Skip to main content
BoF Logo

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

Op-Ed | How Small Will Beat Big and Save the Fashion Industry

The status quo spells certain death for design-driven brands unless they tap new technologies and Economies of Small, argues Lawrence Lenihan.
Source: Shutterstock
(Shutterstock)

The fashion industry is about design. It’s about creation. It’s about the delight we feel when we see something for the first time ever. It’s about unique and it’s about special. We’ve forgotten this because the people who have made this industry so magical, the creators whose imaginations birth the unimaginable, are being crushed by massive, data-driven global supply chain companies that rob them of their creations and exploit the markets and trends they created. The fashion industry playing field is so badly tilted against them it’s little wonder it feels like every day another promising small designer closes shop.

Please sign in to ensure you can read our agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice. Or get in touch at support@businessoffashion.com if you experience difficulties.

© 2026 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions

More from Retail
Analysis and advice from the front lines of the retail transformation.
view more
Latest News & Analysis
Unrivalled, world class journalism across fashion, luxury and beauty industries.

What Stops Beauty Shoppers From Buying More

Beauty brands must rethink upselling with smarter value plays, from curated bundles to jumbo sizes and subscriptions, to keep their customers from switching to the competition.


Who Won Fashion’s Red Carpet Season of Change

Sunday night’s Oscars concluded an awards season that fashion’s biggest labels used to show off their new creative game. BoF breaks down what we learned about brands’ celebrity strategies.


VIEW MORE
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
CONNECT WITH US ON