Yu-Chieh Hsu

In the fashion business there are four pillars: the planet, people, profit and purpose. People are the one of the main forces to lead the fashion industry running. About 26% of the world population are generation Z, which is slightly more than a quarter of the world population(Josifovska, 2022). According to Read, and Fromm( 2021, P.1), generation Z is defined as the people who borned in the early to mid 1990s to the mid 2000s, a more exact year are 1996-2010. Generation Z keeps giving different changes to the fashion industry. This article will describe the impact that generation Z has given the fashion industry.

Attraction to generation Z are becoming the main goals to most of the fashion brands, to attract generation Z first is to know their needs. Generation Z borned in the time with technology are rapidly increasing, those gen z not only focus on one screen they even have multiple devices(Seemiller, and Grace2019). Fashion companies should create bonding with gen Zers, to excess gen z customers’ individual identities(Francis,and Hoefel, 2022), let them feel the brand has great fit on them, by getting gen Zers as the advertising. For example, Chanel invited a famous young generation Kpop star Kim Jennie to their spring/summer 2023 show(Kim, 2022). Similar people will give strength and support to each other, so this will be associated with positive feelings and this may lead to attraction(Montoya, Horton, and Kirchner,n.d.), in this way people often are attracted to things that are similar to them, they want to know that there is someone like them to create a sense of identity.

Technology makes diversity getting more important than before, different cultures and countries have a chance to interact with others(https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1304620.pdf, 2014). Gen Z will have chances to know the societies and have a way to view the diversity. Fashion is not only just focused on a specific type of beauty, it becomes wider and repeat to others different viewpoints. Savage X Fenty is one of the examples that a fashion brand accepts diversity, it comprises size from xs to 5xl and its models include different types of skin colour, nationality and body shapes(https://www.savagex.co.uk/,n.d). 

In conclusion, gen z is the young generation and will keep absorbing new perceptive, and the fashion industry at the same changing with them, to admit different kinds of ways to run the fashion industry. The acceptance of diversity and the knowledge of sustainability permeate to the fashion industry, those two are being a main skill to lead to the long lasting companies.  

Bibliography 

Francis, T. and Hoefel, F. (2022) ‘true gen’: Generation Z and its implications for companies, McKinsey & Company. McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies  (Accessed: October 16, 2022). 

Kim, Y.E. (2022) Here’s what Blackpink Jennie wore to Chanel’s SS23 show, HYPEBAE. HYPEBAE. Available at: https://hypebae.com/2022/10/jennie-blackpink-chanel-spring-summer-2023-show-outfit-images-paris-fashion-week  (Accessed: October 16, 2022). 

Montoya, M., Horton, R.S. and Kirchner, J. (n.d.) Is actual similarity necessary for attraction? A meta-analysis of …Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0265407508096700  (Accessed: October 16, 2022). 

Josifovska, M. (2022) Generation Z statistics – truelist 2022, TrueList. Available at: https://truelist.co/blog/generation-z-statistics/  (Accessed: October 15, 2022).

Read, A. and Fromm, J. (2021) Marketing to gen Z: The rules for reaching this vast, and very different, generation of influencers. Harpercollins Focus. 

​​Savage X Fenty: Lingerie by Rihanna UK (no date) SAVAGE X FENTY | Lingerie by Rihanna UK. Available at: https://www.savagex.co.uk/  (Accessed: October 16, 2022). 

Seemiller, C. and Grace, M.M. (2019) Generation Z: A century in the making. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. 

Social Media Generations’ Levels of Acceptance of Diversity,(2014), The conceptual Framework of Diversity, Journal of Reports – Research, P.157. Available at:https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1304620.pdf (Accessed: October 15, 2022).

Picture reference Elven, M.van (2021) Savage X Fenty, one year later: What’s Rihanna’s impact on the lingerie market?, FashionUnited. FashionUnited[Image]. Available at: https://fashionunited.uk/news/business/savage-x-fenty-one-year-later-what-s-rihanna-s-impact-on-the-lingerie-market/2019050643017  (Accessed: October 16, 2022).

Planet is one of the four pillars in fashion business, it is about the fashion industry’s impact on the planet- Earth. “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” is the definition of sustainability based on the United Nations(Bartlett,2011). This article will examine the meaning and need of sustainability in fashion. Fashion industry includes garment, footwear, accessory,cosmetics, and fragrance sectors, and is one of the internationalised industries(Anguelov,2021).The large supply chain spanning across from raw materials harvesting, spinning, yarn production, dyeing, weaving, cutting, stitching and to the final garment construction(Mukherjee,2015). Those manufacturers of the fashion industry cause environmental impact in every product life cycle, and those environmental impacts not only affect the natural as well as the social environment(Mukherjee,2015). There are several environmental issues related to fashion industry such as resource consumption,greenhouse gas (GHG) emission,land use,toxic production processes, and landfill(Mukherjee,2015).The rise of fast fashion and the reliance on cheap and fast manufacteries, created over 92 million tonnes of waste produced per year(Niinimäki,2020). Beside it, in the social side the decrease of child labor are one of the goal in International Labour Organisation, but in fashion industry still is a challenge to them, because there is still home workers and indirect workers in the fashion industry(Allwood, Laursen,n.d). There are 151.6 million children between five to seven-teen years old who are child labourers across the globe, and half of them are working in the fashion industry(www.commonobjective.co, 2018).  Sustainability is a goal for all the fashion industry to create a long-live environment.

United Nation Sustainable Development Goal which is an urgent call for all countries in the global partnership. There are seventeen main goals, each of them fit to environmental, social and economic spheres(sdgs.un.org). Responsible Consumption and Production are number 12 goals in the United Nation Sustainable Development Goal, which are to decrease the amount of waste in natural resources(sdgs.un.org). Fashion industry and its consumers have a responsibility to know that its products are harmful to the environment, and to force individuals and governments to take action(Stanton,2022). There are some fashion industries that follow the goals to decrease the waste of human resources, for example, Stella McCartney uses renewable energy to power their stores and offices, and they try to use as much organic cotton as possible(Lolli,2021).In conclusion, due to the amount of waste the fashion industry has made, Responsible Consumption and Production are the steps for the fashion industry envole in sustainability. The second largest industry starts the action on sustainability, will have the chance to lead others industry and government follow.

Bibliography

Allwood, J.M. et al. (no date) Well dressed? the present and future sustainability of clothing and textiles in the United Kingdom. Available at: https://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/insights/sustainability/well-dressed/ (Accessed: October 9, 2022). 

Anguelov, N. (2021) The dirty side of the garment industry fast fashion and its negative impact on the environment and Society. Boca Raton: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group

Bartlett, A.A. (2011) The meaning of sustainability – al bartlett, The meaning of sustainability. Available at: https://www.albartlett.org/articles/art_meaning_of_sustainability_2012mar20.pdf (Accessed: October 8, 2022). 

Child labour in the fashion industry (2018) Common Objective. Common Objective. Available at: https://www.commonobjective.co/article/child-labour-in-the-fashion-industry (Accessed: October 9, 2022). 

Lolli, A.A. (2021) Stella McCartney: Fashion and Sustainability, FG MAGAZINE. Available at: https://thefashionglobe.com/stella-mccartney (Accessed: October 9, 2022). 

Mukherjee, S. (2015) Environmental and Social Impact of Fashion: Towards an Eco-friendly, Ethical Fashion. Available at: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/72803427.pdf (Accessed: October 9, 2022). 

Niinimäki, K. (2020) The environmental price of fast fashion – researchgate. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Patsy-Perry/publication/340635670_The_environmental_price_of_fast_fashion/links/5f2960c4a6fdcccc43a8ca65/The-environmental-price-of-fast-fashion.pdf (Accessed: October 9, 2022). 

Stanton, A. (2022) How the United Nations’ sdgs relate to the fashion industry, Remake. Available at: https://remake.world/stories/news/how-the-united-nations-sdgs-relate-to-the-fashion-industry/ (Accessed: October 9, 2022). The 17 goals | sustainable development (no date) United Nations. United Nations. Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals (Accessed: October 9, 2022).

Alexander McQueen is a UK fashion brand released in 1992 (Bolton,2014).The founder is Lee Alexander Mcqueen, he got his master degree at the same year he began to design under the brand Alexander Mcqueen, and keep earning profit with the name Lee Mcqueen(Evans, n.d). Alexander Mcqueen joined Kering Group in 2001, at the same time Sarah Burton was signed to be the Head of Design for womenswear, and was named as the Creative Director in 2010 (Disko,nd). 

In 2003, Kering gathered a “Sustainability Team” and set up a  digital environmental reporting platform(Disko,nd). As part of Kering’s group, Alexander McQueen provides apparels that contain small amounts of natural material, for instance organic cotton and linen, but it still contains high-pollution products for example polyester and nylon(Assoune,2021). However it has set goals for future sustainable plans, it aims to reach 100% sustainable sourcing and 100% traceability for key raw materials by 2025(Assoune,2021). 

Alexander Mcqueen customers across from 21-50 years old, the wide range of apparels designs cater to this greater number of customers. Its customers include socialites, celebrities, royal or wealthy ordinary people(Forrester, 2021). For example, Isabella Blow wore a jacket from “Dante” in the fall/winter 1996-97 collection(Gleason,Collins,2015). Its design gets inspired from nature and British culture, celebrating the rural culture in England, meanwhile reaching the fashion boundaries(Disko,nd).

The propulsion keeping McQueen becoming globally recognised and earning profit is its deputy Sarah Burton, she designs clothes that are more feminan and easy to wear, and the chief executive also agrees to poach a well known designer from another brand(Indvik, 2021).

Its purpose is to explore once creativity “find beauty in the grotesque”, its want to give it customers feel powerful to against the society(Forrester, 2021), so in Alexander McQueen brand designs show powerful message to customers by creating emotional power and raw energy, it also gives its customers an innovation of fashion with technology(Renton,2013).

Alexander Mcqueen created a variety of customers not only because of its design, beside that they tried to include the theme of British culture and tried to fit the market need with more feminan and easy-to-wear apparel. However its sustainability goals still not be very compliant, but it already set a goals and it is making them happen.  

Bibliography

Assoune, A. (2021) Alexander McQueen, Panaprium. Panaprium. Available at: https://www.panaprium.com/blogs/i/alexander-mcqueen  (Accessed: October 1, 2022). 

Bolton, A. et al. (2014) Alexander McQueen: Savage beauty. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art ; New Haven and London. 

Disko (no date)  Alexander mcqueen, Kering. Available at: https://www.kering.com/cn/houses/couture-and-leather-goods/alexander-mcqueen/   (Accessed: October 1, 2022). 

Evans, C. (n.d.) Alexander McQueen, LoveToKnow. LoveToKnow. Available at: https://fashion-history.lovetoknow.com/fashion-clothing-industry/fashion-designers/alexander-mcqueen  (Accessed: October 5, 2022). 

Forrester, R. (2021) Alexander McQueen Brand Report, Issuu. Available at: https://issuu.com/roseforrester/docs/gbft_alexander_mcqueen_report  (Accessed: October 1, 2022). 

Gleason, K. and Collins, S. (2015) Alexander McQueen – Evolution. New York: Race Point Publishing. 

Indvik, L. (2021) Become an FT subscriber to read: Emmanuel Gintzburger on Alexander McQueen’s ‘record’ year, Subscribe to read | Financial Times. Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/7ee789e9-556e-4885-9eed-11d74b5bde08  (Accessed: October 1, 2022). 

Isabella Blow (2007) The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group[Picture]. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1550855/Isabella-Blow.html  (Accessed: October 5, 2022). 

kaylafitz (2020) Alexander McQueen report, Issuu[Picture]. Available at: https://issuu.com/kaylafitz/docs/bof_pesentation (Accessed: October 5, 2022). Renton, D. (2013) Alexander McQueen – Unique Selling Point?, Tumblr. Available at: https://dainarentonlcf.tumblr.com/post/66470520658/alexander-mcqueen-unique-selling-point  (Accessed: October 2, 2022).

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