Part 2: The Outcome

Curated solutions were presented and explored. Among them were sizing tools and virtual try-on technologies to help reduce e‑commerce returns, and retail-friendly platforms to support clienteling and personalised outreach. Each had merit, but the team chose to start with foundational systems that would set the stage for broader innovation later.

Two priority pilots emerged: one focused on data flow and the other on circular sourcing. Both addressed universal industry challenges – operational efficiency and material waste. As Tom shared:

“Your experience within the industry has obviously exposed you to lots of different environments, lots of different functions within the business… you’ve been able to provide some empathetic solutions and that has really helped us be that little bit more transparent with what our problems are and get to the bottom of what those solutions are.”

Prototype One: Making Data Work Smarter

The first focus was ensuring that every stage of product creation – from design sketches and raw materials through to wholesale, production orders, and Shopify – is captured accurately and flows seamlessly without duplication.

Tom summed it up:

“The burning question on the end of most people's tongues at the moment is what are we all doing about digital product passports and how do we navigate what's about and what is in the process of becoming a big component within supply chain management?”

This prototype lays the foundation for compliance readiness, cleaner data, and improved collaboration between teams.

Prototype Two: Turning Surplus into Value

The second priority tackled surplus fabrics – creating both a commercial outlet for unused materials and a pathway to design with circular inputs from the outset. Given the brand’s emphasis on fabric provenance, this was a natural evolution.

Practical steps were outlined including:

• Conducting a one-day waste audit to catalogue excess stock

• Listing surplus fabrics through a curated B2B marketplace

• Exploring partnerships to repurpose or resell high-quality materials.
  
  

By starting here, Oliver Spencer could unlock immediate operational wins while laying the groundwork for deeper transformation across the brand.

“What was great that you really assisted with, was streamlining and optimizing those aspirations to fix everything quickly and identifying the priorities and the low hanging fruit and where we could really make a difference.”

What’s Next

This marks Chapter 1 of Oliver Spencer’s innovation journey with Future Fashion Assembly. The next phase will track the launch and early results of both pilots – streamlining processes, embedding future compliance, and building quick wins that inspire further progress. As Tom describes:

“We are all still going about our day jobs here within the business. It's just we're doing it very differently to the way that we did it 17, 18 years ago. And I think it's that open-minded nature of both Oliver and Marina that allow the business to invite innovation within the workplace.”

Oliver Spencer’s story demonstrates that innovation isn’t about chasing every new technology – it’s about clarity, culture, and finding solutions that support people, not overwhelm them.

By starting with what matters most, they are demonstrating how incremental change can create lasting transformation – one system, one fabric, one decision at a time.

To explore how this could benefit for you contact us to schedule a call, or Join our Digital Innovation Showroom to discover practical ways to future-proof your business with the right innovation partners.