For global fashion brands, 2026 represents a clear inflection point for supply chain technology leadership. CIOs are no longer debating if modernization is required as they are already dealing with the consequences of systems that can no longer keep pace with operational complexity, regulatory demands, and execution risk. The following five challenges now sit at the top of the CIO agenda.
1. Fragmented Data Across the Supply Chain
Fashion supply chains span design, sourcing, manufacturing, logistics, and compliance, yet the data supporting these functions often remains fragmented across disconnected systems. CIOs are expected to enable analytics, automation, and AI while working with inconsistent and incomplete data. This fragmentation slows decision-making, undermines trust in reporting, and limits the ability to respond quickly to disruptions.
2. Technology Stacks That Cannot Adapt Fast Enough
Shorter product cycles, volatile demand, and changing sourcing strategies require systems that can evolve continuously. Many fashion technology stacks, and especially ERP-centric environments, remain difficult to modify without lengthy development cycles. CIOs are under pressure to support change without introducing instability or committing to large, high-risk transformation projects.
3. Limited Visibility Into Real-Time Execution
While planning and forecasting tools are mature, execution visibility often lags. CIOs frequently lack real-time insight into factory performance, work-in-progress, inventory movement, and order fulfillment across global networks. Problems surface only after delays or cost overruns occur, leaving teams reactive rather than proactive.
4. ESG, Compliance, and Traceability as Operational Mandates
Sustainability, chain-of-custody, and Digital Product Passport requirements are now operational realities. CIOs must support continuous, auditable data capture across suppliers, materials, and production processes. Manual data collection and after-the-fact reporting do not scale, increasing both compliance risk and operational burden.
5. Pressure to Deploy AI Without Increasing Risk
Boards and executive teams expect CIOs to leverage AI to improve efficiency and decision-making. At the same time, many organizations lack the data consistency, process context, and governance required to deploy AI responsibly. CIOs must ensure AI enhances execution rather than introducing new points of failure.
How CIOs Are Addressing These Challenges
Rather than replacing core ERP systems, many CIOs are focusing on building a connected execution layer across the supply chain. One that unifies data, improves operational visibility, and enables incremental modernization.
Platforms such as BlueCherry by CGS support this approach by connecting PLM, ERP, production, logistics, and compliance into a single, fashion-native execution framework. With its latest version, BlueCherry Next, no-code capabilities allow teams to build and adapt workflow applications as business needs evolve, without heavy customization or long development cycles.
This model enables CIOs to stabilize execution, meet compliance demands, and introduce AI in a controlled, practical way while also solving the most critical supply chain challenges facing global fashion brands in 2026.
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