PEOPLE
“People” is one of the four pillars of fashion and this focuses on their target market as well as consumers of a fashion brand. “The target market is the group or groups of customers for which the marketer will focus their attention. The group is clarified after rigorous analysis and segmentation of the market have been undertaken.” (Susan Dillon, 2018). It is crucial for a fashion company to understand its consumers and potentially new consumers to keep its company relevant. People’s perceptions of fashion are important, and it has an impact on social elements of society. As many people claim, fashion in general is a method for people to express their personality and this creates trends in fashion that companies would have to keep up with.
What is a generation? A generation is a term used to describe groups of individuals who were born during a period of 15 to 20 years, such as the Millennial generation, which is now the youngest generation of adults.
Figure 1. fourhooks.com (2015)
The current generation is Generation Z and members of Generation Z are known to be “the earliest youth, they have been exposed to the internet, to social networks, and to mobile systems.” (Francis & Hoefel, 2018). The largest generation is Generation Z, which makes up around 25% of the global population and has a significant influence on both culture and the economy. Generation Z is the first to be born with constant access to the internet and social media, as well as they, are known to be globally focused.
As Generation Z is known to be the “digital natives” as well as to be globally focused, brands would need to keep up with these traits they have in order to attract them. A good start for a brand to attract Generation Z is to market on social media platforms. “50.3% of tik-tok users are Gen Z and 25.7% are millennials” (Moran, 2022).
Figure 2. FashionMonitor (2021)
Crocs is a good example of this as 2019 saw immediate success for Crocs with its #ThousandDollarCrocs challenge. One of the first to use the platform was the shoe company. More than 2.5 billion people saw the ad, and even after the challenge was over, supporters kept the memes coming. Thanks to the idea, Crocs saw a spike in followers to over 100,000 in only one week.
Generation Z was raised in a world that was changing. They are constantly eager to make a difference and truly concerned about the environment and social concerns. It’s critical for fashion companies to support worthwhile causes and make a positive impact on the world. They are one of the few businesses that promote realistic physiques by using plus-sized male and female models
Figure 3. ASOS plus sizing
Being more aware might be highly beneficial since consumers, especially those in Generation Z, are more likely to purchase businesses that support diversity. Companies must, however, put a priority on the representation that goes beyond merely generating a profit. For example, Marc Jacobs faced controversy due to the culturally appropriate meaning of dreadlocks.
Figure 4. Marc Jacobs SS17 Runway
“The look incited an immediate discussion about whether or not the hairstyle was an offensive form of cultural appropriation (especially as worn by a predominantly white cast), or if it was merely a show of appreciation for the style.” (Wagoner, 2016) This received backlash from society and was seen as very disrespectful, especially to the Rastas and their religion. In order to be a successful brand, brands would need to cater a lot to the consumers meeting their expectations. Brands need to be more adventurous and diverse but need to be executed right. Good communication and having an open mind is a key people skill that brands need as people could have intriguing ideas and views that are very beneficial to the growth of a fashion business.
References
Fashionmonitor.com. (2021). [online] Available at: https://www.fashionmonitor.com/blog/TmF/6-fashion-brands-killing-it-on-tik-tok.
FourHooks. (2015). The Generation Guide – Millennials, Gen X, Y, Z and Baby Boomers. [online] Available at: http://fourhooks.com/marketing/the-generation-guide-millennials-gen-x-y-z-and-baby-boomers-art5910718593/.
Francis, T. and Hoefel, F. (2018). ‘True Gen’: Generation Z and its implications for companies. [online] McKinsey & Company. Available at:
Moran, G. (2022). Gen Z and Millennials 2022. [online] Drapers. Available at: https://www.drapersonline.com/guides/gen-z-and-millennials-2022.
Susan Dillon (2018). University of the Arts London WebLogin. [online] Available at:
Wagoner, M. (2016). The Dreadlocks Controversy: Marc Jacobs, the U.S. Court of Appeals, and More. [online] Vogue. Available at:
https://www.vogue.com/article/dreadlocks-hair-debate-moment.