohen
Mrs Aviela Sherbu Cohen
CEO
Browzwear
Browzwear

Established in 1999, Browzwear is committed to its vision of harnessing 3D visualization of models, garments and fabrics to the enhancement of the fashion industry, helping designers, manufacturers and shoppers alike to take the next major step in the revolution of an evolving industry. Browzwear’s suite of products delivers the advantage that garment retailers, designers and manufacturers need in order to be successful in today’s competitive environment. The company has won the support of major investors, from textile industry leaders to builders of high-tech companies and economic advisors worldwide. Mrs Aviela Sherbu Cohen is the CEO of Browzwear. She has twenty years of managerial and marketing experience in the textile industry as VP Marketing Development and Design for Tefron Ltd and Gibor Sabrina Ltd, and over 7 years as a Board Member in Macpel Industries. Having lived in various countries viz Brazil, Argentina, Germany and France during age 4 to 24, Mrs Cohen mastered languages including English, Hebrew, Romanian, Portuguese, German, French, and more. Mrs Cohen holds an MBA with a major in Marketing and minor in Operations Management, and a BA in Linguistics, with a minor in Mathematics and Computer Sciences from Tel Aviv University. In a tête-à-tête with Face2Face team, Mrs Aviela Sherbu Cohen describes the transition that fashion industry has undergone since last two decades.

Setting the conversation on, let us begin with a few words from you on Browzwear’s story of origin, and the niche it has carved in Fashion & Apparel industry over the years?

Understanding the core problems affecting the industry brought forth the foundation of Browzwear in the year 1999. Using our state of the art 3D software for virtual sampling and prototyping, brands are now able to cut costs, enhance design and eliminate the distance between them to their suppliers. By providing customers with these services we were able to triple our sales in the last two years.

However, the fast pace of the market created new needs for both Brands and customers – visualization and merchandizing.

Browzwear is a leading player in this new and expanded way of commerce. Brands shall have the opportunity to either create 3D garments by purchase of our basic industrial V-stitcher software, or outsource the garment creation to us.

Having the technological infrastructure enables us to develop with relative ease a virtual fitting room and integrate it into the Brands' selling channels.

 

So, how do you see transition that fashion industry has been through in these years?

In the last two decades markets became more dynamic. Brands and retailers underwent constant pressures to provide a new and diversified range of products with a shorter turnaround. All this happening whilst the distance between the brands and the manufacturers continued to grow.

Communication deteriorated affecting quality of sampling and production. Samples were flying across the globe, polluting and consuming time. A solution was required.

What are your comments on present scenario in your industry especially in the back drop of fumbling economy?

2009 brings with it great uncertainty. The economic situation at end of 2008 has put even greater pressure on companies who must seek ways to become more efficient, cut costs and shorten lead times. At Browzwear, we view these goals as ours as well.

Being led by industry veterans alongside experts from various disciplines enabled us to develop a line of products which helps brands and manufacturers to reach these goals.

In this fierce competitive era, what helps Browzwear solutions go preferred over others?

Browzwear sees itself as a 3D specialist. All other competitors are 2D cad developers that became aware of the fashion / apparel industry needs and developed additional products.

As the pioneer in this field, Browzwear continues to lead with the most accurate simulation in the industry resulting in fewer samples and less time & money wasted in the development process.

Browzwear’s products are the only line of products that comes with an online interactive communication module. This facilitates the communication in-house and between remote locations.

We have the largest true to life family of virtual models and mannequins, which are an essential element in reducing long fitting sessions. Browzwear’s exclusive Fabric Testing Kit (FTK) allows our customers to easily take all the required fabric physical parameters and set up the database by themselves. Browzwear's FTK became a world standard and is being used by many fabric mills across the world.

Do you find a combination of clientele – with and without technology know-how? What after sales services do you offer?

Our customers come from different areas and the technologies they use or do not use are poles apart. Some are world leading brands, innovators of products with state of the art technology used in house. Others are manufacturers with small sewing plants in the far east. Browzwear has a solution for each and every one of its users.

Browzwear’s Virtual Prototyping implementation service provides the essential roadmap for turning an organization’s vision and strategy into reality. This offering accelerates implementation of 3D virtual prototyping solutions through analyzing corporate objectives and business requirements. A strategic implementation planning engagement efficiently and accurately prioritizes customer’s business objectives and goals, and creates an overall phased implementation strategy that facilitates a successful performance.

As part of our after sales services, we offer a basic training which is composed of two main parts. The first is the basic training and the second part is hands on training in which a Browzwear’s trainer accompanies the client with the actual garments that will be included in the customer’s next collection. Browzwear's comprehensive 24/7 customer support provides on-going support via phone, email and web conferences worldwide. Within the support contract two free upgrades are given per year.

How do you envisage global fashion-garment and retail industry of coming days, and the trends therein? How is Browzwear prepared to cater solutions to these futuristic trends?

Imagine yourself walking towards your favorite store, remembering the days were you found yourself in the midst of other consumers observing all the hangers, and mannequins around. At the end of the store, you reach towards a touch screen you insert your disk on key containing your virtual model along with the ones of your family and friends. On the screen in front of you all the garments in your size appear along with their color variations. You pick a garment and view the fit on the screen in 3D. Suddenly, you remember your cousin’s Birthday. You quickly call him and ask him to send you a message with his virtual model. You walk to the isle pick a shirt, type in your cell phone the barcode and see your cousin wearing the shirt.

On the way home, you remember the conversation you had with your colleague today. “Tonight I’m shopping in America” he said. Remembering your favorite brand in Rome, you turn on your computer, and enter to their website. After entering your model’s measurements, all the garments suited to your virtual model appear. You click on the garments you like and watch how your model tries them on, examining them from every angle and picking the ones you like. 15 minutes pass and you end up with your small collection from Rome.

This vision brought birth to Browzwear’s Virtual Fitting Room (VFR) idea. The VFR gives opportunity to potential customers to view a 3D image of a garment on their own virtual model and envision how it would look on them. By using the VFR, Brands shall be able to provide this exciting experience whilst benefiting from a drastic increase in sales, decrease in the money spent on returns, and thus increase in their bottom line!

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Published on: 09/03/2009

DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.