The Global Fashion Summit, the international forum for sustainability in fashion, hosted a special Shanghai Gala edition on November 7 during the China International Import Expo (CIIE).

The event, presented by Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) and Chinamind NEXT, brought together key local and international fashion industry stakeholders for an evening of thought-provoking discussions during a gala dinner at The St. Regis Shanghai Jingan.

The Global Fashion Summit: Shanghai Gala centred on the theme “Unlocking the Next Level” and built upon insights from the Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition held in May.

By hosting the Summit in Shanghai—a dynamic city that blends tradition with innovation and sets global trends—the event aimed to foster dialogue and cross-country collaboration to influence sustainable practices on a global scale.

Throughout the evening, guests heard from distinguished speakers from companies including COACH, H&M Group, Piaget China, Chinamind NEXT, Décor Global, Erdos Cashmere Group, Target, Balian Group and more.

Discussions covered critical topics such as “Circularity at Scale”, “Shaping Sustainable Retail”, and “Ambition to Action”, highlighting key strategies for accelerating sustainability across the fashion value chain.

At the event, GFA announced the publication of The GFA Monitor 2024, a resource designed to guide industry leaders towards creating a net-positive fashion industry.

Launched ahead of COP29, this year’s publication offers a streamlined update, highlighting both significant advancements and ongoing challenges within the industry.

Federica Marchionni, CEO, Global Fashion Agenda, says: “The inaugural edition of Global Fashion Summit in China marked an evening of profound thought leadership, demonstrating the opportunity for the industry to convert ambitious goals into meaningful actions with ripple effects felt across communities and ecosystems worldwide. In this new era, we are forging critical dialogues and alliances at the Summit, which we plan to build upon at our next Summit in Copenhagen next year.”

Lynn Fu, CEO, Chinamind NEXT, remarked, “The arrival of Global Fashion Summit in Shanghai as the most respected summit in the sustainable fashion industry, marks a significant milestone. It has sparked profound discussions among participants on the theme of Unlocking the Next Level. As the world’s largest consumer of apparel and textiles, China has a substantial impact on driving sustainable industry trends and cultivating consumers’ green preferences. When Chinese fashion companies and international brands collaborate more passionately on their sustainable visions, profound and enduring benefits for the industry will be delivered.”

During the event, GFA also announced the official launch of ticket sales for the upcoming Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition 2025, scheduled for 3-5 June next year.

The theme for the 2025 edition was revealed as ‘Barriers and Bridges’, which will guide the discussions and actions planned for next year’s summit.