Annabelle Azadé – Fashion and Tech Journalist

“I think tech needs a strong sense of drive and the ability to think that any dream is possible, with still a very incentive of business.”

Sorbonne graduate Annabelle Azadé is a fashion and tech journalist since 2008. Spotted by Elle, Annabelle’s broad network has inspired her to launch ‘Wear The Future’ in 2018, combining her passions for communication, fashion and tech.

Annabelle is a Mentor at Bloomingdales’s Fashion Incubator in SF and a speaker at Fashion Tech events (Talent Land, New York Fashion Tech Week…)

In a Nutshell: Tell us a bit about your job and what role technology plays in it?

I am a Fashion Tech journalist, which means I am expanding the visibility of designers who are using technologies in their designs, such as David Shorey and Maartje Dijsktra.

Technology is fairly new in the fashion industry, which is why it is so fascinating to work and collaborate with pioneers!

Where did your professional journey start and how did you get to where you are now?

I started being interested in tech when I first started working as a TV anchor in Tel Aviv, Israel back in 2013. I started covering news about the “start-up nation” (as they called Israel) and really liked the tech vibe. I interviewed very brilliant executives, from Amir Shevat at Google, to head of the biggest incubators in Israel… I started understanding tech can be found and used anywhere and everywhere. In Israel, they are plenty of women too in this field, so I did not feel intimidated at all!

I started understanding tech can be found and used anywhere and everywhere. In Israel, they are plenty of women too in this field, so I did not feel intimidated at all !

I would say that in France (where I am from), tech is much more reserved to men.

What is the greatest transformation in technology you’ve witnessed in your career?

3D printing, without a doubt! 3D printing can revolutionize fashion but on a broader scale, the way we consume. No need to purchase fashion anymore in a store; maybe one day you’ll only have to just print the clothes you have designed yourself (or bought the pattern/cutre online) and print it at home. That would be fun, wouldn’t it?

Also 3D printing can be found in science and the medical industry, such as building artificial organs and saves lives… That would truly be amazing!

When you think about ‘women’ and ‘technology’ what comes to your mind first?

Marie Curie, a true pioneer in science and hence in technology. It’s interesting to see in France her name everywhere only coming along with her husband, Pierre… He was a real supporter of her work and her genius in a time (back at the end of the XIXth century) where women were only meant to be married to and manage a household.

We always hear there are not enough women working in Tech. What needs to happen to change that? Using your own words, why do we need women focused groups in the tech community?

I don’t think we “need” women to be a focus. I think that the real problem is thinking women should be a priority. There should not be a divide on whether women have to be included. Women are humans and should not be looked as a gender. It’s when you create communities within populations that the divide is created (hope this makes sense).

People with character, skills and strengths should be included, people with abilities – I think it’s more of a social and class issue than gender to be honest.

What skills do you need for a career in tech (aside from the actual tech skills)?

I think tech needs a strong sense of drive and the ability to think that any dream is possible, with still a very incentive of business. It’s a hard balance that not a lot of people can find and that you usually get after a few years working for a big international corporation.

What and who were the influencers of who you are today?

Anyone I’d meet really 🙂 Anyone with an inspirational story. I think the most important thing is a story, not an influence.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your 14-year-old self?

Keep on cultivating what makes you different, because that’s the true beauty of life – uniqueness is the best spice!

Annabelle Azadé is a fashion and tech journalist since 2008. Spotted by Elle, Annabelle’s broad network has inspired her to launch ‘Wear The Future’ in 2018, combining her passions for communication, fashion and tech. Annabelle is a Mentor at Bloomingdales’s Fashion Incubator in SF and a speaker at Fashion Tech events (Talent Land, New York Fashion Tech Week…)

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