In an opening statement, Suzanne Ellingham, director of sourcing at Source Fashion, said: “Our purpose is to create a safe buying space for buyers and to bring good, reliable, manufacturers and suppliers from around the world to Olympia London.
“Our mission is to connect the global sourcing community, bringing together innovative material suppliers and artisans, with extraordinary uniqueness and craftsmanship, and manufacturers who care about how garments are made, under one roof. And connecting them to brands and retailers looking to buy and source better and want to work with businesses whose values align with their own.”
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Leading brands and retailers at the show included Canada Goose, Swarovski, Moss Bros, John Lewis, Oxford Shirt Company, French Connection, Hunter, and many more.
Ellingham added: “The interest and energy from both exhibitors and visitors are testament to how important this show has become in the fashion calendar. We are looking forward to the next two days.”
Highlights of Day 1 – Source Fashion: Luxury
The debut of the Source Luxury section showcased premium exhibitors and high-quality fabrics from global makers and manufacturers. From UK-based suppliers including Amplebox, Max Europe, KV Manufacturing and Walter Reginald to European exhibitors such as Pikola, Thermore, Vifrex Studio, Sweatmania, Arvin, Logofra, and Italian Artisa.
Suppliers attended from countries including Portugal, Italy, France, Spain, Lithuania, Türkiye and Romania to present their capabilities.
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By GlobalDataVisitors discovered high-end fabrics such as silk, cashmere, and Egyptian cotton, as well as smaller makers from emerging markets.
Daniel Wang, Qingdao Bono Garment Company commented on his first day, “We have had a very good first day at Source Fashion, we have seen so many companies, designers, and buyers with an interest in sourcing high fashion.”
Industry recognition and participation
Retail entrepreneur Touker Suleyman praised the event for its comprehensive representation and said: “Here at Source Fashion you have the world under one roof, with suppliers for all brands big or small. There is something for everyone, from suppliers that can do small SKUs to very large ones. Fashion is always evolving, and constant research is always needed.”
Adriana Batty, who leads exhibitor Ettos, a textile traceability platform under the Lyfcycle group, which uses QR-coded Digital Product Passports (DPP) to supply brands with traceable supply chains expressed satisfaction with the day’s events. She reported a higher-than-expected interest in product traceability, with fruitful discussions, particularly regarding upcoming EU legislation on DPP starting in 2026.
Source Fashion content programme:
Source Fashion’s agenda also includes a content programme aimed at fostering dialogue and innovation within the fashion community. Notable sessions included fashion futurist Geraldine Wharry’s exploration of macro trends reshaping the industry and insightful discussions on sustainability, transparency and circular economy initiatives.
Looking at the cultural and behavioural shifts that underpin the future of fashion she explained: “It is critical to embed future foresight into what we do now.”
On the subject of AI, Wharry added: “It will become harder and harder for brands to hide their supply chain and production methods and make false sustainable claims. We’ll be able to train AI to find out.”
Source Fashion opened with the Source Catwalk Stage, featuring an entirely circular and sustainable immersive catwalk including looks from this season’s headline responsible fashion designer Patrick McDowell.
McDowell voiced his sustainable approach to fashion during a keynote addressing the importance of focusing on the people buying, making the clothes fit and producing less.
McDowell also commented: “The current model is to perpetually grow which doesn’t fit into a sustainable model. We need to get to a place where, for all brands circularity and offering repairs and recycling are a given. To be circular, you need to know how to keep the circle going.”
The next two days:
As Source Fashion enters its second day, it promises more content including:
- Jack Stratten from Insider Trends on Sourcing and Storytelling: The selling power of retail Transparency,
- A deep dive into the opportunities and challenges of UK Manufacturing with Maxxam Textiles’ Rosemary Moore and Somon Platts from Recomme,
- Breaking the Cycle – How to solve the landfill crisis with SATCoL and Pretty Lavish,
- Closing the Loop – How fashion marketplaces are contributing to the circular economy with Swoperz and Thrift.
Source Fashion also shared its seminar and content programme with Just Style last week.
