Keira Dine

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People

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People. One of the four pillars studied at fbs. This pillar focuses on the social aspects of the fashion industry, most prominently diversity and inclusivity and how to use these features to market to certain consumers.

Gen Z is a very influential generation revolutionising the fashion industry with their forward-thinking ways and familiarity with technology. As children they grew up surrounded by technology, using it became second nature to them. Therefore, they are much more aware of issues surrounding diversity and sustainability in the industry. For example, ‘’65 percent try to learn the origins of anything they buy’’ and ‘’80 percent refuse to buy goods from companies involved in scandals’’ (Francis and Hoefel, 2018).

In order to attract gen z brands should examine their ethical values while also considering where gen z receive most of their content, for example on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. With hashtags such as #tiktokmademebuyit having over 6.5 million views (tiktok, 2022) brands must keep up with constantly changing trends within gen z to succeed. Furthermore, gen z view consumption as ‘’anchored on ethics’’ (Francis and Hoefel, 2018) and in order to attract these consumers, brands must strive to make a change. Not only can social media provide access to gen z, but using emerging technologies can also grab the attention of those who grew up within the dynamic age of tech. For example, the use of ‘’AI’’ which allows ‘’buyers and merchandisers to make intelligent decisions while using the best data available’’ and use it to ‘’cut back on wastage’’ (Behrmann, 2021). 

https://www.iheartradio.ca/virginradio/calgary/trending/rhianna-s-savage-x-fenty-lingerie-line-dropped-yesterday-and-it-s-all-about-diversity-inclusion-1.13629794

Lingerie brand Savage x Fenty, founded by Rihanna in 2018, is one brand that has responded to diversity in a notable way. On the runway and in advertisements the brand uses a diverse range of models ‘’covering ethnicity, disability, sexuality, and age’’ with model Shaholly Ayers stating that Savage x Fenty was ‘’the most inclusive production [she] had ever been a part of’’ (Cat-Wells, 2021). Not only does it use a diverse team of models, but it also provides a wide range of sizes for customers, for example bras start at a size 32A and go to a size 44D (Simmons, 2018). Savage x Fenty offers an inclusive image where many lingerie brands do not.

For a fashion brand to be successful they must think of more than just profit when producing products. Consumers want a more sustainable and diverse experience because they are more knowledgeable about what they are buying and where and how it was created. Therefore, attention has been drawn to ‘’the desire and contribution of giving back to society in areas such as ethical fashion and sustainability’’ (Dillon, 2018). Brands should also ensure that they have an online presence due to the increasing demand for online shopping. If brands can do this, they can therefore successfully attract the increasingly prominent consumer of gen z.

Reference List:

Behrmann, A (2021) Using AI to transform buying and merchandising, Drapers, Available at: https://www.drapersonline.com/news/using-ai-to-transform-buying-and-merchandising [Accessed 15th October 2022]

Cat-Wells, K (2021) Shaholly Ayers on Savage x Fenty: A more inclusive fashion advertising landscape, Forbes, Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/keelycatwells/2021/10/16/shaholly-ayers-on-savage-x-fenty-a-more-inclusive-fashion-and-advertising-landscape/?sh=28a5b98e1d43 [Accessed 15th October 2022]

Dillon, S (2018) Fashion Entrepreneurship and Management Pg 158-185 Available at: https://www.bloomsburyfashioncentral.com/encyclopedia-chapter?docid=b-9781474271233&tocid=b-9781474271233-chapter7&st=fashion+entrepreneurship+and+management [Accessed 15th October 2022]

Francis, T and Hoefel, F (2018) ‘True Gen’: Generation Z and its implications for companies, McKinsey & Company, Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies [Accessed 15th October 2022]

Simmons, S (2018) Rihanna’s New Lingerie Line Is Almost Here & Yes, You Can Most Likely Find Your Size, Bustle, Available at: https://www.bustle.com/p/what-is-savage-x-fenty-lingeries-size-range-yes-the-collection-is-actually-pretty-inclusive-9048092 [Accessed 15th October 2022]

TikTok (2022) #tiktokmademebuyit 2022 trending product, Available at: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/tiktokmademebuyit-2022-trending-product?lang=en [Accessed 15th October 2022]

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Planet

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Planet. An integral pillar studied at the fashion business school. This pillar focuses on how the fashion industry is changing to accommodate more sustainable practices in order to reduce the impact it has on the environment.

One way the industry is moving towards a more sustainable future is the shift from a more linear system model of take, make, waste to a vision of circularity. This means producing products that are either recovered at the end of their service life or that are kept in use for as long as possible in order to get the most from their resources. Therefore, this creates a more regenerative industry which helps to produce ‘new opportunities for growth that are distributed, diverse, and inclusive’ (Ellen Macarthur Foundation). This is vital in the current climate because as of 2020, globally ‘an estimated 92 million tonnes of textile waste is created each year’ while only ‘12% of the material used for clothing ends up being recycled’(BBC Future, 2020). This shows that building a more circular fashion industry is vital in the protection of the planet as it can help prevent these figures from rising to a rate where the damage caused is irreversible.

Sustainability is defined by the United Nations as ‘meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’(United Nations Brundtland Commission, 1987). In relation to fashion this can be looked at in three ways. Social sustainability means reducing inequalities and providing gender equality in an industry where the working conditions in factories is consistently under scrutiny. Environmental sustainability means protecting ecosystems and conserving natural resources. Economic sustainability creates economic growth without negatively impacting other aspects of the community such as social and environmental.

The Sustainable Development Goals provide ‘a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future’ (2030 agenda for sustainable development). In relation to fashion some may say that number 13, climate action, is one of the most important SDPs. An increasing number of businesses are investing in more sustainable practices in order to fight the climate crisis. Zara, for example, is beginning to recycle and reuse their boxes, bags and hangers to make their impact on the environment less detrimental. However, a business like Zara who is putting into place these new initiatives can be seen as greenwashing. For example, the annual total carbon emissions of the Inditex Group (under which Zara is a brand of) in 2021 was 120,992 metric tonnes in comparison to Asos’s being much lower at 14,940 (Statista, 2022). This therefore shows that while Inditex is publicising on their new sustainable strategy, they still have one of the highest carbon emission rates in the retail industry.

References:

Abigail Beall, BBC Future, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200710-why-clothes-are-so-hard-to-recycle

Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, 2015, https://sdgs.un.org/goals

Ellen Macarthur Foundation, https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/fashion/overview

Tugba Sabanoglu, Statista, 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1102998/carbon-footprint-of-european-fashion-brands/

United Nations Brundtland Commission, 1987, https://www.un.org/en/academic-impact/sustainability

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My favourite fashion brand: Vivienne Westwood

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The architect of punk fashion, the campaigner for activism, the link between past, present and future told through the reworking of styles from history – that is Vivienne Westwood. 

As a young girl growing up in a working-class family Vivienne had no dreams of becoming a world renown fashion icon. While starting her working life as a primary school teacher, she also made jewellery and sold the pieces at a stall in Portobello Road (which is still to this day an iconic London landmark). However, during her marriage to Sex Pistols manager Malcom McLaren she began making clothing that he designed, and they displayed in their store. This gained them increased recognition as the band began wearing their creations. As a result, their store, named SEX, became a meeting place for early members of the London punk scene such as Sid Vicious, Chrissie Hynde and Pamela Rooke. The most well-known products sold at SEX were purposefully ripped or bleached T-shirts depicting controversial images that confronted social and sexual taboos which the punk era of the 70s became synonymous with.

While being the fashion icon she is, Vivienne Westwood is also a prominent activist and campaigns for many political and social subjects such as climate change, clean energy and consumerism. The mission statement for the company is to ‘promote awareness and campaign for a better world’ highlighting her beliefs. She appeared in a PETA ad campaign promoting vegetarianism and World Water Day in order to bring to attention the meat industry’s water consumption. Furthermore, in 2014 Westwood became a majority stakeholder and ambassador for the equity crowdfunding platform Trillion Fund which raises money for environmental and social projects. 

One of Westwood’s most famed pieces is the corset top. Originating in the 1600s corsets were a prominent item of clothing worn by women and while the ideology behind it remained the same the structure changed over the years to accommodate each era’s preferred female silhouette. Vivienne Westwood’s revival of the corset for her Harris Tweed collection in 1987, after it hadn’t been fashionable since the 50s/60s, cemented her iconic design style and fulfilled her aim of becoming a link between past, present and future.

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