Drapers is Launching A Fashion Tech Week

Calling all fashion-tech obsessives and retail decision-makers: Drapers Fashion Tech Week 2025 has officially kicked off. And in an era where dressing rooms are digital and AI decides what’s trending, this year’s theme could not be more on point.

Running from 19–23 May, the event lands at a time when fashion retailers are facing enough stress to warrant a full wardrobe change. From sky-high inflation and sky-rocketing operational costs to shy consumers, cyber-attacks and those mood-ruining US tariffs, the pressure to do more with less is real. Unsurprisingly, tech is now less of a ‘nice-to-have’ and more of a ‘where do we sign?’

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Image @drapersonline via Instagram

Enter Drapers Fashion Tech Week: five days of future-gazing panels, AI deep dives and strategy-soaked sessions aimed at helping brands navigate this ever-trickier retail landscape. Think: how AI is reshaping merchandising (spoiler alert – it’s not just suggesting skirts), how to spend smart without scrimping on experience, and which tech tools are actually worth the investment.

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There’ll also be sharp takes on why fashion tech still feels like a bit of a boys’ club – and what the industry can do to open the door to more women. Spoiler: better representation doesn’t just look good, it drives better innovation too.

Speaking of innovation, the event lines up perfectly with the release of Drapers’ print special on fashion tech, plus its headline conference, Drapers Future of Fashion, which hits on 21 May. So, whether you’re a retail exec wondering whether to re-platform or a digital buyer hoping AI will finally read your customers’ minds, this week’s events are worth bookmarking.

Image @drapersonline via Instagram

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As Drapers puts it: the goal is to explore “the latest innovations in fashion retail, including how AI is transforming merchandising; how retailers and brands are optimising spend amid the volatile environment; what those leading fashion tech are investing in – from personalisation to re-platforming; and what would attract more women into this traditionally male-dominated part of the industry.”

In other words, it’s time to bring tech to the front row – not just backstage.