“People” is the second pillar studied at fashion business school. It focuses on the role of society in the fashion industry. One of the key elements of the pillar are diversity and inclusivity. People play a crucial role in fashion from creating new materials for clothing to simply buying trendy pieces. Fashion revolves around people as it is made by them, for them. 

To begin with, the society one lives in always changes and develops, new generations have different needs and wants in comparison to the previous ones. However, fashion industry must meet them to prosper. If hundred years ago clothing of good quality would be enough for a consumer, in 2022 it needs to be a lot more than just practical and well-sewn. For example, Generation Z cares not only about a fashion brand’s clothing, but also how a brand includes diversity in their campaigns and collections. But who is generation Z in the first place? People who belong to Gen Z—roughly defined as those born between 1995 and 2010—are real digital natives because they have grown up with access to the internet, social media, and mobile devices (Francis, T. and Hoefel, F. (2022) ) As consumers, Gen Z care about a brand’s image and its ability to keep up with recent trends, as well as, it having a place on social media. 

Moreover, there are a few new things a brand should do to attract Gen Z. First and foremost, it should be able to sell online since Gen Z is used to do many daily things, such as shopping, online. Secondly, a brand should not only sell clothing but also be present in media: have pages on social media, show their responses to recent trends, news, problems. Thirdly, it should communicate with its consumers through inclusivity and diversity.

One of the brands, that has responded to all the points written above is Gucci. They have not only included people of different races and ethnicities on their runways, but also hired a model with Down Syndrome, advancing diversity in the beauty business by one more step (Schmid, M. (2022) ).

Lastly, a brand must have key people skills as good marketing and presentation skills (incorporating famous fashion influencers in campaigns), transparency, communication, and inclusivity to be successful. 

Bibliography

Francis, T. and Hoefel, F. (2022) ‘true gen’: Generation Z and its implications for companies, McKinsey & Company. McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies (Accessed: October 16, 2022). 

Schmid, M. (2022) Gucci Beauty: Campaign for greater diversity, inclusiveness and body positivity, Österreichs Modemagazin. L’Officiel. Available at: https://www.lofficiel.at/en/beauty/gucci-beauty-campaign-for-greater-diversity-inclusiveness-and-body-positivity (Accessed: October 16, 2022).