How brands are transforming their approach to fashion revenue management to meet the moment

The fashion industry is no stranger to reinvention, but today’s transformation isn’t happening on the runway. From geopolitical shifts to evolving consumer habits and rising operational costs, the entire landscape is undergoing a tech glow-up—a much-needed modernization of tools, systems and strategies to help brands stay competitive, profitable and resilient in the face of growing complexity.

To understand why this tech glow-up is essential, let’s take a closer look at the five major challenges reshaping the fashion industry and how forward-thinking brands are responding with smarter strategies.

Challenge #1: Global instability

Fashion’s reliance on global supply chains leaves it vulnerable to political tensions and environmental risks. Key fashion manufacturing hubs are feeling the strain of climate change, from flood-prone infrastructure to heat-stressed labor conditions and intensifying natural disasters.

Strikes and labor disputes in Southeast Asia have strained apparel manufacturing, while the war in Ukraine has dealt a major blow to the Russian fashion market, which once ranked fifth in Europe and tenth worldwide.

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Today’s glow-up demands operational agility and better scenario modeling. Brands need tech that helps them shift sourcing strategies, adjust lead times and stay ahead of risk.

Challenge #2: Consumer shifts

We’re now in the third generation of fast fashion. After the dominance of H&M and Zara came digital-first brands like ASOS and Boohoo. Now ultra-fast players like Shein and Temu are reshaping the game entirely—prioritizing volume, speed and price over everything else. 

Luxury fashion isn’t immune either. In China, “luxury shame” has driven demand toward more discreet spending. Today’s consumer landscape is fragmented, unpredictable and constantly shifting.

The glow-up here? Tech that enables granular segmentation, real-time pricing and hyper-adaptive planning based on live market conditions.

Challenge #3: E-Commerce

Ecommerce isn’t new, but its role is evolving. Now that most brands are online, the priority has shifted from growth to optimization. A proper glow-up gives brands better insight into digital performance—what’s working, what’s not and where conversion opportunities are being 

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Challenge #4: The fashion system in transformation

As fashion navigates a rapidly evolving landscape, three major forces are reshaping how brands operate. AI adoption, sustainability expectations and supply chain strategies are all undergoing a tech-powered transformation.

• AI: From pilot to production – Generative AI is helping create marketing copy, product descriptions and design concepts. Predictive AI is improving forecasting, price optimization and supply chain planning. But the challenge lies in moving from experiments to enterprise scale. The glow-up here is about getting these tools out of the lab and into the business.
• Sustainability: From buzzword to baseline – With fashion still among the most polluting industries, consumers and lawmakers are demanding more. Sustainable brands now make up 6% of the market and are projected to grow. The glow-up? Using tech to track, report and improve sustainability performance with credibility and clarity.
• Supply chain reimagined – Nearshoring is gaining traction as brands look to shorten lead times and reduce risk. But while it improves speed and environmental impact, it comes with higher costs. Tech can help balance these trade-offs and model the ROI of strategic shifts.

Challenge #5: Doing more with less

Economic uncertainty, inflation and rising logistics costs are creating massive pressure on margins. Automation and smarter pricing tools have become essential. The glow-up here is about efficiency—not just cutting costs, but optimizing every dollar spent and every dollar earned.

Connecting the dots: Key areas for a strategic tech glow-up

To navigate and win in this environment, fashion brands need to focus their glow-up in three strategic areas:

1.      Advanced pricing and promotional planning

Smart pricing can be a game-changer. Key capabilities include:

• Simulate complex pricing scenarios across regions, product lines and customer segments to anticipate market changes.

• Optimize pricing dynamically using AI-driven insights based on market behavior, competitor pricing and historical performance.
• Plan and forecast promotions before execution.
• Manage the full pricing waterfall, from base price to final invoice, ensuring transparency and control at every step.
  
  This level of glow-up helps protect margins while staying flexible in volatile markets.

2. Market intelligence and digital shelf analytics

In today’s fast-moving landscape, visibility is power. Brands need:

• Real-time competitive pricing analysis.
• Compliance monitoring across partners and channels to ensure adherence to agreed pricing and promotional terms—critical for brand integrity and margin protection.
• Digital shelf analytics to track how your products are presented online, including assortment, availability, promotional activity and customer reviews.
  
  This glow-up equips teams to make faster, more informed decisions with data that drives results.

3.      Automation of operational processes

Manual processes are margin killers. Free up teams to focus on strategy and growth while reducing risks and errors by automating these tasks:

• Rebate and incentive management. You can ensure accurate calculations, tracking, and settlement of complex agreements with retailers and partners.
• Price maintenance. You can reduce manual effort and errors in updating prices across systems and channels.
• End-to-end sales process >workflows. You can focus on strategic initiatives rather than administrative tasks.

Fashion’s glow-up is well underway, but it’s not about flashy tech for tech’s sake. It’s about upgrading the foundation to make smarter, faster, and more sustainable decisions. In an industry that lives and dies by what’s next, those who invest in transformation today will be tomorrow’s leaders.