Purpose
With the sudden rise of the body positivity, eco friendly and socially responsible mindset, fashion industry has had to level up their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Starting in the 50s with the publication of several books about morals and business values (Londrigan and Jenkins, 2018), this concept of socially and environmentally responsible corporations became crucial not only for the label and its image, but also for the consumer and their choices. Nowadays, it is a fact that more than half percent of the buyers prefer and actually do buy from companies with good CSR (Londrigan and Jenkins, 2018). Of course, that alone is a very good reason for companies to build a good “purpose” , but there is a lot more to it than the sales or image.
Clothes is what protects humans from the world, from extreme temperatures to society and prejudice (Corner, 2016). It’s core utility is to keep the wearer safe, physically and emotionally. Both of them are the labels job to achieve; physically by making clothes that are safe to produce, buy and wear, using responsible methods and materials; and emotionally by forming a sense of well-being, welcoming and satisfaction because of consuming.
Starting with the making of their products, brands urgently need a responsible way to produce. Environmentally responsible materials, factories, transport and overall transparency are a must now.
Secondly, their values and what they share with the public. A good or bad brand representing can drastically change how it works. Society is really keen on politics and public discussion topics, and brands have a right to speak. It is really important to have beliefs and defend them, but the communication of them, or even the beliefs can become a burden because of ideological disagreement. The importance of communication is rising, and the decision wether to position the brand and risk the rejection of a part of the public is crucial. Social media and networks are the best way to get to Gen Z (Moran, 2022) (Fig. 1), the new leading generation, and brands that know how to take advantage of the incredible spread that they allow are making the difference, Balenciaga for example (Fig. 2).
Lastly, the ethos of the brand can not be executed without actions, so the use of the profit and the networking of the companies for the good are also part of the pillar. Actual work, actions and projects are what is really effective for the brand to pursue their purpose, and it is a joint of producing, communication and profit use.
Purpose is crucial for brand image, for sales and for the possibility of actually working towards a better world.
Sources:
Corner, F. (2016). Why fashion matters. London: Thames & Hudson.
Moran, G. (2022). Gen Z and Millennials 2022. [online] Drapers. Available at: https://www.drapersonline.com/guides/gen-z-and-millennials-2022.
Londrigan, M.P. and Jenkins, J.M. (2018). Fashion supply chain management. New York: Fairchild Books, An Imprint Of Bloomsbury Publishing Inc.