People

‘People’ is focusing on the connection between society and the fashion industry. Each of us have the option to choose where, when, and how we spend or choose not to spend our money, on a particular brand, line of clothing, or style of T-shirt. More and more, we are acting like socially responsible agents who desire personal change and respond as social entrepreneurs by investing the transformation of our industry, society and planet (Leonard, 2013). 

The current and future consumers, being specifically Gen Z consumers, defined as the generation born between 1997-2012, will play a huge part in brand’s decision making. Gen Z will soon become the largest cohort of consumers and brands who want a piece of this opportunity will need to understand their tendencies and digital expectations (Meola, 2022). Gen Z have become about one-third of the global population, which equals to around 2.56 billion people, out of the total world population, 7.4 billion. Therefore, brand’s need to focus on how to draw in these customers as well as persuading them to buy their products. 

Gen Z are also known as ‘digital natives’, and are progressive, more racially and ethnically diverse than the generations before them, as well as them being on track to be the best educated generation. In order to connect with Gen Z, you first must understand their online behaviours which will differ to Millennials (Kim, 2021). One huge difference between these two different generations, is that Gen Z grew up with technology, social media and the internet. 

When it comes to social media, 81% of Gen Z say Instagram and YouTube are their preferred social media networks of choice. Because these are both visual platforms, brands should consider incorporating visual platforms into their strategies such as Instagram stories which are interactive to engage Gen Z as research suggests that the most effective way to gain Gen Z’s attention on social media is by using a mixture of creativity and interactivity. For instance, tap, swipe or click when they see a brand’s post. 

Gen Z consumers expect brands they support to share the same values on diversity and sustainability, and many more brands have responded to these issues in a positive way by bringing consumer’s attention to current issues. An example of where a brand has done this is ‘Dove’. In the last few years, Dove has committed to more diversity in its marketing with a global push for more progressive representations of women in its ads. Dove’s Real Beauty campaign launched in 2004 and continues to run over a decade later. This shows that the brand is dedicated to make a difference in the industry and are trying to change the typical ‘beauty standards.’ The campaign features ‘real women, never models’ and includes women of all different ages, body types and ethnicities through user-generated content. Dove do not manipulate or distort any of their images, so every image used by them is 100% authentic. (Pixlee.com, n.d) 

In summary, the key people skills needed for a fashion brand to be successful include good communication skills, adaptability, having an inclusive mindset, knowledge of current fashion trends and being a team player. Businesses must also be ethical and transparent. Transparency in business helps drive significant progress, both on an individual and a company-wide level. (Hart, 2022) 

References:

Hart, G (2022) Why is it important to have transparency in business, available at: https://www.myhrtoolkit.com/blog/why-important-have-business-transparency (Accessed: 13^th October 2022) 

Kim, K (2021) How to make sure you’re marketing to Gen Z the right way, available at: https://sproutsocial.com/insights/marketing-to-gen-z/  (Accessed: 13^th October 2022) 

Leonard, A (2013) Sustainable Fashion What’s Next?, available at: https://www-bloomsburyfashioncentral-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/encyclopedia-chapter?docid=b-9781501312250&tocid=b-9781501312250-chapter2&pdfid=9781501312250.ch-002.pdf (Accessed: 13^th October 2022) 

Meola, A (2022) Generation Z News: Latest characteristics, research and facts, available at: https://www.insiderintelligence.com/insights/generation-z-facts/ (Accessed: 13^th October 2022) 

Pixlee.com (n.d) 4 Brands Embracing Diversity In Their Content, available at: https://www.pixlee.com/blog/4-brands-embracing-diversity-in-their-content (Accessed: 13^th October 2022)