Meet the innovators driving change in fashion

The fashion system is broken: built on a linear model that extracts finite resources and creates mountains of waste. The scale of the challenge facing those trying to transform the industry into one that has a positive impact can seem overwhelming. But if you break it down, progress is being made across many areas — thanks in no small part to technology.

Technology has the potential to transform the way we design, make, sell, distribute and dispose of clothing for the better. At the latest Vogue Business Fashion Futures event, held at Somerset House in London, we invited a range of companies and founders to exhibit new tools that could be used to better the fashion industry.

Among them was a traceability tool that enables brands to track a garment’s journey from fibre to final product, verifying the ethical sourcing of materials while evaluating operational efficiencies and compliance. Some exhibitors showcased how they are developing textile fibres from unexpected sources: plants grown on regenerated wetlands, from potato harvests, or using artificial intelligence. Others are creating plant-based, biodegradable colourants that reduce the amount of water required to create clothes or transforming textile waste into recycled dyes and fibres.

Some of the solutions that were on show target the experience of how we produce and sell fashion to make it more efficient and responsive and, in turn, reduce waste. An immersive B2B virtual showroom experience eliminates the need for physical showrooms and samples, while a digital clienteling service could help retailers reduce their excess stock and make their e-commerce experiences more interactive and personalised to drive conversion and customer engagement.

The gallery below offers a virtual tour of the Vogue Business innovation showcase and a hint of what’s possible in fashion with cutting-edge technology at our fingertips.