Lottie Kempster-Bell

In the current economic climate the primary objective of brands must be to ensure financial stability and achieve growth. 

Although profit is the fundamental focus, it must not be at the expense of the environment or society. According to ‘Fashion Management: A Strategic Approach’, globally, the fashion industry is estimated to be worth 3 trillion dollars in terms of apparel alone. Bringing in such a vast amount of revenue, it is reported that “the apparel and the textile industry is one of the four biggest industries in the world.” (Vilaća, J. 2022). 

Revenue generated from the women’s apparel market is much higher than that of men’s or children’s. In 2018, womenswear made up more than half (53%) of global fashion retail spending. Spending on menswear accounted for 31% and childrenswear for 16% (Fashion United 2022). 

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the fashion industries global revenue was estimated between $1.7 trillion and $2.5 trillion according to two different research reports by Euromonitor and McKinsey (Fashion United, 2022). (McKinsey, 2022) states that the fashion and apparel industry suffered a 20% decline in revenues for the 2019-2020 financial year. Once lockdown restrictions started to ease, consumers began to return to shops and the industry returned to pre-pandemic profit levels showing that these sectors need to adapt quickly in challenging times to avoid decline in revenue and profit.

If 2020 taught the industry anything, it’s that brands must plan for the unexpected.  Marketing is an important signal to consumers that a business is viable and has a future. There is opportunity to capture greater market share from competitors who have reduced marketing activities (Steward, D. 2022).

Creative directors bridge the gap between creativity and commerce by selling products which are creative and wearable. Collaborations between artwork and brands provide creativity interlinked with fashion. Yves Saint Laurent illustrated this in his 1965 Mondrian collection. The dresses altered the connection between fashion and art transforming a painting into an animate work of art in a kind of “manifesto”, achieved by transforming a two-dimensional painting into a three-dimensional dress as powerful as the original. (Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris, 2022).

Bibliography 

Fashion United (2022). Global Fashion Industry Statistics. [online] Fashion United. Available at: https://fashionunited.com/global-fashion-industry-statistics [Accessed 16 Oct. 2023].

Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris. (n.d.). The Mondrian Revolution. [online] Available at: https://museeyslparis.com/en/stories/la-revolution-mondrian.

Stewart, D. (2022). 5 Ways Brands Can Stay Competitive In A Recession. [online] Branding Strategy Insider. Available at: https://brandingstrategyinsider.com/5-ways-brands-can-stay-competitive-in-a-recession/ [Accessed 16 Oct. 2023].

Sulejewski, A. (2021). Council Post: How To Stay Competitive In An Uncertain Economic Climate. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2022/12/01/how-to-stay-competitive-in-an-uncertain-economic-climate/?sh=7bead8873aa4 [Accessed 16 Oct. 2023].

the Guardian. (2013). Bridging the gap between art and business | Ajaz Ahmed. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/media-network/media-network-blog/2013/oct/16/bridging-gap-art-business.

Varley, R., Roncha, A., Radclyffe-Thomas, N. and Gee, L. (2018). Fashion management : a strategic approach. [online] London: Red Globe Press, p.4. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ual/reader.action?docID=6234690 [Accessed 16 Oct. 2023].

Vilaća, J. (2022). Fashion Industry Statistics: The 4th Biggest Sector Is More Than Clothing. [online] fashinnovation.nyc. Available at: https://fashinnovation.nyc/fashion-industry-statistics/#:~:text=Discussions%20around%20the%20fashion%20industry [Accessed 16 Oct. 2023].

Wikipedia. (2023). Mondrian Collection. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mondrian_Collection.

www.coolset.com. (n.d.). The three pillars of sustainability: people, planet, and profit. [online] Available at: https://www.coolset.com/academy/three-pillars-of-sustainability.

Among the four pillars, the people pillar focuses on exploring the relationship between the consumer, society and the fashion industry. Focusing specifically on Gen Z, according to Elsevier’s ‘Instagram made Me buy it’, this generations spending habits are more often than not referred to as ‘impulsive’. Generation Z are often considered ‘digital natives’ as this is the first generation to have grown up having been surrounded by digital communication. It is clear the people who are part of this generation are easily influenced, and this can be seen throughout social media. Popular influencer culture is practiced on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok and as a result of this obsession, it is highly likely for them to be exposed to digital marketing and new and current trends. 

It was estimated that by 2020, Gen Zs would be the largest group of consumers globally, based on the needs and behavioural understanding of this consumer group (Budac Adriana, 2014). This is why fast fashion brands should be trying to get their attention as ultimately, this generation will be the one who has the most significant effect in what society does to make that change the world so desperately needs. In order to attract a generation who are so self aware about environmental issues, it is vital that brands start taking action in proving what they are doing to work towards being more sustainable. This generation expects brands to be drivers of social change, looks for fair labour practices and inclusivity as well as sustainability. 

Founded in 2013 by husband and wife, Heidi Zak and David Spector, ThirdLove is an American lingerie brand created in response to frustration that women felt when trying to find bras that fit real bodies. Using measurements from millions of real women instead of industry size templates, the brand created a line of 78 bras ranging in size, including half cup sizes as all body types differ. Not only does this brand provide bras for women whatever shape or size, it also offers a vast range of “nude” shades, offering options for all skin tones. The product photos on the website and in adverts feature women from diverse backgrounds, body types and ages. 

Conclusively, the essential people skills needed for a successful fashion brand are communication, language, digital, organisation, industry knowledge and confidence. Simultaneously, all of the above will allow for a brand to attract consumers. 

Bibliography:

Budac, A. and Camelia (2014). STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS ON HOW BRANDS SHOULD DEAL WITH GENERATION Z. [online] Available at: http://economice.ulbsibiu.ro/revista.economica/archive/66501budac.pdf.

Djafarova, E. and Bowes, T. (2021). ‘Instagram made Me buy it’: Generation Z impulse purchases in fashion industry. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, [online] 59, p.102345. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0969698920313539.

Ferraro, C., Hemsley, A. and Sands, S. (2022). Embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI): Considerations and opportunities for brand managers. Business Horizons, 66(4). doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2022.09.005.

forbusiness.snapchat.com. (2022). What does Gen Z want from brands? | Snapchat for Business. [online] Available at: https://forbusiness.snapchat.com/blog/what-does-gen-z-want#:~:text=Gen%20Z%20expects%20brands%20to.

Graziano, G. (2022). 10 Skills Needed to Work in Fashion. [online] GLAM OBSERVER. Available at: https://glamobserver.com/skills-needed-to-work-in-fashion/.

McKinsey (2023). What is Gen Z? | McKinsey. [online] www.mckinsey.com. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-gen-z.

www.pixlee.com. (n.d.). 4 Brands Embracing Diversity in Their Content | Pixlee TurnTo Blog. [online] Available at: https://www.pixlee.com/blog/4-brands-embracing-diversity-in-their-content [Accessed 12 Oct. 2022].

Carlin, A.Z., Zaczkiewicz, A. and Carlin, D. (2019b). Think Tank: Gen Z Consumers Reshaping Our Future. [online] WWD. Available at: https://wwd.com/feature/think-tank-vivaldi-generation-z-1203116945/.

Shopify. (2023). 80% of People Wear the Wrong Bra Size—Here’s How ThirdLove Is Making Things Right. [online] Available at: https://www.shopify.com/uk/blog/thirdlove-market-fit.

The first fundamental aspect of sustainability is the planet pillar. This pillar covers the environmental impacts and how communities can strive and work together as a collective to tackle the current circumstances and simultaneously make a change. The fast fashion industry is one of the biggest contributors to global warming, significantly harming the environment by releasing extensive amounts Co2 emissions from over-production of garments. This over-production of garments causes masses of product waste to end up in landfill. According to Drapers Magazine 2022, ‘The fashion industry is one of the most wasteful on the planet, and much of this is down to overproduction.’ When decomposing, textiles generate methane gas and dyes which soak into the groundwater and soil. The only way the problem can be terminated is by all working together as peoples attitudes to the brands producing fast fashion need to change as the brands are ever going to go away. 

In order to make this significant change, fast fashion brands needs to make radical changes in order to address their carbon emission output. Adopting the circular economy ethic allows for these much needed changes to be made. The circular economy is an economic system constructed on the reuse and regeneration of materials, taking into account continuing production in an environmentally friendly way. Materials within this cycle never become waste. By following this, products and materials will be circulated allowing for the regeneration of nature.

Sustainability within fashion relates to the production of garments in an ethically responsible way. This method is only effective if it ensures that fashion is working, to an extent, to protect the environment. This includes sourcing renewable resources in a way that doesn’t contribute to the effects of global warming. Sustainability is a concept that many brands struggle with, but all are aware of and taking action accordingly. As stated by Alison Gwilt, ‘Textile waste is most often discarded into landfill or incinerated. However, a number of approaches can be used to delay this or divert garments away from landfill, such as reuse garment schemes and material recovery approaches that employ mechanical and chemical recycling to develop recycled fibres and materials’.

The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals are a universal call to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure everyone enjoys peace and prosperity. Providing quality education is vital as the more the topic is spoken about, the more aware us as a community become. Education provides the knowledge to be able to make more positive choices when it comes to being more sustainably aware.

Bibliography

Geissdoerfer, M., Savaget, P., Bocken, N.M.P. and Hultink, E.J. (2017). The Circular Economy – A new sustainability paradigm? Journal of Cleaner Production, 143(143), pp.757–768. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.12.048.

Gwilt, A (2014) Chapter 1, page 27. Rethinking Fashion Design. Publisher: London; Bloomsbury Visual Arts, 2020. 

Moran, Graeme. “Collaborating for Change: Sustainability Report 2022.” Drapers, 28 June 2022, www.drapersonline.com/insight/drapers-bespoke/collaborating-for-change-sustainability-report-2022. Accessed 5 Oct. 2023.

https://stock.adobe.com/uk/search?k=%22green+fashion%22

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ZARA

With over 91 million social media followers and 1,830,000 brand searches per month, the multimillion Spanish founded brand, Zara, is renowned all over the world. Zara now has 2,2643 stores strategically located in cities across 96 countries, proving the popularity. Ranging from womens wear, mens wear and children’s wear, Zara also sell a range of home ware. 

Zara was founded in 1975 by Amencio Ortega and Rosalia Mera as a family run business which provided low priced look alike versions of popular more expensive apparel. While various other high street fashion brands strive for innovation and variation, Zara provides affordable versions of high end fashion, making it accessible to everyone. This inclusivity has the ability to make shoppers feel socially accepted and as a result, owning fast fashion clothing can be symbolised as being able to keep up with the latest trends or can even give the impression of having the same status as someone who can afford luxury fashion. Fashion lets people freely express themselves and their creativity.  

Trend influenced consumption is the main leader of fast fashion. New trends are emerging every week, resulting in the previous trend the week before being forgotten. Brands like Zara are able to offer new designs at low prices. These new styles create excitement for the buyer, and to keep up the store has a turnaround of new stock every two weeks bringing the newest, hottest trends to our high streets straight away. 

As great as this is, the turn around in new stock does however contribute to the effects of fast fashion. The fashion industry is one of the top 10 most contributing industries to global warming and sadly continuing like the industry started out is going to be detrimental to the planet as well as our futures. On the road to being more environmentally friendly, Zara set up ‘Join Life’ in 2016 as an ongoing collection that the brand markets as its sustainable range. ‘Join Life’ represents “a process of continuous improvement, always  questioning what we should do to move towards a more sustainable model”.