About |
The ReDress Consultancy-South Africa
Renato Palmi runs a specialist research and development consultancy called The ReDress Consultancy - South Africa with a focus on the local and Pan African clothing, textile and fashion industry. Offering informative and critical commentary on related economic regeneration issues, he has become known as "South Africa's fashion insider" as a source of astute (sometimes controversial) observation and analysis of all the various ingredients that make up an important industry sector. Several of his evidence-based recommendations have been noted and taken forward by industry organisations and government bodies.
Through his research on South African apparel retail procurement methods one retail chain-store stopped importing apparel from Burma. He has at conferences and in his articles openly challenged both the government and fashion sector for their lack of a cohesive strategy.
Palmi lectures to design students on building a brand, marketing and sales skills. He has also assisted designers and individuals wanting to enter the industry with business plan strategies and research. He lectures to business students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal on global trade and the comparison between free trade and fair/ethical trade within the context of the international apparel sector.
Through his Blog he now provides space for the apparel sector to advertise and network. He also provides space for profiles on industry players. He is working on developing more advertising space and linkages between fashion and the craft (informal sector) and has delivered a talks and lectures on the relationship between designers and crafters and the opportunities to promote and create ethical/fair trade fashion in South Africa. He is a firm believer that the consumer is a powerful force in shaping the apparel sector by challenging retailers about their buying from sweatshops. He believes that the South African apparel and fashion sector has so much potential but now it is so fragmented and it is this status quo in the industry that he is challenging.
He holds a postgraduate degree in economic development majoring in the apparel trade. He has Diplomas in Business Marketing and Production Management and is the author of the first comprehensive book that looks at the role of South African fashion designers and fashion promotion within the apparel value-chain.