Edinburgh consultancy to help global fashion industry tackle ‘time of reckoning’

Label Sessions said its tie-up with Italy-based Future Fashion Assembly would bring together fashion industry expertise and a “proven cross-sector innovation model”.

The aim of the partnership is to support the creation of new sustainable strategies, revenue models and next-generation products.

The programme will address areas such as digital transformation, the delivery of environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals and consumer engagement. There will be accelerators for new ventures to move concepts from strategy to market in 100 days, as well as leadership and learning programmes.

Details of the new collaboration come as the fashion industry faces increasing pressure. Consultancy McKinsey’s State of Fashion 2025 report warned that this year was likely to be “a time of reckoning” for many brands, with economic uncertainty stifling growth, geopolitical developments affecting supply chains, and changes to consumer behaviour. In its executive survey, 39 per cent of respondents anticipated conditions in the sector worsening during 2025.

Launched in 2022, Label Sessions describes itself as a global expert network and innovation accelerator, with more than 500 leaders and a “track record of delivering outcomes for businesses navigating complex change”. Future Fashion Assembly, located in Bologna, is said to complement this with “deep, hands-on knowledge” of the global fashion industry’s dynamics across design, sourcing, circularity and commerce.

Nick Sherrard, managing director at Label Sessions, said: “The fashion industry is facing one of its toughest periods of the last few decades. Global supply chains have been disrupted by material and labour issues, on top of the tariff situation. Meanwhile consumers’ expectations around sustainability and physical retail experiences continue to shift - not to mention the big changes in e-commerce.

“Our goal is to help fashion brands through those challenges by accelerating change and innovation. Through our partnership with Future Fashion Assembly, not only will they have access to the right experts, but also the technologies and materials that can help them navigate the future.”

Sofia Strazzanti, founder and chief executive of Future Fashion Assembly, added: “Our purpose is to forge fashion’s future together, faster. That means moving beyond siloed solutions and buzzwords - and instead focusing on the real systems, people and technologies that can deliver meaningful progress.

“This collaboration brings together two complementary strengths: Label Sessions’ ability to surface expert insight and build leadership capability, and our ability to connect brands with proven, scalable innovation that works across the full value chain - from raw material to retail.

“At a time when many brands are expected to do more with less, we’re creating a trusted infrastructure for innovation - one that’s accessible, strategic, and built around outcomes. Together, we’re helping fashion businesses not just keep pace with change but actively shape it.”