Chun Yu

About Chun Yu

Posts by Chun Yu:

Week 5 – Purpose

⋅

The final pillar “purpose” can be understood as “the meaning of what we can do to change something”. In the fashion industry, members will consider about the goal of the company and revise current practises to strive for a better industry.

According to Silva (2020) philosophy can be defined as ”fundamental nature” and if we put “brand” next to “philosophy it can be understand as the true identity of the brand. Having a clear brand message can be a powerful tool that enables strong bond to the audience as it requires the understanding of the corporate social responsibility and what the brand can provide for customers (Londrigan, M.P., & Jenkins, J.M., 2018). Because in the current market strong consumer-facing brands that is transparent on their website and communicates their vision increases customer engagement and trust especially in a time where customer put high weight on the ethos of the brand and hence paves a road to globalization and growth (ASOS, 2022).

Figure one. Patagonia “Don’t Buy This Jacket” Black Friday campaign (Patagonia, 2011)

For example, the Patagonia “Don’t Buy This Jacket” Black Friday campaign where it highlights social issues of consumerism and overconsumption shows the success of Patagonia as a clothing brand since the campaign is cohesive to their brand philosophy of producing high-quality products while being thoughtful of the planet. This action can strengthen authenticity of the brand and encourages customer advocacy (Deshmukh, 2011).

Additionally, there are a lot of considerations to make in order to draw in a broad range of customers, such as the purpose of a product’s release, the brand’s marketing strategy, and the ethical choices brands make during photo shoots. In order to create a community where they collaborate and transform the industry, it is crucial that each employee comprehends the company’s mission and makes an effort to communicate it to customers.

Adapting to the new generation is probably the biggest challenge for companies, because in this “digital day and age” where Gen Z have a strong mindset of social awareness and put higher importance on the brand’s purpose unlike previous generations (Pinas, 2020). We have to consider the volume of media presented to customer nowadays and it is evident that emotional connection, storytelling beside statistics and numerical evidence are necessary to draw in positive feedback from the Gen Z, it is also important to stick and show your purpose consistently as it increases credibility (Finneman et al. 2020).

Bibliography

ASOS. “Acceleration of ASOS Brands Strategy.” ASOS Plc, 2022, www.asosplc.com/news/acceleration-asos-brands-strategy/.

Deshmukh, Rohan. “Patagonia’s Purpose-Driven Marketing Strategy.” The Strategy Story, 14 Sept. 2021, thestrategystory.com/2021/09/14/patagonia-marketing-strategy-mix/#google_vignette. Accessed 27 Oct. 2023.

Finneman, Bo, et al. “Meet Generation Z: Shaping the Future of Shopping | McKinsey.” McKinsey, 4 Aug. 2020, www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/meet-generation-z-shaping-the-future-of-shopping.

Londrigan , M.P. , and J.M. Jenkins. Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability. 1 Jan. 2018, pp. 41–60, https://doi.org/10.5040/9781501317798.ch-003.

Patagonia. “Don’t Buy This Jacket, Black Friday and the New York Times – Patagonia.” Eu.patagonia.com, 25 Nov. 2011, eu.patagonia.com/gb/en/stories/dont-buy-this-jacket-black-friday-and-the-new-york-times/story-18615.html.

Pinas, Max. “How Millennials and Gen Z Are Shifting the Essence of Branding.” Dept Agency, 29 Aug. 2020, www.deptagency.com/en-gb/insight/how-millennials-and-gen-z-are-shifting-the-essence-of-branding/.

Silva, Pia. “Why Philosophy Has Much to Do with Brand-Building (and What That Looks Like).” Forbes, 19 Nov. 2020, www.forbes.com/sites/piasilva/2020/11/19/why-philosophy-has-much-to-do-with-brand-building-and-what-that-looks-like/.

Liked Liked
No Comments

Week 4 – Profit

⋅

“Profit” is typically associated with a monetary benefit or advantage and this element is what allow the business sector of the fashion industry stand out. This is because working in the business sector requires the analytical process of brainstorming marketing and pricing strategies for the company to attract consumer and drive economic activity.

Based on Smith’s (2023) research, the revenue of the fashion industry is founded to be at 1.74 trillion U.S. dollars and is expected to rise until 2027. Especially for the luxury sector as brands like Loewe, Prada , Versace and other high end brands are determined to be”Fashion’s Hottest Brands and Products Q2 2023″ on the Lyst Index (2023). This is due to hyperinflation as it has affected spending habits of consumers and they have become more cost-conscious and has to cut-down their spendings, whereas people with high-income would not be as affected by the changing living cost and would continue spending (McKinsey,2023).

Figure one. Digital render by Pussykrew for the Natasha Zinko X DUOLtd collection (Basu, 2020)

During recessional period, brands should concentrate on making strategic changes, which would include altering their content after examining customers’ behaviour and understanding the competition.  It’s crucial to keep the idea of opportunity cost in mind when making such adjustments as brands need to be cost efficiency and contemplate how to maintain loyal customer while adapting to new consumer trends to attract new customer. For example, a recent BCG study suggest that company that focused on shifting their team structure and improve the diversity among the team displayed better innovation and also showed a positive chance in financial performance (Lorenzo, 2018). Since gaining insight from varied perspective allow brands to be more versatile. Besides, during COVID-19, a lot of fashion brand have leverage the technology and social media by making fashion shows go virtual, this has allowed “a potential reduction in emissions from flying” (Fleck, 2023), and “opportunities for cross-industry collaborations”, reaching to a range of audiences in an innovative approach (Basu, 2020).

In order to bridge the gap between creativity and commerce,  the role of creative director is vital, because being a creative director requires strong insight and leadership. By understanding their task they are in charge of commercially design a event, merchandising display or idea in unexpected and unique ways while maintain the brand identity and colour, presenting the DNA and story to the audience in a creative way.

Biblilography

Basu, Ritupriya . “As COVID-Era Fashion Shows Go Virtual, New Opportunities for Designers Emerge.” Eye on Design, 30 Nov. 2020, eyeondesign.aiga.org/as-fashion-shows-go-virtual-in-the-covid-era-new-opportunities-for-designers-emerge/.

Fleck, Anna. “Infographic: Digital Catwalks? Most Think Fashion Shows Should Go Online.” Statista Daily Data, 3 July 2023, www.statista.com/chart/30311/should-fashion-week-go-digital/.

Lorenzo, Rocío. “How Diverse Leadership Teams Boost Innovation.” BCG Global, 23 Jan. 2018, www.bcg.com/publications/2018/how-diverse-leadership-teams-boost-innovation.

McKinsey. “State of Fashion | McKinsey.” Www.mckinsey.com, 29 Nov. 2022, www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/state-of-fashion#/.

Smith, P. “Revenue of the Global Apparel Market 2012-2025.” Statista, 23 Nov. 2022, www.statista.com/forecasts/821415/value-of-the-global-apparel-market.

“The Lyst Index: Fashion’s Hottest Brands and Products Q2 2023.” Lyst Insights, www.lyst.com/data/the-lyst-index/q223/.

Liked Liked
No Comments

Week 3 – People

⋅
Figure one. Gen Z and the beauty industry (Flora, 2022)

“People” refers to human being and they have the biggest ability to make changes for the planet. In every industry, “people” are both the producers and consumers, they are there to provide goods and services and at the same time require certain goods and service.

According to Dimock (2019), Gen Z are born between 1997 and 2012, they are ​“racial­ly and eth­ni­cal­ly diverse, pro­gres­sive and pro-gov­ern­ment”. They are the generations that are individualistic and the highest ability to make changes to the current community. This is because most GenZ are born into the world where internet is part of their daily lives and the generation that is highly dependent on social platforms. To understand their behaviour as consumers and what attracts them, we have to know their values and what type of product or ways of marketing appeals to them. With GenZ leading the industry, Finneman (2020) said, “they’re looking beyond tangible products and actually trying to understand what is it that makes the company tick“. In comparison to previous cohorts they are much more socially aware, putting much higher importance on sustainable and green practise, diversity in terms of increasing chances for people from varied background and also uniqueness of the product in a sense of background purpose or story (McKinsey, 2023). Furthermore, it is important to know how powerful social media and online shopping can influence GenZ. Also, how they are affected by trends and what appears on their social media platform. A ‘review picture’ , a comment or an advert on social platforms can be shared and spread around easily and could change the fate of a product or brand.

Figure two. Kohl Kreative Makeup Brushes

In response to the changing value of the GenZ, brands have been taking more time on focusing on the purpose of their brand and have become more transparent in terms of sharing their ethos of creating their product. For example, an inclusive beauty company called Kohl Kreatives specialises in producing makeup brushes and tools for people with gross motor skills (Nast, 2019), in order to “ensure anyone with a disability could experience the beauty industry” (Baird-Murray, 2020). It is also worth mentioning, although a few beauty brands have responded to diversity with larger range of foundation colour, however, people with disabilities is often overlooked due to the smaller population in this nation.

Lastly, workers that have interpersonal skills like communication, analytical and observation skills it is necessary for them to be successful in this competitive market as they constantly have to be alert to the fast-paced activity of Gen Z on social platforms. They also have to adapt to new trends quickly and search for what the market requires, altering their marketing and pricing strategies.

Bibliography

Baird-Murray, Kathleen. “5 Brands That Show Inclusivity Is More than Just an Extended Foundation Range.” British Vogue, 11 May 2020, www.vogue.co.uk/beauty/article/inclusivity-brands-beauty-industry.

Dimock, Michael. “Defining Generations: Where Millennials End and Generation Z Begins.” Pew Research Center, 17 Jan. 2019, www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/01/17/where-millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/.

Finneman, Bo, et al. “Meet Generation Z: Shaping the Future of Shopping | McKinsey.” McKinsey, 4 Aug. 2020, www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/meet-generation-z-shaping-the-future-of-shopping.

Flora, Liz. “CeraVe and E.l.f. Cosmetics Rank as Top Beauty Brands for Gen Z.” Glossy, 19 Oct. 2022, www.glossy.co/beauty/cerave-and-e-l-f-cosmetics-rank-as-top-beauty-brands-for-gen-z/.

“Instagram.” Www.instagram.com, www.instagram.com/p/B_5ATuEJeO2/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9f281f00-621f-4dc3-b289-8cc596b9be09. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.

McKinsey. “What Is Gen Z? | McKinsey.” Www.mckinsey.com, 20 Mar. 2023, www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-gen-z.

Nast, Condé. “The Rise of Disability Friendly Beauty Brands.” British Vogue, 17 Sept. 2019, www.vogue.co.uk/beauty/article/the-rise-of-disability-friendly-beauty-brands.

Liked Liked
No Comments

Week 2 – Planet

⋅
Figure 1. Negative impacts of the fashion industry (Bielawski, 2019)

The “Planet” pillar refers to how the “re” practices like “reduce, repair, reuse, recycle, repurpose, restore and regenerate” can assist in preserving the planet’s environment and make it a better place for all living organisms.

The fashion product lifecycle mimics a circular economy and encompasses the stages of design, production, use and lastly reuse (Lench, 2020). Circular economy is defined as “an economy that is restorative and regenerative by design” and it is made up of four main components. These four components contribute into the flow of resources which is depicted by the three principles that ties to sustainability , like ”eliminating waste and pollution”, ”circulate products and materials” and “regenerate nature” (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2023).

The fashion industry is identified as the second most environmentally damaging industry, following oil and it is responsible for 8-10% of humanity’s carbon emissions (United Nations Environment Program, 2018). The detrimental cost of the environment under the current fashion industry highlights the connection of sustainability to fashion according to United Nations Brundtland Commission (2023) sustainability, is described as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”. Being sustainable involves assessing the current needs, reconsidering how effective we are using the limited resources and and will vary depending on the strategy taken by each component in the fashion product lifecycle to reduce negative externalities (Moorhouse and Moorhouse, 2017).  So, it is crucial to grasp the connection between the fashion industry and sustainability in order to know what we as fashion students can accomplish.

Figure 2. Sustainable development goals (United Nations, 2015)

Out of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDG), responsible consumption and production (SDG12) is highly relevant to the fashion industry and has significant impact this is because fashion brands are producer and they supply to customer which are consumers. According to Alison Gwilt (2020), there are different stages that touches upon sustainability until a product if produced and is sold. For example on the producer side, they can make changes like innovation of new machines to improve the infrastructure, limit the type of fabric use, reduce water waste, design products to be used more and promotes slow fashion. Once the product is produced, the job is with the consumer because clothes that are more sustainable are often more expensive and if consumers are more attracted to fast fashion then it is hard for brand to shift their focus as most brand are consumer-driven as they want to keep their consumer.

Although luxurious brands like Stella McCartney can act as a leader and lead the industry to be more sustainable hence it is important to understanding despite effort of individual companies, increased coordination between business and government is essential for accomplishing our goal. Finally, significant financial commitment, widespread innovation, transparency, and traceability will be required to build a more sustainable industry.

Bibliography

Bielawski, Katrin. “8 Reasons Why Sustainable Fashion Matters.” Narah Soleigh, 18 Sept. 2019, www.narahsoleigh.com/en-gb/blogs/blog/8-reasons-why-sustainable-fashion-matters.

Ellen Macarthur Foundation. “The Circular Economy in Detail.” Ellenmacarthurfoundation.org, ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/the-circular-economy-in-detail-deep-dive#:~:text=A%20circular%20economy%20favours%20activities.

Gwilt, Alison. A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2020.

“La Vision Brillante et Durable Du Défilé Stella McCartney Printemps-Été 2024.” LVMH, 5 Oct. 2023, www.lvmh.com/news-documents/news/inspired-and-sustainable-vision-informs-spring-summer-2024-stella-mccartney-collection/. Accessed 8 Oct. 2023.

Lench, Angie. Intro to Fashion Sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Moorhouse, Debbie, and Danielle Moorhouse. “Sustainable Design: Circular Economy in Fashion and Textiles.” The Design Journal, vol. 20, no. sup1, 28 July 2017, pp. S1948–S1959, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14606925.2017.1352713, https://doi.org/10.1080/14606925.2017.1352713.

Moran, Graeme. “Collaborating for Change: Sustainability Report 2022.” Drapers, 2022, www.drapersonline.com/guides/collaborating-for-change-sustainability-report-2022.

Remy, Nathalie, et al. “Style That’s Sustainable: A New Fast-Fashion Formula.” McKinsey, 20 Oct. 2016, www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/sustainability/our-insights/style-thats-sustainable-a-new-fast-fashion-formula.

United Nations. “Sustainability.” United Nations, 2023, www.un.org/en/academic-impact/sustainability.

United Nation. “Sustainable Development Goals Launch in 2016.” United Nations Sustainable Development, 30 Dec. 2015, www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2015/12/sustainable-development-goals-kick-off-with-start-of-new-year/.

United Nations Environment Programme. “Putting the Brakes on Fast Fashion.” UN Environment, 12 Nov. 2018, www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/putting-brakes-fast-fashion.

Liked Liked
No Comments

My Favourite Brand – Innisfree

⋅

Innisfree is a prominent South Korean skincare manufacturer owned and founded by Amore Pacific with an affordable price point and popular for its brand concept, which emphasizes products made from ingredients sourced from Jeju Island. Innisfree has an unwavering dedication on developing high-quality beauty products that only use rare natural resources extracted from Jeju Island in order to provide skin care solutions for every concern.

The exploration of ingredients is the name that describes the history of Innisfree. Innisfree focused on the natural island of Jeju while thinking about nature and undertaking endless study, and the company found 12 elements in the island’s land, sea, water, trees, and flowers. Innisfree’s commitment to high-quality ingredients embodies the company’s mission to offer clients natural products that promote healthy beauty as their tagline states “Clean Island, where clean nature and healthy beauty coexist happily”. This commitment is also evident on their official website, which offers details on the brand’s history, the sources of its ingredients, how those ingredients are extracted, and opportunities for customers to learn more about the advantages of Jeju Island’s natural ingredients. The transparency of the information could demonstrate the confidence the company has in its products and attract customers to purchase them.

The brand’s logo is in the colour green inspired by the Jeju Bija forest, which not only emphasises nature conveying a pure and clean image, but the green also exclude exudes life and vigour, symbolising vitality. Based on their website the renewed logo has a typography that embodies our promise and strong commitments. Innisfree has a large green tea field in Jeju Island where consumers may visit in order to build up customer trust and strengthen the “Inni-community”. This offers the company an opportunity to strengthen the bond between the business and the consumer as it works to offer the best products possible.

Additionally, Innisfree has a partnership with TerraCycle® since 2003 for their very own recycling programme where customers can return their empty bottles to any store and earn membership points that can be applied to subsequent purchases. This programme not only benefits the environment by lowering footprint, but it may also foster brand loyalty because it rewards customers for returning their empty bottles to any store. According to Innisfree “If all of us are in this together, we can save a pine tree.” their efforts on launching this programme and being one of the earliest brands considering environmental issue is notable. Moreover, their unweaving effort on maintaining it for 20 years now hey have recycled more than “800,000 bottles” and planted “860 pine trees” for a better environment.

–

Reference list

Delhi, B.B., September 14 and 2023 (2023). Korean beauty brand Innisfree unveils fresh brand identity: Best Media Info. [online] www.bestmediainfo.com. Available at: https://bestmediainfo.com/2023/09/korean-beauty-brand-innisfree-unveils-fresh-brand-identity [Accessed 29 Sep. 2023].

Innisfree.com. (2020). ABOUT US – BRAND STORY – INNISFREE’S BRAND PROMISE | innisfree. [online] Available at: https://www.innisfree.com/my/en/BrandPage.do?pageName=brand_promise.

Koreaboo. (2023). Netizens Have Mixed Reactions To Innisfree Changing Brand Image And Models. [online] Available at: https://www.koreaboo.com/news/innisfree-ive-wonyoung-girls-generation-yoona-change-brand-identity/ [Accessed 29 Sep. 2023].

Prajogo, V.V. and Suprajitno, S. (2020). Multimodal Analysis of Innisfree’s Brand History. K@ta Kita, 8(3), pp.262–269. doi:https://doi.org/10.9744/katakita.8.3.262-269.

Shukla, N. (2023). How INNISFREE is showing the way for a successful sustainable beauty business. [online] www.adgully.com. Available at: https://www.adgully.com/how-innisfree-is-showing-the-way-for-a-successful-sustainable-beauty-business-136746.html [Accessed 29 Sep. 2023].

www.innisfree.com. (n.d.). ABOUT US – BRAND STORY – BRAND CONCEPT | innisfree. [online] Available at: https://www.innisfree.com/sg/en/BrandPage.do?pageName=brand_concept.

Liked Liked
No Comments