ETH Zurich at MAC Jeans: New perspectives on the fashion industry

Students from ETH Zurich visit MAC Jeans in Wald/Roßbach and gain insights into design, product development and company processes.

ETH Zurich visits MAC Jeans

New perspectives, different ways of thinking and a shared look at the fashion industry: as part of a collaborative project, we welcomed students from the ETH Exploration Lab to our headquarters in Wald/Roßbach.

Following an initial kick-off, the next stage of our collaboration was on the agenda. Before developing their own ideas, the students first had the opportunity to learn about the processes and connections within a fashion company.

How does an initial idea become a finished collection? Which processes are involved in bringing it to life? And what new approaches can emerge when different disciplines come together?

From the initial idea to the finished collection

The visit began with an insight into the creative work of our design department. Katerina Grigoriadis, Head of Design DAYDREAM, and her team showed the students how a collection gradually takes shape.

From initial concepts and colour palettes to fabrics, moodboards and the wider design process, the visitors gained an understanding of how closely the individual stages of development are connected.

The focus then shifted from design to practical implementation. Together with our Purchasing Director Patrick Zach, the students visited our sample sewing room, embroidery department, laboratory and logistics facilities.

A further part of the programme focused on our Never Out of Stock system, including the organisational and logistical processes behind continuous product availability.

New approaches through different perspectives

Having explored different areas of our company, the students now share a common foundation for the next stage of the project. They will build on the impressions gathered during the visit and develop their own ideas.

For us, the exchange between different disciplines is particularly interesting. The students bring a more technically oriented perspective and look at familiar processes from a different angle. This is precisely what makes the collaboration valuable for MAC.

The concrete ideas that will emerge are still open. For now, the focus is on the opportunity to reconsider existing processes, bring together different areas of expertise and develop new perspectives together.

The visit to Wald/Roßbach laid an important foundation for this work and marked the next step in our collaboration with the ETH Exploration Lab.