BoF - The Business of Fashion

The State of Fashion 2018

Our second State of Fashion Report with McKinsey & Company makes new predictions for the year ahead. 2018 will be a watershed year in fashion, when Asia comes into its own as well as unprecedented disruption from customers, segments, and macro changes. Featuring Globalisation Reboot, Platforms First, Mobile Obsessed, AI Gets Real, Sustainability Credibility.

Fashion in 2018 | 02. Globalisation Reboot

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

Despite the rise of nationalism, isolationist rhetoric and reshoring, globalisation will not stall in 2018.

Fashion in 2018 | 03. Asian Trailblazers

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

In 2018, Asian players will assert their power and leadership even more through pioneering innovations, global-scale investment and expansion.

Fashion in 2018 | 04. Getting Personal

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

As personalisation emerges as the number one trend in 2018, brands will value data even more to tailor recommendations, engage influencers and customised experiences.

Fashion in 2018 | 05. Platforms First

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

In 2018, platforms will continue to grow in scale and reach, compelling fashion brands to find ways of engaging more with these powerful sales channels.

Fashion in 2018 | 06. Mobile Obsessed

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

As mobile-first consumers are choosing the convenience of using their phones for transactions, fashion companies will in 2018 begin to realise the opportunities this brings.

Fashion in 2018 | 07. AI Gets Real

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

In 2018, AI enhancements will go beyond the traditional areas of machine tasks into creative and customer interaction processes, blurring the line between technology and creativity.

Fashion in 2018 | 08. Sustainability Credibility

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

As fashion's focus shifts to a circular economy, in 2018 sustainability will evolve from being a menu of fragmented initiatives to being an integral and defining part of the entire fashion value chain.

Fashion in 2018 | 09. Off-Price Deception

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

The off-price sector will continue to grow in 2018, but the fashion industry could be put at risk of margin erosion unless companies carefully consider their off-price channel strategies.

Fashion in 2018 | 10. Startup Thinking

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

2 January 2018 • By BoF Team and McKinsey & Company

In 2018, a growing number of fashion companies will aim to emulate the qualities of startups such as agility, collaboration and openness.

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