This paper explores digitalisation as a means for sustainable development within the fashion industry. Through an exploratory qualitative research design, we analyse interview and observation data on fashion industry professionals in Sweden and Finland to further the understanding of the promises but also potential perils of digital transformation in fashion. Our analysis shows that actors within the industry are willing to, and see the value of, digitalisation in order to transform current practices within fashion design. At the same time, lack of resources and understanding for the new types of knowledge required to fully adopt the desired changes leads to a situation where implementing new digital technologies at their full potential is difficult to achieve. Our results point at the importance of understanding the wider need for knowledge development within the fashion industry in order to succeed with the promises of digital technologies for sustainable transition in moving from a reactive to proactive stance on the possibilities of digitalisation.