Fashion, fraud and retail security -
protecting luxury in the age of fashion week.

Written by Ken Bohnert – 21 February 2025

London Fashion Week is more than just a showcase of the latest trends – it’s also a prime target for retail crime. As luxury designers unveil their newest collections, organized criminals, counterfeiters, and opportunistic thieves are watching just as closely.
 
From high-end counterfeits to organized retail crime (ORC) and inventory tracking challenges, the risks facing luxury retailers today are greater than ever.
So how can brands protect their merchandise, reputation, and bottom line? Let’s explore the three key threats and the solutions that can help retailers stay ahead of the game.
 
 

 

1 – The Rise of Counterfeit Products & Intellectual Property Theft

With every major fashion event, counterfeiters move quickly to replicate and flood the market with fake designer goods. The global counterfeit trade is valued at over $500 billion annually, and luxury fashion is one of the hardest-hit industries.
 
These counterfeit products not only hurt brand revenue but also damage consumer trust—especially as fake handbags, accessories, and even cosmetics infiltrate online marketplaces and sometimes even legitimate retail supply chains.
How Can Luxury Brands Combat Counterfeiting?
 
✅ RFID & Serialisation: Unique tracking codes embedded in products help verify authenticity.
 
 ✅AI-Powered Authentication: Computer vision and machine learning can detect fakes before they reach consumers. 
 
✅ Stronger Legal Protections: Brands must remain proactive in pursuing IP enforcement and shutting down illicit counterfeit operations.
 
The fight against counterfeits is a battle of innovation. Brands that invest in traceability and authentication solutions can stay ahead of counterfeiters and protect both their customers and their reputation.

 

2 – Organized Retail Crime (ORC) & High-Value Thefts

Luxury retailers see a significant uptick in theft during high-profile events like London Fashion Week. Organized crime groups target designer pop-ups, VIP shopping experiences, and flagship stores, using tactics like distraction thefts, grab-and-run incidents, and inside collusion.
With ORC losses exceeding $100 billion per year, it’s more important than ever for retailers to rethink security measures.
 
Strategies to Protect High-Value Merchandise:
 
🔹 RFID & Real-Time Tracking: Gain visibility into stock movements and prevent internal shrinkage. 
 
🔹 Enhanced In-Store Security: Leverage trained LP teams, covert surveillance, and advanced security protocols. 
 
🔹 AI-Driven Theft Analytics: Identify suspicious behavior before it escalates into a loss event.
Luxury fashion attracts attention—but ensuring security and exclusivity must be as much a priority as the shopping experience itself.
 

3. RFID & Inventory Protection in Luxury Fashion

Beyond loss prevention, RFID is transforming how high-end retailers manage stock, track merchandise, and enhance customer experience. By embedding RFID tags in luxury products, brands can achieve: 
 
✔️ Real-time inventory tracking to reduce loss and improve restocking efficiency. 
 
✔️ Seamless checkout experiences, improving both customer convenience and sales conversion. 
 
✔️ Authentication & counterfeit detection, ensuring customers get only genuine goods.
 
 ✔️Improved supply chain visibility, reducing shrinkage and internal fraud.
 
With RFID, retailers can streamline operations, reduce theft, and enhance both security and sales performance – a win-win for both brands and customers.
 
 

The Future of Luxury Retail Security

Fashion will always be a high-stakes industry, and as long as there is demand, there will be crime. But by leveraging technology-driven solutions, brands can better protect their collections, their customers, and their bottom line.
 
  • Are luxury retailers doing enough to safeguard their merchandise? 
  • How can technology reshape the fight against retail crime?
At Insight Retail Risk, we specialize in cutting-edge solutions to help luxury brands mitigate retail crime, prevent counterfeits, and enhance inventory security.
 
 
Join the conversation and let’s discuss the future of security in high-end fashion. #RetailRisk #LuxurySecurity #RFID