Purpose
Purpose is one of the four main pillars of the fashion industry (people, planet, profit), and can be described as an organisation’s aim. It is why they started their business and what they hope to achieve through it. It is generally some form of positive social change, or social well-being. Brand philosophy can be dissected into three main segments: mission, vision and value proposition. Mission is the ‘why’ behind a brand, meaning the reason behind its existence. Vision can be described as the brand’s aim and what they are working towards, that is, where they see themselves in the near future as well as in the long run. Value propositions are the ethics of the brand, what they believe in and what is important to them.
A brand’s philosophy, that is, the mission, vision, value proposition is something that is essential to establish before starting an organisation because that is what gives a brand their purpose. A brand’s philosophy is fundamentally a guideline for them as to how to proceed and make decisions. The philosophy a brand chooses to adapt also gives it its identity. (Silva, 2020) Oftentimes, a brand’s philosophy can be something that sets them apart from the rest of the industry. For example, Coralie Marabelle’s philosophy revolves around upcycling which is heavily reflected in their unique patchwork-like designs as well, as that is what they are recognised for. (Corcoran, 2022). It is also important so that the brand can attract the right kind of demographic.
However, the purpose of the brand has to be correctly and accurately communicated to the consumers in order for it to have a positive impact, the consumers now being Gen Z. In this digital day and age, most brands, from small businesses to luxury and exclusive brands, have resorted to influencer and digital marketing to promote their brand philosophy. The brand also has to be careful when choosing a celebrity face to represent their brand, as the celebrity’s actions have to align with the brand’s philosophy. For example, Kanye West was recently dropped by multiple brands after making inappropriate comments about a particular religion, which shows the consumers that said brands do not align themselves with the celebrity’s opinions and actions. (Mayer, 2022). According to Jeff Fromm, a successful purpose driven brand has to have the “linking of functional, emotional and societal benefits”. (Fromm, 2019). Gen Z wants to emotionally connect to the brands they are shopping from, hence why, especially in today’s environment, it is vital that a business has a strong brand philosophy.
References:
Fromm, J. (2019) Gen-z and the three elements of Purpose Brands, Forbes. Forbes Magazine. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jefffromm/2019/07/26/gen-z-and-the-three-elements-of-purpose-brands/?sh=5c825de37e3d (Accessed: November 9, 2022).
Silva, P. (2020) Why philosophy has much to do with brand-building (and what that looks like), Forbes. Forbes Magazine. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/piasilva/2020/11/19/why-philosophy-has-much-to-do-with-brand-building-and-what-that-looks-like/?sh=4430aa5671f9 ] (Accessed: November 9, 2022).
Mayer, I. (2022) The downfall of brand Kanye West: All the labels that have cut ties, Elle India. Available at: https://elle.in/all-the-brands-that-cut-ties-with-kanye-west/ (Accessed: November 9, 2022).
Corcoran, L. (2021) Upcycling fashion: 6 brands turning scraps into stylish pieces, KeiSei Magazine. Available at: https://keiseimagazine.com/upcycling-fashion-6-brands-turning-scraps-into-stylish-pieces/ (Accessed: November 9, 2022).