Abstract
This article presents an explorative comparative case study of 19 cases in the fashion design industry regarding the achievement of high perceived organizational success. The set-theoretic analysis of these data yields two configurational pathways to high perceived success. Firstly, a balance between exploitation and exploration is necessary, especially when the fashion design firm is at an early stage in the life cycle or following dominant industry logic. Secondly, no balance is sufficient for low perceived organizational success. These findings enhance configurational understanding of the fashion industry and show that the business side of that industry needs more support.