Executive Summary

Fashion is an industry known for creativity and reinvention, yet many brands struggle to meaningfully adopt innovation. While tools abound, transformation remains patchy and slow.

This white paper synthesises insights from Future Fashion Assembly’s July 2025 executive roundtable, where senior leaders from brands including ASOS, Farfetch, Hugo Boss, and Net-a-Porter named the cultural, structural, and commercial barriers holding innovation back.

It also sets forth a pathway forward for brands through a new innovation-as-a-service model - because innovation is not a department - it’s a business imperative.

Inside this White Paper

• First-hand executive insights delivered in a digestible format

• Commercially grounded perspective beyond buzzwords

• Peer credibility sharing insights shaped by industry leaders who face the same challenges you do

• Actionable roadmap which sets forth a pathway towards business resilience