A survey has shown that for the first time in several years, luxury and fashion brands have put geopolitical shifts at the top of their priority lists, pushing ‘sustainability’ into second place. By Leatherbiz.

The research, by Euromonitor, was presented by Federico Brugnoli, CEO of consultancy Spin360, during a presentation in Milam.

“This is the most important priority now,” he said. “Companies want to know how it is going to affect their businesses.”

He moderated a high-level panel of brands, manufacturers and associations – including representatives from Manolo Blahnik and Tod’s – discussing how the need for data, sustainability and wider issues informed their decisions and sourcing habits.

Micol Costi, materials and sustainability manager at Italian footwear brand Diadora, said the pandemic, conflicts and geopolitical shifts were causing brands to focus on de-risking strategies, including maintaining a diverse sourcing base. Tariffs have led to price distortion and unfair competition, she added, creating extra challenges for stakeholders.

A response to this is to create “strong, consolidated and clean supply chains”.