People
How people operate, in the context of fashion, is ever-evolving. This fluctuating dynamic between people and fashion brands is due to the social movements that define each generation. The term “people” encompasses many roles – fashion journalists and editors, suppliers and shareholders – but arguably the one that determines the success of a fashion business, both directly and indirectly, are consumers. Though not the largest consumer generation as of yet, many fashion businesses have already started to cater to Generation Z, a cohort that covers ages 7 to 22 (Dimock, 2019). As they grow up, brands will have to speak to the demographic in “[their] language in terms of interests, preferences, attitudes, and other significant factors” (Mitterfellner, 2019).
For Gen Z, its defining crises have been gun control, climate change, LGBT discrimination, sexual harassment – along with others. In a chaotic world, Gen Z seeks out stability providing fashion brands with a unique opportunity to “hear their voices… and, in the process, perhaps, gain brand loyalty” (Stone, 2021). By incorporating marketing that speaks to social movements, Gen Z is able to identify themselves better with the values of the brand. Whether that be through racially inclusive, body-positive models, collaborations with activist organisations, or “politically correct” statements – language or behaviour that deliberately tries to avoid offending particular groups of people according to the Oxford Learner Dictionary. That is to say, execution is primal. Due to the efficiency of technology that Gen Z has grown accustomed to, false advertising is easily recognised and scrutinized. Meaning “tokenism” or “green-washing” can be dissected with a few filtered searches about a brand’s history and beliefs.
Figure 1. Elle Santiago’s Instagram Post (Santiago, 2020)
In 2020, Reformation was accused by former employees of unfair treatment of BIPOC, only a few days after the brand joined the #BlackLivesMatter bandwagon, posting on Instagram a show of support. Former employee, Elle Santiago described “being overlooked and undervalued” working at Reformation for 3 years (see Fig. 1) (Nesvig, 2020). Following the resignation of the brand’s founder, Yael Aflalo, a list of “appropriate corrective actions” was implemented (Chen, 2020). The amendments included donations to black-founded nonprofits, internal workshops on implicit bias, and greater model diversity. Their response to inclusion, or lack thereof, incited conversation on the sincerity of company initiatives. As previously discussed, technology allows ease of access to a brand’s background but this is limited to the brand’s given level of transparency. By providing evidence of the measures being taken to counteract racism, Reformation puts into effect their mission to “bring sustainability to everyone” and “part of that sustainability is treating everyone equally” (Nesvig, 2020). Evidently, three key values lay the foundation for the fashion industry to prosper in