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.
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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Remembering Rana Plaza: Bangladesh has changed, the narrative has not
Today, the fashion industry remembers Rana Plaza. It should. On 24 April 2013, 1,134 people were killed in the deadliest disaster the garment industry has ever seen. Rana Plaza was not simply a building collapse. It was a moral collapse across global supply chains, exposing what happens when speed, low cost and distance from risk are allowed to...
Business|Opinion Featuredloading...
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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The Bhavitha Mandava strategy: What Chanel's playbook means for your brand
In the summer of 2024, Bhavitha Mandava was on a Brooklyn subway platform finishing her master's degree at NYU and not looking for a modelling career. That was when a scout noticed her and, within two weeks, Matthieu Blazy – then at Bottega Veneta – had cast her in a show. Eighteen months later, she is Chanel's first Indian House Ambassador. The...
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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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How a brand like Chanel uses IP to establish and influence an audience
Chanel is a maison synonymous with luxury and recognised globally, defined by timeless black and white chic and its 'ultimate luxury' identity. Founded in Paris in 1910 by fashion pioneer Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, today it remains a powerhouse brand, now headquartered in London. Many of the elements introduced under Coco have endured, firmly...
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The rise of menswear romanticism: the new aesthetic reshaping how men dress
It is not a coincidence that Jacob Elordi chooses to wear womenswear from Chanel or Bottega Veneta off-duty, without sponsorship, stylist, or explanation. Or that A$AP Rocky becomes a face of Chanel despite the house producing no menswear line. What makes these moments significant is not the celebrity behaviour itself, it is what it signals...
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The resale revolution and why brands want back in
The second-hand fashion market has crossed a threshold. When eBay agreed to buy Depop from Etsy for around 1.2 billion dollars, it was another signal that resale is no longer a niche corner of retail. It has become a central part of how younger consumers shop. For Gen Z in particular, buying pre-loved clothing is normal. It offers a mix of...
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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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