Book Review on Fashion Supply Chain Management

Running a successful fashion business requires a thorough understanding of the global supply chain. This is why 'Fashion Supply Chain Management' by Michael Londrigan & Jacqueline Jenkins is a must-read for any fashion entrepreneur.

The book focuses on how an emerging business owner should analyze global trends, organize logistics, inventory and the retail market. Also, they must have an idea about the end-user's requirements and how best to address them. From designer to merchandiser, a fashion supply chain requires various personnel to create value for the end-user or consumer. The corporate social responsibilities of today's fashion industry are another vital aspect that any emerging company should know. This fashion book review focuses on the key highlights of maintaining a sustainable supply chain.

About the Authors

Michael Londrigan is a veteran in the fashion industry. Before being associated with LIM since 2008, he has had nearly 30 years of experience in the fashion and apparel industry, from retail, wholesale and textile management. He has held several high-ranking posts with notable companies. His skills in brand and merchandise development, executive sales, marketing, and product development, have made him one of the stalwarts in the trade today. He holds an MBA from the Fairleigh Dickinson Institute, specializing in marketing.

Jacqueline Jenkins had been associated with LIM as Dean of Graduate Studies. Her field of expertise comprises fashion marketing, visual merchandising, and retail management. Jenkins is a founding member and associated with several prestigious fashion and management institutes. She has also been a member of several advertising firms and investment groups, making her one of the leading experts in fashion technology, marketing, retail and merchandise, and brand development. She is also the founder of a mature fashionista web community called Sophisticated Curation.

About the Book

The book details the critical elements of the global supply chain. The fashion industry is slowly shifting towards worldwide textile and apparel sourcing. It takes the reader through the entire raw material supply chain to the end-user and consumer. The book covers organizational and operational logistics, inventory management, informational systems, sourcing, and production. 

'Fashion Supply Chain Management' focuses on the apparel and textile industry's key facets, corporate social responsibilities, and retailing on a global scale. It provides an understanding of the inner workings of the fashion industry to show how the supply chain relates to the various roles played by different personnel associated with the industry (e.g., designers, merchandisers, retailers etc.). This helps brands create value products for the consumer.

The most notable feature of this book can be classified into three distinct components that are helpful for fashion students and industry insiders, such as marketing professionals, retailers, designers, and merchandisers.

1. Interviews: The book records interviews with several noteworthy fashion industry personalities who share their years of invaluable experience. This provides an insight into how the industry works, how to interpret global trends and combat adverse situations.
2. Case studies: The book focuses on certain case studies from local and global events in the industry. It enlists vital takeaways from each of these cases. This will help the readers understand and implement specific essential strategies for their enterprises and emerge to thrive in the business.
3. Field notes: These are recorded in sidebars along with the case studies. The notes are first-hand accounts of the authors themselves with their combined experiences in the field spanning decades. It notes key opportunities and challenges; and how best to tackle them.

The book provides insights that may be interpreted by different types of individuals connected to the fashion industry.

Students

For fashion students, 'Fashion Supply Chain Management' provides an idea about the procurement of materials, their use, and how best to organize their finished products to address the fashion market's global trends.

• Helps them understand the key facets and elements of the worldwide fashion industry
• Provides records of industry interviews with real-life people with significant contributions to the industry, both inspirational and instructive.
• Enlists a series of case studies for key takeaways from a company's perspective for survival and propagation in the competitive market.

Fashion Designers

For designers, this book provides an understanding of the supply chain and its functioning within the fashion business. Special focus is placed upon design trends and how to cope with the demands of end-users to create a value for the brand.

The biggest positives of 'Fashion Supply Chain Management' are its industry interviews and case studies, field notes from real-life fashion companies and the authors' commentary on their experiences in the industry. These pros will be beneficial for entrepreneurs and companies to predict and combat similar challenges of their own.

Industry-based applications

For the manufacturer, 'Fashion Supply Chain Management' provides a precise idea about the entire fashion supply chain, from the raw materials required for production to end-user consumption.

• Covers all aspects of organizational logistics, inventory management, information systems, a guide for sourcing materials and maintaining an unbroken supply chain.
• Provides insight into the global corporate social responsibilities of fashion companies.
• 'Fashion Supply Management' explains the roles different personnel played in maintaining business flow from the manufacturer to the merchandiser to create value items for the consumer. In this case, interviews with real-life individuals and case studies will show real-life implications that industry insiders might find helpful while carrying out their enterprise endeavors.

Conclusion

'Fashion Supply Chain Management' carries helpful information relating to the intricacies of the fashion industry, from production to retail. Additionally, it addresses real-world practical scenarios that may crop up due to emerging and changing global trends. The book's simple language make it an indispensable resource for all professionals related to the industry.

We hope you liked this fashion book review. We will be doing a lot more reviews like this for valuable (and long) books relevant to fashion entrepreneurs! Subscribe to Fashinza's blog to stay updated for further reviews!