Zoe Attipoe

We live in a capitalist society whereby the concept of profit is rooted at the centre of most fashion companies. Profit can be defined as capital that an organisation acquires after the cost of selling goods and services are deducted. Fast fashion plays a considerable role in the idea of profitability; inexpensive clothing are being mass produced at the expense of poorly worked and paid factory workers, as a result, businesses are able to break-even quicker as the overall cost of producing one garment continues to stay at an unethically low level.   

Covid-19 is a good example of when times were uncertain, it was a time in which many brands had to close physical stores leading to a rise in unemployment and instability. Most brands also experienced a large impact on the supply chain and demand. Three years on, we can analyse what measures brands took in order to remain relevant. The use of tech and e-commerce are major ways in which brands can stay competitive. One key emerging technology that played a large role in fashion’s recovery was Artificial Intelligence. By generating a substantial understanding of customer data through this technology, brands can provide unique experiences in which the focus is on the individual customer. 

Fashion is an art; designers express their creativity through haute couture in which many feature in art museums. However, there needs to be a gap between creativity and commerce. This is done using Ready-to-Wear collections and Haute Couture lines. Haute Couture may be garments that seem less wearable to the average person, and it is also known as ‘high fashion’. Vogue describes Haute Couture as “walking pieces of art”. Whereas Ready-to-Wear provides a more realistic view of fashion and is viewed to be more wearable to consumers. The gap between creativity and commerce is crucial as it is common that ready-to-wear lines see a larger return on investment in comparison to couture collections. On the other hand, it is the couture lines that evoke attraction and exposure internationally. 

References

Amlani, P. (2020). Why Consumer Capitalism is the Real Problem in Fashion Industry. [online] Medium. Available at: https://medium.com/@amlani.puja/why-consumer-capitalism-is-the-real-problem-in-fashion-industry-eecd8d9f463f. 

Cambridge Dictionary (2019). PROFIT | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary. [online] Cambridge.org. Available at: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/profit. 

Factory8. (2017). What Is The Difference Between Ready-To-Wear And Haute Couture? [online] Available at: https://thefactory8.com/difference-ready-wear-haute-couture/. 

universityfashiongroup.org. (2021). Is Fashion Art? [online] Available at: https://universityfashiongroup.org/2021/12/01/is-fashion-art/. 

www.wpp.com. (n.d.). Unlocking the power of online fashion with new technology | WPP. [online] Available at: https://www.wpp.com/wpp-iq/2020/08/unlocking-the-power-of-online-fashion-with-new-technology. 

The second pillar that makes up the Fashion Means Business is ‘People’, this pillar includes many topics such as culture, race, diversity and inclusivity.  

Generation Z, consisting of people born between the late-1900s and the mid-2000s, has caused change in the industry as consumers.  As the lack of diversity and inclusivity increases, Gen-Z are not afraid to make a statement in order to attract the attention of the people in higher positions. It has been known that 75% of Gen-Z consumers are willing to and have boycotted companies that portray discrimination against race and sexuality within advertising (according to a McKinsey study). This displays the new attitude and the power that this generation holds. Generation Z have grown up with an increased exposure to the internet leading to a higher exposure to social issues. Consequently, Gen-Z consumers are beginning to build high expectations from their favourite fashion brands and 90% of Generation Z consumers expect organisations to address current social issues.  

The use of social media platforms has increased and practically revolves around the Gen-Z consumer; therefore, brands must try to increase their social media presence. A large majority of Gen Z consumers claim that social media is their main source of outfit inspiration. Moreover, 65% say that their main use of social media is to find entertaining content and 61% are looking to see video content. Therefore, brands must also create original content that is authentic to their brand whilst also being entertaining and providing a source of style inspiration to consumers.

A good example of a brand that has responded to diversity and has set an example for its competitors, is the famous music and fashion icon Rihanna, as she embarked on a new endeavor as a lingerie designer, with the brand name ‘Savage X Fenty’. The lingerie brand has aimed to create lines that complement a large variety of shapes and sizes. The CEO states,

“My vision for Savage X Fenty has always been inclusivity, has always been having women feel confident and expressing themselves through a little lace, a little corsetry, a little T-Shirt bra”.

– Rihanna

For a fashion brand to be successful, it is not only important to have a strong understanding of the fashion industry, but it is crucial to be creative and have an innovative mind, especially as the current generation are constantly seeking new styles. Lastly, brands must have an inclusive mindset, as the rise for adaptive fashion is increasing. If brands can accommodate to all shapes, sizes, genders and race, then they are more likely to stand out, and gain a competitive advantage leading to a successful brand. 

References

Amed, I., Balchandani, A., Beltrami, M., Berg, A., Hedrich, S. and Rölkens, F. (2019). The Influence of ‘Woke’ Consumers on Fashion. [online] McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/the-influence-of-woke-consumers-on-fashion. 

‌ Cook, S. (2021). How Millennials & Gen Z Are Pushing Brands On Diversity And Inclusion. [online] www.businessbecause.com. Available at: https://www.businessbecause.com/news/insights/7504/millennial-gen-z-diversity-and-inclusion. 

Kastenholz, C. (n.d.). Council Post: Gen Z And The Rise Of Social Commerce. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2021/05/17/gen-z-and-the-rise-of-social-commerce/?sh=56d0aa44251d [Accessed 16 Oct. 2022]. 

‌ MOTIF. (2019). Top 10 Key Fashion Design Skills to Succeed in 2019. [online] Available at: https://motif.org/news/top-fashion-designer-skills/. 

shortyawards.com. (n.d.). Launch of Savage X Fenty – Lingerie by Rihanna – The Shorty Awards. [online] Available at: https://shortyawards.com/11th/launch-of-savage-x-fenty-lingerie-by-rihanna. 

The fashion industry is causing catastrophic and devastating effects on the planet, production alone as part of the industry makes up 10% of humanity’s carbon emissions and more rivers and streams around the world are becoming polluted. This has a negative effect on the environment. Everything on planet earth serves a particular function and the fashion industry is currently causing disruption in many ways.

Materials that are recyclable or biodegradable make up the concept of circularity. A circular economy is against waste and is enthusiastic about recycling. According to Ellen MacArthur Foundation, there are 4 main actions to a circular economy: phasing out substances that cause harm such as materials that release microfibers, increasing the utilisation of clothing by upcycling, drastically improving recycling and making effective use of resources and moving to renewable inputs. Moreover, they describe circular economy as:

“a systemic shift that builds long term resilience, generates business and economic opportunities, and provides environmental and societal benefits” (2017).  

Ellen MacArthur Foundation

A sustainable fashion industry consists of slow fashion brands dominating the industry, in which: better design processes, better materials and better working practices and skills are used. Furthermore, sustainability in relation to fashion refers to cutting down on wastage of materials and a decrease in consumption. 

The Sustainable Development Goals were developed and adopted by the United Nations with the aim of protecting the planet. The 17 goals are to be achieved by 2030 in the hope of peace and prosperity within humanity. Goal 12 refers to Responsible consumption and production, a crucial goal needed to transform and innovate the fashion industry. The way in which fashion is consumed is having a heavy impact on the planet and as consumers continue to buy more clothes, the market for cheap and up to date items are increasing. While masses of clothing are being produced, a large majority of clothing ends up in landfills and around one garbage truck of clothing is either burned or put in a landfill every second.  

There are multiple ways in which consumers can become responsible when shopping for fashion. Investing in high quality fabrics from slow fashion brands is one way consumers can help to save the planet. Moving away from buying clothing made of polyester or other synthetic fabrics will significantly save the earth as washing clothing releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean each year. Businesses can strive to achieve responsible production by reducing the amount of wasted materials as part of the manufacturing process and easing out the use of synthetics. Designers play a large role in this as they must now place thought in the life cycle of a garment; clothing should be constructed to be re-worn for a lifetime.

Reference List

Gwilt, A. (2020). Practical Guide To Sustainable Fashion. S.L.: Ava Academia. 

HEJ Support (2018). The Sustainability of Fashion: what role can consumers play? – HEJSupport. [online] HEJSupport. Available at: https://hej-support.org/the-sustainability-of-fashion-what-role-can-consumers-play/ 

McFall-Johnsen, M. (2020). These facts show how unsustainable the fashion industry is. [online] World Economic Forum. Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/01/fashion-industry-carbon-unsustainable-environment-pollution/

United Nations (2020). SDG Indicators. [online] unstats.un.org. Available at: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2020/