Choosing the right Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) platform directly impacts speed-to-market, margin, and operational risk. This executive checklist highlights the non-negotiable requirements fashion brands should validate when evaluating PLM solutions.

1. Fashion-Native Data Model

✔ Supports styles, colorways, size runs, and seasons out of the box
✖ Engineering-centric “parts & assemblies” models introduce friction

Executive takeaway:
If PLM doesn’t understand fashion natively, ROI is delayed.

2. Designer Adoption

✔ Intuitive UI built for creative teams
✔ Native Adobe Illustrator integration
✖ Low adoption leads to spreadsheet workarounds

Executive takeaway:
PLM fails without designer buy-in—adoption = ROI.

3. Speed to Value

✔ Typical implementation 3–5 months
✔ Phased rollout aligned to seasonal calendars
✖ 12–18 month deployments increase risk

Executive takeaway:
Time-to-value matters more than feature depth.

4. Supplier Collaboration

✔ Secure vendor portals with real-time access
✔ Version control and audit trails
✖ Email-based collaboration increases errors

Executive takeaway:
Supplier alignment is a competitive advantage, not a feature.

5. Costing & Commercial Visibility

✔ Integrated BOMs, materials, and costing
✔ Early margin visibility by style and season
✖ Late-stage cost surprises erode profit

Executive takeaway:
PLM must connect creativity to financial outcomes.

6. ERP & Execution Integration

✔ Seamless flow from PLM → ERP → Sourcing → Production
✖ Standalone PLM creates downstream friction

Executive takeaway:
Disconnected PLM limits enterprise value.

7. Sustainability & Compliance Readiness

✔ Material traceability and certifications
✔ ESG data tied directly to products
✖ Manual reporting increases regulatory risk

Executive takeaway:
Sustainability must be embedded, not bolted on.

8. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

✔ Minimal customization
✔ Low ongoing IT dependency
✖ Hidden costs from services and low adoption

Executive takeaway:
Lowest license cost ≠ lowest long-term cost.

9. Scalability & Growth

✔ Multi-brand, multi-region support
✔ Ability to expand into planning, sourcing, ESG
✖ Platforms that don’t scale limit growth

Executive takeaway:
PLM should grow with the business, not constrain it.

10. Proven Fashion ROI

✔ Demonstrated results in fashion brands
✔ Clear benchmarks: speed, cost, margin
✖ Generic case studies lack relevance

Executive takeaway:
Demand fashion-specific proof—not promises.

Why Executives Choose BlueCherry PLM

BlueCherry® PLM aligns with every criterion in this checklist because it was built specifically for fashion.

Typical outcomes include:

  • 30% faster time-to-market

  • 15–20% reduction in development costs

  • ROI in under 12 months

  • Lower total cost of ownership vs generic PLM