Articles by Guest Contributor
Guest contributors write for FashionUnited on a voluntary basis to share their expertise and highlight topics that matter to fashion industry professionals.
Regardless of the World Cup winner, merchandise always loses
The World Cup is in full swing. While we remain in our small, football-mad country discuss line-ups, substitutions and the unprecedented performance of Cape Verde (!), a supply chain is running at full capacity somewhere. It is producing products with a shelf life of just a few weeks. The Dutch 'Juichjack', the World Cup dressing gown, the...
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Luxury redefined: how emotional connection is becoming the new currency of the industry
The luxury industry has always stood for prestige, exclusivity and artisanal perfection. For a long time, it was associated with a kind of promise: investing in a brand meant acquiring not just a product, but also status, cultural relevance and a sense of belonging. This understanding still holds true today, yet the underlying model for success...
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Why 10,000 metres of hand-spun flax thread is not enough for a single garment
Some designs tell a story not just through what they are, but primarily through what came before them. The Lin jacket is perhaps the most tangible example of this for me. What once began as a limited edition design of organically grown linen from The Linen Project has evolved into a garment that now carries multiple layers of meaning. About the...
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Social safety in the workplace: the art of saying no politely
In a healthy organisation, psychological safety is not just about respect and professional conduct, but also about something often underestimated: the space to set boundaries. In the fashion industry, where creativity, commercial pressure, tight collection deadlines and personal relationships constantly intertwine, being able to say a clear but...
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Programmed desire: how fashion stays desirable when AI fills the shopping basket
Fashion has always been about seduction, desire, belonging and differentiation. Aura, as people much younger than me call it. We covet a look, a feeling, a style, a lifestyle. This desire is triggered by inspiring people on social media, catwalks, in pop culture, advertising and within our circle of friends. The sources of this desire have...
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Case studies in the rise of ESG disputes: Greenwashing and social washing in focus
This week, it was announced that the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC), together with four consumers, is filing a lawsuit against clothing brand Levi Strauss (Levi's). The case revolves around alleged misleading sustainability claims and labour rights violations at a factory in Turkey where Levi's manufactures. More than 400 workers lost their jobs...
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Why we know everything and change nothing
I thought I understood the industry; its culture, its quality and its lack thereof. I knew the ateliers in Italy where you would discuss the quality of an espresso while standing next to an ironing machine that shaped a Prada blazer in twelve minutes. I knew the production sites in Belgium where the quality of the product and that of the people...
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Hybrid working is the new normal, but does it clash with the soul of fashion?
The best collections are not created behind a screen. They are born from movement, from the dynamic and hectic interplay between design, sales and marketing. They emerge from unfinished conversations, lingering doubts and flowing energy. The fashion industry has always been fragmented: sales teams on the road, marketing in the office and design...
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From sales advisor to ambassador: The new standard of excellence for fashion advisors
For a long time, the role of a fashion salesperson followed a strictly transactional logic: welcome, present, and close the sale. This function was clear and focused on immediate results, and it certainly proved its worth. Today, however, it no longer aligns with the reality of contemporary retail. In 2026, the point-of-sale is no longer merely...
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Dear sustainability manager, have you ever searched for your own brand on Vinted?
A while ago, I sat down with the sustainability manager of a medium-sized Dutch clothing brand. We discussed circularity, material choices and ambitious sustainability goals for 2030. At one point, the conversation turned to the second-hand market and its potential relevance. I took out my phone and opened Vinted. I typed in the brand name....
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