Jiaen Zhu

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Purpose of brands

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The principal reason a brand exists and develops in the fashion industry is related to its missions and values, which are communicated not only through its goods and services but also via its value proposition and ethos. 

The business’s purpose gives decision-makers a direction at every phase of the process by delivering shareholders a broad idea of exactly what the business seeks to accomplish in the long term while generating revenues.

Embracing a long-term vision potentially increases everyone’s economic potential. This would strengthen broader social well-being by minimising the mistreatment of consumers by profit-driven businesses.

A brand’s mission, vision, and values form its brand philosophy. 

The organisation’s key reason for operating and the topic that it cares about above and beyond profit is its mission. One example that is totally transparent with their production process is Nudie Jeans. The business is collaborating with its customers to transform the way that apparel is consumed and to maximise the usable life of its products, Nudie Jeans offer services for clients to repair and wash the jeans in environmentally friendly methods as the process of making a pair of jeans impact hugely on the environment, this helps Nudie Jeans to reach their core value of sustainability (Gwilt, A. 2020). 

The philosophy of a brand also applies to how it interacts with its consumers. For businesses that are aiming to communicate with Gen Z, this is exceptionally crucial.  This is observed by a Forbes article indicating that Gen Z is becoming more committed to spending more on sustainable goods due to being so conscious of the company ethos(Forbes, 2020). Drapers indicated that 27.3% of Generation Z think it is ‘very important’ for a brand to be environmentally and ethically sustainable. 

Drapers: how important are sustainability and ethics for consumers 2022

Stella McCartney is a great example of a brand that is totally transparent with their vision of sustainability. The brand didn’t use fur and skin since day one and moved on to organic cotton in 2008 and went PVC free by 2010, all of these actions were completed before the word ‘sustainability’ went viral which reinforces the fact that this brand truly cares about the planet since day one just like how it stated on its website (Stella McCartney).

Brands communicate their purpose to Gen Z by expressing their value proposition on their websites and through multiple social media channels. Instagram is one of the most used media platforms in Gen Z, brands that have high-quality posts and videos will enable consumers to have the chance to learn about the brand’s value and its purposes.

Reference list:

Forbes (2020) Sustainable Retail: How Gen Z Is Leading The Pack.

Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregpetro/2020/01/31/sustainable-retail-how-gen-z-is-leading-the-pack/ 

(Accessed: 29 October 2022).

Gwilt, A 2020, A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion, Bloomsbury Publishing USA, London. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. 

(Accessed: 29 October 2022).

Stella McCartney(unknown) Sustainability.

Available at: https://www.stellamccartney.com/gb/en/sustainability/sustainability.html 

(Accessed: 29 October 2022).

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Profit

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Profit is the pillar that provides a look at the economic implications of the fashion market. Traditional financial indicators will no longer be relied on to determine the long-term performance of the business. To establish a value-driven organisational culture, profit and purpose must be balanced according to Liz Gee.

One of the largest and most significant industries is fashion. It is responsible for the world economy’s “key value-creating industries” (McKinsey & BoF, 2016). Following the McKinsey 2022 forecast, the ready-to-wear industry’s overall sales in 2021 will be between $1.7 trillion and $2.5 trillion (McKinsey, 2022).

There are numerous sectors within the fashion industry, such as marketing and manufacturing. Manufacturing has transformed throughout the years as a result of technological breakthroughs. As a result, manufacturing performance for the fashion sector is far more sophisticated than previously. As indicated in The State of Fashion report 2022, consumers are becoming more aware of sustainability issues and are requesting information about the materials, production techniques, and employees working, encouraging a growing number of businesses to enhance the sustainability of their supply chains.

Covid-19 disrupted all segments of the fashion industry, including manufacturing and distribution. Thus according to McKinsey, Business of Fashion anticipated that non-luxury and luxury fashion sales may vastly improve in the United States and China. At the same time, growth in Europe might be substantial(McKinsey, 2022). These predictions suggest that improvement differs internationally, according to consumers’ patterns of consumption and economic status. During COVID, the online retail market managed to perform well. The online retail sector saw a considerable surge in demand in 2020. People relied on online platforms such as Tiktok live stream channels to meet their consumer demands because everyone was at home during the lockdown. This resulted in a 48% increase in online retail sales in 2020(Mintel 2022). The internet retail business is predicted to shrink and rebalance as individuals become more cautious of their spending habits as we enter the recent cost of living crisis.   As a result, firms must be especially creative while advertising their products, as the market is highly saturated.

Figure 1: Market forecast all online retail sales (including VAT), 2017-27
Source: ONS/Mintel, 2017-22

A creative director establishes a brand’s creative vision by generating concepts and bringing them to life through methods such as installations.

To overcome the divide between creativity and business, creative directors must have the skill of making their artwork appealing. Many customers want to purchase items with a background story. As a result, brands that communicate a meaningful message through their products are more likely to sell as consumers feel their worth during the process.

Reference：

McKinsey&Company (2016) The State of Fashion 2017. 

Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/Industries/Retail/Our%20Insights/The%20state%20of%20fashion/The-state-of-fashion-2017-McK-BoF-report.pdf 

[Accessed 21 October 2022]

McKinsey & Company(2022) The State of Fashion 2022.

Available at : https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/industries/retail/our%20insights/state%20of%20fashion/2022/the-state-of-fashion-2022.pdf

 [Accessed 22 October 2022]

Mintel (2022) Online Retailing- UK- 2022

Available at : 

https://reports-mintel-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/display/1153399/?fromSearch=%3Ffreetext%3DFashion%2520Online%2520%25E2%2580%2593%2520UK%2520%25E2%2580%2593%25202022%26resultPosition%3D1

[Accessed 22 October 2022]

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People

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People serve as the foundation for all other pillars because they have a substantial impact on all aspects of global culture and society. Synergy, innovation, and diversification are among the most critical elements in today’s society’s well-being.

Goals such as equal opportunity and life satisfaction are becoming increasingly important, particularly for the current generation, Gen Z.

Generation Z refers to those born roughly between the years of 1995 and 2010. This generation is the first to be born as digital natives, therefore they have been exposed to the influence of the internet, different forms of communication systems, and social networking sites. This means Gen Z is comfortable with gathering and merging information from numerous sources and connecting virtual and physical experiences (Francis & Hoefel, 2018).

While the senior half of the generation has just begun working, the younger half is still attending school. ‘Zoomers’ are the world’s largest generation, boasting $3 trillion in yearly spending power(Robinson, 2021). In relation to consumer behaviour of Gen Z, this corresponds to a preference or desire for digital purchases, with 44.8% of Gen Z and millennial respondents selecting the internet as their preferred channel(Moran, Graeme, 2022). In 2021, 58.2% of those surveyed claimed environmental and ethical sustainability were either reasonably or crucially important. It began to expand in comparison to the previous year’s figure(Draper, 2022). To gain access to Gen Z’s interest in purchasing, brands must bring benefits, authenticity, and ethical business practices. This might range from developing with sustainability in mind to adopting ecologically responsible materials and the use of animal fur. One example will be Stella McCartney, which committed to no leather, feathers, fur, or skin since day one.

Photo: TomboyX

It is crucial for companies to assure that each person who encounters the advertisement feels identified with or feel comfortable in the fashion industry. This signifies that diversification will be another area that has to strengthen to develop a better representation. TomboyX is an example of a diverse and inclusive brand. The X in Tomboy overcomes negativity and stereotyping, reinforcing that this clothing line is for everyone, regardless of gender or size. TomboyX was the only lingerie brand that sold sizes ranging from XS to 4XL, which was why the label was so highly regarded. Size and shape diversity as well as gender fluidity (Perez，2019).

The capability to adapt and truly comprehend consumer behaviour are among the most important people skills in business. Learning why customers consider so much about sustainability and diversity has a significant impact on the brand’s culture, allowing the brand’s purpose to be more than just profit oriented.

References:

Francis. T & Hoefel. F (2022), True Gen’: Generation Z and its implications for companies.

Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies

(Accessed 14 October 2022).

Moran, Graeme. (2022) “Gen Z and Millennials 2022.” Drapers.

Available at: https://www.drapersonline.com/guides/gen-z-and-millennials-2022

(Accessed: 15 October 2022)

Perez, D. (2019) 8 Ethical Fashion Brands Celebrating Diversity, Inclusivity and Body Positivity. Available at: https://ecowarriorprincess.net/2019/03/8-ethical-fashion-brands-diversity-inclusivity-body-positivity/ (Accessed: 15 October 2022)

Robinson, B.(2021), Fashions Finest. 

Available at: https://www.fashionsfinest.com/blog/item/6187-gen-z-the-ethical-fashion-generation (Accessed 16 October 2022).

Stella McCartney (no date) Sustainability. 

Available at: https://www.stellamccartney.com/gb/en/sustainability/sustainability.html 

(Accessed: 15 October 2022).

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Planet: one of the four pillars in FBS

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Tetra Images/Alamy
Tetra Images/Alamy

Within the fashion industry, the four pillars of sustainability are commonly mentioned.

This model is formed from 4 aspects, exploring the planet, people, profit and purpose.

All 4 pillars work together to achieve the goal of sustainable development and the future.

Considering the well-being of our planet as a top priority is crucially important as it benefits everyone. Everyone needs to make sure sustainability is holistic across both actions and ideology.

The circular economy influences brands from disposing of unsold clothing which means luxury and high-street retailers need to rethink their actions(Berezhna, 2018). It’s to encourage the reuse and recycle all materials, eliminating waste and pollution and regenerating the environment in a circular business model. One example will be prolonging the life of products beyond their “first use” by reusing them as well as allowing resale.


Source/illustration: Lablaco Circular Fashion Report 2020, artwork: Vogue Business

Sustainability is meeting the needs of this generation without compromising the resources for the future generation. Sustainable development allows people to use the current resources effectively and efficiently, improving or maintaining the current conditions of the environment.

Linking to Katarina Rimarcikova’s research on Planet Earth& Fashion, the fashion industry is a significant contributor to world pollution and climate change. This means 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 annually is produced in textile production. The fashion industry was responsible for 1,715million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2015(Pulse of Fashion).

In 2015, countries established a set of sustainable development objectives to promote social equality, protect the natural environment, and ensure human well-being. The 17 unique SDGs from the UN are focused on different fields. The fashion industry utilises a significant quantity of fossil fuels and natural resources to produce raw materials and fibres for garments, creating a negative impact on the environment (2020, pp.29). Especially earlier in the supply chain, where heavy production and extraction happen. Companies will need to invest heavier in switching the whole process from raw materials to distribution methods to switch to lower CO2 emissions methods, in order to meet the UN goal by 2030. This will decrease the fashion industry’s carbon emissions significantly. One example will be Ralph Lauren has introduced the Earth Polo in celebration of Earth Day, a classical remake of the renowned polo shirt manufactured completely from recycled plastic. The company has also committed to switching over to recycled poly-fibre by 2025(Gandhi, 2019).

Figure 1: Tetra Images/Alamy

Available at：https://www.newscientist.com/lastword/mg25033382-600-do-humans-provide-any-benefit-to-planet-earth-except-for-ourselves/ (Assessed: 6 October 2022).

Figure 2: Vogue Business/ Lablaco Circular Fashion Report 2020

Available at：https://www.voguebusiness.com/sustainability/fashions-circular-economy-could-be-worth-5-trillion (Assessed: 6 October 2022).

Berezhna, V. (2018) What Should French Fashion Do With Its Unsold Clothing.

Available at: https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/sustainability/what-should-french-fashion-do-with-its-unsold-clothing/ (Assessed: 6 October 2022).

Gandhi, S. (2019). These fashion brands are making a strong move to combat climate change. Available at: https://www.vogue.in/fashion/content/these-fashion-houses-are-making-a-strong-move-to-combat-climate-change (Accessed 8 October 2022).

Gwilt, A. (2020) A practical guide to sustainable fashion. London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts.

Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/UAL/detail.action?docID=6234061 (Assessed: 7 October 2022).

Humann, J. (2020) Fashion’s Future: The Sustainable Development Goals.

Available at: https://luxiders.com/fashions-future-the-sustainable-development-goals/ (Assessed: 6 October 2022).

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Saint Laurent : Why is this my favourite brand.

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Saint Laurent Paris logo in black

Founded in 1961, Yves Saint Laurent is one of the most prominent fashion houses of the 20th century.

Handsome, sexy and willful.

I enjoy his simple, clean lines. The way Saint Laurent blurs the gender-specific design and the way he empowered individual style while creating a scissor-sharp aesthetic of voluptuous ease and beauty.

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