Lectra, world number one in software and CAD/CAM equipment dedicated to the textile and apparel industry, presents its innovative offering specifically developed for this sector for the first time at the Première Vision show, September 20-23.

The textile and apparel world has been facing profound changes for several years, which are now amplified by the abolition of quotas on January 1. The sector has been forced to adapt to fluctuating and increasingly demanding market conditions. Determined to anticipate the mutations in the industry and to respond fully to the challenges faced by its customers, Lectra presents its complete design and collection management offering on its booth. This offering shortens the product design phase and accelerates time to market for collections, thereby enabling companies to increase their competitiveness.

“For more than 30 years Lectra has been a recognized partner of the biggest names in the fashion sector, to  whom the company offers an integrated, innovative offering that covers every step in the product life cycle,” said Lectra CEO Daniel Harari. “Observing the market, adapting to its expectations and anticipating changes – these are the proactive steps that characterize the approach of both Première Vision and Lectra.  So it was only logical that our paths should cross in the end.” 

Freedom to create, with sales as the priority 
Faced with multiplying collections and customers who increasingly demand personalized products, it is now strategically necessary to evaluate products very early in the collection development cycle to ensure their commercial success. Making better decisions faster has thus become a key element of success. In response to these growing needs, Lectra – the number one design solution provider – has developed the most integrated, complete design software suite available on the market today, to help its customers overcome their challenges.

Lectra’s textile design solutions meet all needs: printed, knitted and woven fabrics. They bring a simple response to the needs of all textile designers, at a time when more and more manufacturers and distributors are also interested in developing materials and trying to create exclusive products to give them genuine differentiation and protect their brand identity.

Designs from these modules can be exploited using Kaledo Style, a model simulation and collection management software application. Ergonomic and allowing rapid testing and modification, it improves designers’ creativity as well as communication between different actors within the company.

Dedicated to prototyping and short-run production, digital printing brings significant added value to these solutions by assuring more design possibilities. It is possible to print on a wide variety of fabrics without quantity constraints, guaranteeing maximum flexibility.

Optimize the collection development cycle using the Internet
Product development must adapt to the accelerated rhythm of collections. GalleryWeb is Lectra’s collaborative collection management solution. It integrates collection and product line management, design and specifications development, definition of nomenclatures, fittings and quality optimization, description of construction details, verification of initial production runs, and response to consumer needs. By permitting both internal and external collaborators, whatever their geographic location, to share the same information in real time and to manage costs, this rapid, user-friendly s solution guarantees permanent control over product evolution.

Mastering color integrity across the entire chain
Color management is an essential challenge because errors can lead to the commercial failure of a collection. Lectra has responded to this challenge by developing a specific solution by associating its software with leading electronic color management and communication technologies. This allows the construction of a unique color reference, upon which all creation and product development contributors can communicate efficiently and without error. It enables precise communication with suppliers to avoid mistaken interpretations and excessive "back-and-forth" traffic of samples and prototypes. The result is greater color fidelity from initial design to final point of sale, including sample production and the manufacturing as well as visualization of products in either print or electronic catalogs.