The name louise laing has quickly become synonymous with transformation in the fashion world. From her successful leadership at Shrimps to founding PhygitalTwin and Phygen, she has carved a unique reputation as a fashion and technology innovator. At a time when the global fashion industry faces increasing pressure to become more sustainable, efficient, and digitally savvy, Louise has introduced a bold vision. Her story is not just one of business leadership but also of an individual determined to reshape how clothing is designed, produced, and consumed.
Early Career and Corporate Foundation
Louise Laing did not arrive at the forefront of digital fashion overnight. Her journey began with senior roles at some of the world’s most respected fashion houses. She worked at Burberry, Reiss, and Kilgour, where she was responsible for developing supply chains, overseeing product development, and implementing processes that saved significant amounts of money. At Burberry, for example, her work in improving efficiency is credited with saving the company several million pounds.
These early experiences gave her an insider’s view of how traditional fashion businesses operate. She understood both the glamour of the creative process and the complexity of global supply chains. Importantly, she also recognised the inefficiencies that cost time, money, and resources. This corporate foundation gave Louise the credibility and insight she would later use to challenge industry norms and introduce technology-driven solutions.
Leadership at Shrimps
Her role as Chief Executive Officer at the London brand Shrimps marked a turning point in her career. Shrimps, best known for its playful designs and distinctive aesthetic, was already a recognisable name. Under Louise Laing’s leadership, however, it became far more than that. Within three years, she led the business to achieve positive EBITDA, and revenue increased by an impressive 240 per cent.
This success demonstrated her ability to blend creative brand identity with commercial acumen. Shrimps thrived because Louise understood that modern consumers value both style and substance. She reinforced the brand’s position in the fashion landscape by marrying its design strengths with a stronger business framework. For many in the industry, this was the first sign that Louise was not only an effective corporate executive but also a visionary leader with the courage to push brands beyond their limitations.
Founding PhygitalTwin
In 2022, Louise launched PhygitalTwin, a platform that represents a radical shift in fashion production and consumption. The idea behind PhygitalTwin is deceptively simple but powerful: to connect digital assets with physical garments through on-demand production. Instead of producing thousands of garments in advance, designers can create digital prototypes that consumers can interact with before committing to physical production.
This approach has several benefits. It reduces waste by ensuring only garments with proven demand are manufactured. It shortens production timelines, allowing fashion brands to be more responsive to trends. It also offers exciting opportunities for designers to experiment with digital creativity without the heavy costs of traditional sampling. PhygitalTwin embodies Louise Laing’s belief that the future of fashion lies in merging technology with sustainability.
The Rise of Phygen
Building upon the success of PhygitalTwin, Louise and her team developed Phygen, an AI-powered engine designed to transform sketches into production-ready patterns, prints, and tech packs. Traditionally, this process is labour-intensive and time-consuming, requiring numerous iterations between designers, pattern makers, and manufacturers. Phygen automates much of this workflow, reducing costs, saving time, and supporting mass customisation.
With Phygen, a designer can upload a sketch and quickly receive a pattern ready for production, complete with adjustments for different sizes or custom features. This innovation directly addresses one of the most pressing challenges in fashion: how to scale creativity without sacrificing efficiency. By harnessing artificial intelligence, Louise Laing is helping brands embrace modern tools that deliver both creative freedom and operational excellence.
Sustainability at the Core
What sets Louise Laing apart from many other entrepreneurs is her unwavering commitment to sustainability. She understands that the fashion industry is one of the largest contributors to global waste and pollution. Millions of tonnes of clothing end up in landfills each year, and vast amounts of resources are wasted in overproduction.
Through her ventures, Louise has shown that sustainability and profitability are not mutually exclusive. PhygitalTwin ensures that only garments with real demand are produced, cutting waste by significant margins. Phygen accelerates efficient production, reducing unnecessary iterations and material use. Her model proves that technology can drive both environmental responsibility and financial growth.
A Thought Leader in Fashion and Technology
Beyond her entrepreneurial achievements, Louise Laing has emerged as a respected thought leader. She is a sought-after keynote speaker, delivering presentations on topics such as digital transformation, AI in fashion, and the future of sustainable production. Audiences value her ability to combine technical knowledge with clear commercial insights, making her presentations relevant to both creative professionals and business leaders.
She has spoken at prestigious international events, including forums that bring together leaders in technology, fashion, and sustainability. Her talks are known for being practical, offering tangible steps brands can take to reduce waste and embrace digital innovation. She is also a published contributor, writing articles that explore how fashion can interact with gaming, Web3, and other emerging digital spaces.
Influence on the Future of Fashion
Louise Laing’s work points towards a future where fashion is not only more sustainable but also more exciting. The integration of digital fashion, virtual showrooms, and AI-driven design tools will fundamentally alter how consumers interact with clothing. Instead of simply browsing racks in a shop, future consumers may test digital garments in virtual environments before deciding to order a physical version.
This shift has major implications for brands, manufacturers, and retailers. It could reduce returns, improve customer satisfaction, and create new revenue streams through digital fashion assets. Louise Laing is not just predicting this future—she is actively building the tools that make it possible.
Leadership Style and Personal Philosophy
Colleagues and industry partners often describe Louise Laing as commercially savvy, creative, and deeply focused on results. Her leadership style blends vision with pragmatism. She encourages innovation but demands accountability, ensuring that bold ideas translate into measurable business outcomes.
Her career demonstrates that leadership in fashion today requires more than aesthetic sense. It requires the ability to manage complex supply chains, understand digital technologies, and respond to global concerns about sustainability. Louise’s personal philosophy highlights resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to building solutions that last.
Challenges and Achievements
Like any leader who introduces disruptive ideas, Louise Laing has faced challenges. Convincing traditional fashion businesses to adopt digital and on-demand models is no small task. Many brands remain tied to conventional cycles of seasonal production. Yet her track record of turning around Shrimps, launching PhygitalTwin, and developing Phygen demonstrates that persistence pays off.
Her achievements stand as proof that innovation can succeed in an industry often resistant to change. The rapid adoption of digital fashion tools, accelerated by global events and changing consumer behaviour, has validated much of what Louise has been championing.
Conclusion
The story of louise laing is one of vision, determination, and transformation. From her early days at Burberry to leading Shrimps to profitability, and now building revolutionary platforms like PhygitalTwin and Phygen, she embodies what it means to innovate responsibly.
She represents a new type of fashion leader—one who understands the delicate balance between creativity and commerce, tradition and innovation, sustainability and profitability. Her work continues to inspire designers, executives, and consumers alike.
