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Global Fashion Summit 2026: Sustainable practices as operational resilience

Global Fashion Summit 2026, Copenhagen

Hélène Valade and Kevin Germanier, Global Fashion Summit 2026, Copenhagen

Denmark – At the Global Fashion Summit 2026, leaders from across the value chain gathered at The Copenhagen Concert Hall for a series of keynotes, panels and workshops aiming to advance the industry’s most pressing environmental and social challenges.

Throughout the day, speakers explored how emerging circularity networks, material innovation, evolving policy frameworks and new financing mechanisms are becoming essential building blocks of resilience.

In a panel discussion entitled Financial Resilience Through Collective Action, Catharina Martinez-Pardo, managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group, unveiled the Fashion CFO Agenda, a report produced in collaboration with the Global Fashion Agenda.

Grounded in engagement with more than 30 chief financial officers (CFOs) and senior executives, and backed by an analysis of over 150 fashion brands, the report highlights how finance leaders are becoming central to long-term value creation. Findings suggests that CFOs who embed sustainability into financial planning, capital allocation and day-to-day financial control will be best positioned to balance risk with growth.

This signals a broader evolution in sustainability’s role within business – from reputational consideration to a core driver of operational resilience, investment strategy and competitive advantage.

This sentiment was echoed by Hélène Valade, director of environmental development at LVMH, in a panel entitled A New Era of Impact: Luxury and Environmental Intelligence. Valade stated that ‘resilience is the regeneration of business’, arguing that regeneration depends on strengthening supplier and manufacturing ecosystems to secure future brand value, operational stability and industry longevity.

Keep an eye on our Global Events page for our full Global Fashion Summit 2026 debrief, coming soon.

Strategic opportunity

How can your business embed regeneration into decision-making? Consider how you can strengthen supplier ecosystems and embed environmental metrics into operational and financial strategies

Brighton plans Europe’s first purpose-built women’s football stadium

UK – Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club has unveiled plans for a 10,000-capacity stadium dedicated to its women’s team, marking a potential first for Europe. Designed by architecture studio KSS and set to be completed in 2030, the venue will be connected to the club’s Amex Stadium by a connecting bridge between the men’s and women’s grounds.

The purpose-built facilities will include changing rooms, recovery areas and social spaces specifically for female athletes and fans.

‘For too long, women have had to adapt to facilities that weren’t designed with them in mind,’ said Women’s Super League CEO Nikki Doucet. ‘Now… fans will be able to experience a stadium designed through the lens of her.’

This signals a shift in the women’s sporting economy from underinvestment to intentional, long-term growth. Purpose-built infrastructure legitimises the game commercially and unlocks new revenue streams across sponsorship, media rights, merchandising and live experiences.

Read our Women’s Sports Economy and Grassroots Game Days reports to understand the untapped potential of this growing market and its culture, fandom and distinctive visual language.

Peachy Cup by Peachy Den. Photography by [Zeyaad Ahmed](https://www.instagram.com/z.eyaad/), UK

Strategic opportunity

Help build women-designed sporting infrastructure that treats female athletes and fans as the default users – using purpose-built spaces, tournaments and merchandise to unlock commercial growth, cultural legitimacy and long-term brand alignment within the women’s sports economy

Stat: Gen Z lead cinema’s post-streaming revival

Cinema at Shoreditch Arts Club. Photography by Beth Davis, UK

UK – Fears of cinema’s decline are being challenged as Gen Z emerge as its most engaged audience. According to a survey of 7,000 US consumers by ticketing company Fandango, 87% of Gen Z have seen at least one film in cinemas in the past year, outperforming Millennials (82%), Gen X (70%) and Boomers (58%). Gen Z and Millennials are also the most frequent visitors, averaging between seven and 7.2 trips annually.

Cinema remains a strongly social behaviour: 92% of all movie-goers prefer to attend with others. Gen Z specifically lean towards going with friends, while Millennials are more likely to attend with partners or children.

Premium formats continue to grow year on year, particularly among younger audiences. IMAX remains the preferred premium experience overall, with Millennials ranking Dolby as their second choice, while Gen Z show a stronger preference for 3D.

Both Gen Z and Millennials are also more likely than the general population to extend the experience beyond the screen, pairing cinema trips with dining and drinking.

Our Future Forecast 2026: Culture and Media report unpacked how audiences are craving shared moments that cut through the isolation of on-demand media. Cinemas are emerging as a new third space – a place to disconnect, socialise and engage with culture in real time.

Strategic opportunity

Treat cinema as a live cultural touchpoint for younger audiences. Host watch parties, pre-screen dining partnerships and post-film drinks or discussions that emphasise the cinema as a social space