A hybrid solution: Integration of virtual and physical showrooms

Historically, fashion has invested mostly in the consumer facing digital experience, but because of the pandemic, everything that was ‘under the hood’ in the industry came to a standstill. From how garments are created to wholesale selling, there was still very little digitization in those areas and the reliance on manual processes didn’t allow for flexibility and halted the supply chain immensely during the Covid crisis. Adding to that travel restrictions and lockdowns, brands all over the world had to shift to wholesale selling remotely and digitize quickly. It made the fashion industry realize that their entire sales force was able to sell virtually, and even with very little samples. Seeing how effective and cost-saving remote selling can be led to an ‘industry awakening’. Many brands are now realizing that they need to leverage technology in smarter ways to make their value chain more flexible and adaptable for fashion’s digital age.