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Industry Opinion
The Future Will Be Redesigned (Part 1)
Rekindling the Conversation on Reverse Mentorship in Garment Engineering
By Pat Trautman, President, Global Garment Engineering, LLC – Consultants in Preproduction Design Process to the Apparel Complex Worldwide
Over the past few months, one truth has echoed across every corner of our industry: “We do not lack agreement. We have a lack of execution.” Reverse mentorship is not a “nice-to-have”; it is survival.
What Comes Next: A Roundtable for the Industry
On September 23rd, at 11 am (Eastern Time) we are gathering garment professionals from around the world for a live Virtual Roundtable. This is not a webinar. It is not another panel of talking heads. It is a working session — designed to connect seasoned experts and younger innovators, and to test reverse mentorship in practice.
Breakout Room ThemesHere is a preview of a few of the conversations we will host:🧵 3D vs. Patternmaking: Tool or replacement? How do we integrate both without losing foundations? 📏 Sizing & Fit: Where technology helps — and where it still falls short. 📑 Tech Packs & Ownership: Who really owns the pattern — and why does it matter? 🏭 Manufacturing Knowledge: What is being lost as production moves further from design centers? 🤝 Culture of Trust: How do we remove the fear — on both sides — that stops knowledge exchange?
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Your RoleThis only works if we build it together.• 👥 Want to mentor? Join us.• 🌱 Want mentorship? Join us.• 🔄 Want both? You belong here most of all.
Would you Zoom with us? As mentor, mentee, or both? What is the one skill you would share — or one question you would ask?
Let’s Take ActionWe are building the agenda with you. If you want in: 👉 Comment below. 👉 DM us to be added to the invite list or click here to register.👉 Share this with someone who needs to be part of the conversation.
The future of garment engineering will not build itself. Let’s stitch it together.