5 retail tech stories to inspire the fashion industry

Where fashion and technology meet is such an exciting intersection – and there has been so much to talk about in this space in 2024.

Having already used these pages to provide the lowdown on the major trends from this year’s Retail Technology Show in the UK, we felt it was the perfect time to highlight some of the latest examples of where fashion and tech are colliding to great effect. We’ve picked out five news stories from May and June we think highlight forward thinking in the industry.

And of course, before we start, it would be remiss of us not to remind any fashion retailers reading that if they’re looking to boost inventory visibility and optimise product allocation, the BlueCherry ERP is built specifically for them and talks their language.

But let’s get to the latest innovations we’ve spotted in fashion retail tech…

Retail tech innovation 1 – Wearable technology at Nike

• Nike teams up with Hyperice to create wearable technology designed for athletes to use in their warm-ups and recoveries
• New innovations built in to boots and vests help control heating and cooling
• Hyperice founder Anthony Katz says it’s “just the start” of what could be a fruitful and ongoing relationship with one of the world’s most well-known sports brands.

Nike and health tech company Hyperice have come together to develop a boot and a vest they say can support high-performance warm-up and recovery for athletes.

The new boot – a high top shoe – offers heat and dynamic air-compression massage on demand for wearers’ feet and ankles. The wearable tech is designed to drive heat deep into the muscle and tissue of the feet and ankles, and to recover from their exercise faster than they otherwise would.

In their joint-statement announcing the partnership, the companies suggested those wearing the boot and using its new capabilities felt as if they’ve “already completed their warm-up before actually starting their usual routine”.

As for the vest, it uses thermoelectric coolers that deliver instant heating and cooling without the need for ice or liquid, which Nike said helps athletes “dial their body temperatures to their exact specifications during warm-ups and cool-downs”. The vest contains thermal modules with sensors that monitor and maintain body temperature.

We think it could be an exciting new frontier in tech-enabled fashion.

Retail tech innovation 2 – H&M explores decarbonisation of textile supply chain

BlueCherry can already help support fashion retailers on their sustainability journeys. As our managing director Tony Mather said in a recent podcast with the British Footwear Association, sustainability strategy needs a system such as a PLM – especially as retailers and brands are increasingly required to navigate using raw materials that comply with environmental standards.

It’s good to see H&M exploring ways to decarbonise the textile supply chain.

It has partnered with Rondo Energy, a zero-carbon industrial heat and power provider, to explore the use of heat storage technologies in its supply chain. H&M, which is also making an investment in Rondo and joining its strategic investor advisory board, will seek to replace fossil fuels with Rondo’s batteries in factories through its supply chain.

Coal currently delivers most of the heat and most of the carbon pollution when making fabrics, but Rondo is looking to harness renewable energy instead and change the status quo. H&M has a huge global presence, so this particular tech-fashion partnership could have widespread benefits in the future if it flies.

Let’s keep an eye on where this can take the sector.

Retail tech innovation 3 – Moschino ramps up employee experience

Moschino’s new partnership with Yoobic is worth a shout-out because it shows the luxury brand is looking after its front-line staff – something that all businesses in fashion need to focus on because good customer experience is paramount to their success.

A motivated workforce is an effective workforce, we say.

The collaboration is central to a new learning and development programme from the luxury brand, and Yoobic’s digital workplace tool helps support staff training and communications across Moschino's 150+ retail locations around the world. No need for staff to sit at computers and use digital workbooks and exercises any more, this new technology helps provide bespoke, bite-sized mobile training on the go via an app on a handheld device.

At BlueCherry, we’re big advocates of fashion brands using technology that better connects the workforce.

Retail tech innovation 4 – New Look’s new stores

 We were excited to hear about BlueCherry PLM customer New Look’s plans for store refreshes, announced at the end of May.

Some £3.3 million is being put into upgrading its Greater Manchester store estate with new design and layouts, and it involves a whole load of fresh technology implementation aimed at better supporting its click & collect service and store staff operations.

New Look has allocated time and resource to ensure its colleagues are trained on the new systems so they can continue to offer the great service they already deliver day in day out – but with even more tech to support them.

We’re looking forward to seeing the results of the refresh in 20 stores. And then, who knows? The new formats might get rolled out even more widely. 

Retail tech innovation 5 – CGS and FirstShift AI

And finally, not to be left out – we’ve got an innovative retail tech story of own to shout about.

We’ve aligned with FirstShift AI, forming a strategic alliance to provide a planning and insights suite for the fashion and retail industries. 

FirstShift AI is a specialist in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven demand and supply chain planning, and by working with them we can help give companies better insights with the use of advanced AI-powered planning, analytics and intelligence. All of this can help  improve an organisation’s critical business decision-making.

We think this tech can help our customers better meet all of today’s wide ranging supply  chain challenges but also help them anticipate future challenges, which will give them a great chance to stay ahead of the competition.

Read more about the CGS-FirstShift AI partnership here.

And connect with one of the BlueCherry team today to learn about how PLM and ERP might be the retail technology innovation you require to drive positive change in your business.