fashion sourcing crisis 2025-09-18T04:27:54Z
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The scent of stale coffee and panic hung thick in my boutique last Tuesday. Three mannequins stood half-naked near the entrance, mocking me with their empty torsos. My spring collection launch was in 48 hours, and my Italian silk shirt shipment had just evaporated – "customs delays," the supplier shrugged over a crackling line. Sweat trickled down my collar as I imagined influencers snapping photos of bare racks. That's when my assistant Marco slammed his laptop shut. "Screw traditional vendors,