Oil at 200 dollars a barrel: Middle East conflict sends shockwaves through fashion

As the global conflict involving Iran escalates, the prospect of oil prices climbing towards 200 dollars a barrel no longer feels implausible. Fashion businesses across the UK and Europe are once again bracing for volatility, as energy markets react sharply to geopolitical risk. From fibre production and manufacturing to freight costs and consumer confidence, the consequences are reverberating through an industry already operating on thin margins in a fragile global economy.