Sämi Thoma

BoF just dropped their annual deep dive on where fashion is headed. 170 pages packed with valuable data, forecasts, and macro insights on how the industry is supposed to move next. Most of it is written for large corporations with big budgets, and less connection to the people actually pushing culture forward. This is The State of Fashion 2026  translated for brands that are actually trying to establish themselves in the industry. What it means for your ecommerce, marketing, product, and...

Luxury and streetwear brands like Balenciaga, Acne Studios, Represent, and Cole Buxton have all quietly moved their production to a small but mighty hub in Northern Portugal. From the outside, it looks easy: a few emails, a visit, and you’re “in.” But on the ground, Portuguese manufacturing is an ecosystem built on craft, trust, and tradition—and unless you understand how it works, it can eat your brand alive. At Labwear, we’ve visited over 100 factories and managed production for 300+ brands...

Why the Language of Manufacturing Matters If you’re coming from a design background, stepping into manufacturing can feel like landing in a foreign country — same goal, totally different language. Factories throw around terms like MOQ , BOM , or CMT , and if you don’t speak their lingo, communication can quickly break down. That’s where most new brands lose credibility before the first sample is even made. But here’s the good news: you don’t need a degree in production management to keep up....