Inès Laurent
Covers EU regulation, circularity and the product data behind sustainable fashion.
Articles by Inès Laurent
AI in fashion design: how design teams actually use it
Generative AI has moved into the design studio, but mostly as a fast sketchpad and visualisation tool. Here is where it helps designers, where it falls short and what teams need before they rely on it.
Who owns an AI-generated fashion design? Copyright and IP explained
Courts and copyright offices agree on one point: protection needs a human author. What that means for prints, sketches and garments made with AI tools, and how fashion brands can protect their work.
AI for fashion product data: attributes, tech packs and enrichment at scale
Webshops, marketplaces, wholesale partners and AI shopping assistants all depend on complete product data. How AI extracts attributes, writes descriptions and checks records, and where humans stay in the loop.
How is AI used in the fashion supply chain?
From demand planning to warehouse robots and supplier monitoring: where AI already works in fashion supply chains, what data it needs and where its limits are.
Can AI make fashion more sustainable?
AI can help fashion make fewer unwanted products and manage new EU rules, but it also uses energy and cannot fix a business model on its own. A sober look at both sides.
How does AI detect defects in fabrics and garments?
Computer vision is moving textile inspection from the human eye to cameras and models. How it works, where it is used, and why data and defect definitions matter most.
How can AI monitor supplier risk and compliance in fashion?
Forced labour rules and due diligence laws push fashion companies to know their suppliers better. AI can scan documents and signals at scale, but it cannot replace audits and engagement.
How Uniqlo and Fast Retailing use AI and data in the Ariake Project
Fast Retailing's Ariake Project aims to make and sell exactly what customers want, when they want it. How AI, shared data and automated warehouses fit in, and what the group has disclosed.
AI for fashion designers: tools, workflows and limits
How fashion designers use generative AI for research, moodboards, colour, prints and early concepts, where it falls short on construction and fit, and what copyright and labelling rules mean.
PLM explained: how collections move from sketch to sample
Product lifecycle management is where a collection is designed, specified, costed and sampled. Here is what PLM does, who uses it and what to expect from it.
PIM explained: why product data is a fashion brand's hidden asset
A product information management system holds the content that sells: descriptions, attributes, images and translations. Here is why it matters for every channel, wholesale included.
Product master data: the unglamorous key to digital fashion
Style numbers, colour codes, size scales and identifiers decide whether showrooms, portals, feeds and invoices work. A practical guide to getting product master data right.
Lead times in fashion: why a season starts a year early
From trend research to delivery in store, a traditional fashion season takes many months to build. Where the time goes, what drives it and how brands compress it.
Nearshoring in fashion: the trade-offs
Moving production closer to end markets promises speed, flexibility and resilience. It also raises unit costs and narrows capability. How to decide what to bring closer and what to leave.
The Digital Product Passport explained for fashion brands
The EU is building a digital identity for products sold in its market. Here is what the passport will mean for apparel, what is still open and how brands can prepare their data now.
ESPR explained: what the EU ecodesign regulation means for textiles
The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation extends EU product design rules to clothing and footwear. What it requires, what is already in force and what is still being drafted.
Extended producer responsibility for textiles, explained
The revised EU Waste Framework Directive makes producers pay for the collection, sorting and recycling of used clothing and footwear. Who counts as a producer, what it costs and when it starts.
Overproduction in fashion: causes and levers
Making more than can be sold at full price is built into how fashion plans, buys and produces. Why it happens, why regulation now raises the stakes and which levers actually work.
Supply chain traceability in fashion: where to start
Regulators, retailers and consumers increasingly ask where clothes come from. A practical guide to mapping suppliers, collecting data and building traceability step by step.
Green claims in fashion: how to communicate without greenwashing
From 27 September 2026, new EU consumer rules ban vague environmental claims and unreliable labels. What changes for fashion marketing, product pages and wholesale copy.
Resale and recommerce: how second-hand reached the brands
Second-hand fashion has moved from charity shops and peer-to-peer platforms into brand-run programmes. The main models, what they require and where they fit in a brand's strategy.
Circular design principles for fashion collections
A garment's end of life is largely decided at the design desk. The principles of circular design, how they translate into collection work and the trade-offs designers face.
3D design and digital samples: fewer physical samples, faster decisions
3D garment simulation lets teams review fit, colour and assortment on screen before a single sample is sewn. How it works, where it saves time and material, and where physical samples still win.
Textile certifications decoded: what the main labels actually cover
Organic, recycled, tested for harmful substances, responsibly sourced: textile certifications cover very different things. A guide to the main standards and how to use them in claims.
Made-to-order and pre-order as sustainability tools
Producing against confirmed demand rather than forecasts can reduce surplus stock. Where made-to-order and pre-order work, what they demand from operations and where their limits lie.
Sharing sustainability data with retail partners: a practical guide
Retailers increasingly ask brands for material, origin and certification data per product. What they need, how to structure it and how to keep claims consistent across channels.