The fashion industry might not agree on everything, but one fact that is (slowly) gaining acceptance—our “new normal” will never be “normal.” This is not 2021, nor is it 2019. It’s also not 2023, because however we envision next year, unforeseen disruptions mean getting that wrong too.

Full-blown lockdowns might be in our rear-view, but new issues are eroding any sense of certainty. Whether it’s geopolitical instability, a recession (or even just a recessionary mindset) putting the brakes on consumer spending, or an inventory pileup due to overoptimistic retail buyers and surprisingly smooth supply chains, the landscape is being rewritten by the day.

To help surmount these disruptions, Sourcing Journal gathered some 30 of the industry’s brightest minds from around the globe for our in-person 2022 Fall Summit in New York City on October 18. The Summit’s theme was Strategic Solutions for Complex Challenges, and these thought leaders offered on-the-ground insights and invaluable advice through presentations and discussion.

Keynote speaker Andy Dunn, the founder of digital native brand Bonobos, discussed why brick and mortar is essential to any brand’s survival, and how executives must prioritize mental health as much as they do their company’s financial health. Another highlight was the unveiling of our annual industry survey report: AlixPartners + Sourcing Journal 2022 Fashion in Focus: New Norms and Paradigm Shifts. This in-depth report revealed not only the industry’s activity (or inactivity) around four major categories—Digital First, Focused Assortment, Productivity Mindset and Sustainability—but AlixPartners executives explained how the increasingly powerful “metail” consumer must be at the core of every initiative.

Our Fall Summit Companion Report “continues the conversation” of the event with panel writeups, additional interviews, and lots to think about.

Download the 2022 Fall Summit to discover:

• How global, traceable supply chains can insure against weather adversity
• The outlook for logistics
• What’s behind cotton’s price battle
• How diversification and nearshoring add production stability
• American Eagle chief supply chain officer’s warning about shipping’s impending A-Parcel-ypse
• How the industry must be more proactive about the billions of dollars wasted due to product returns.
• Why brands and retailers need a “bedrock of data”
• How social responsibility can be an investment