Geopolitical Risk and Fashion
Supply Chains, Sourcing Strategy, and Market Resilience in an Era of Global Instability
Description
This conversation will explore how ongoing geopolitical tensions, such as potential conflict with Iran and broader regional instability, are reshaping global supply chains, sourcing strategies, and market dynamics for fashion brands and retailers. The session will bring together industry and policy perspectives to unpack near-term disruptions as well as longer-term strategic considerations for navigating uncertainty.
Background
The global fashion industry is entering a period of heightened volatility, where geopolitical risk is no longer a distant concern but a core operational challenge. From escalating tensions involving Iran to broader instability across key transit corridors, disruptions to shipping routes, energy markets, and regional trade flows are already reshaping how brands source, produce, and distribute goods…
Date: 2026-05-13
Time (ET): 2:00 PM EDT, May 13, 2026
Time (Local): 6:00 PM UTC, May 13, 2026
Location: online
Speakers
Catherine Nekavand
Partner, AlixPartners
Felicia Pullam
Senior Director, Geo-Commerce, APCO Worldwide
David Uricoli
Partner, Gherzi USA
Julia K. Hughes
President, United States Fashion Industry Association
Guided Questions
Felicia Pullam
Given your deep experience in international trade policy and enforcement, particularly around forced labor and tariffs, how are current geopolitical tensions reshaping compliance expectations and sourcing risk for fashion brands operating across multiple jurisdictions?
Catherine Nekavand
Given your experience advising luxury brands and your operational background at these firms, how are high-end brands adapting their sourcing and pricing strategies to absorb geopolitical shocks—particularly tariffs and logistics disruptions—while protecting both margin and brand equity?
David Uricoli
Given your decades of experience in apparel sourcing and your work establishing human rights compliance frameworks at Ralph Lauren, how are brands currently rethinking their sourcing strategies in response to geopolitical instability, and are you seeing a tangible shift toward resilience driven decision making