Fashion is profoundly political despite the glamourous connotation perceived by the world as fashion is useful by providing jobs, security, community along with the profoundly political self-expressions and communication through the garments we wear and style, at the end of the day fashion is about dissecting a language, connections and relationships between the industry and consumers especially the current targeted demographic group known as Gen Z.
Generation Z, a digital born generation that are easily influenced by social media, influencers trends that tend to shape the consumer, workforce, and societal trends within the industry. This specific demographic group , are known for operating , consuming , involving and creating relationships and friendships through the online world as they consume approximately six hours of cyberspace on a daily basis. Generation Z tend to approach their daily news , information along with making prior purchases as these group of potential buyers tend to curate their online identity , presence especially being given the option of personalization . (Mckinsey , 2023) Due to the vast demand of keeping up with the on-going trends , retailers tend to switch up and produce rapid amount of garment at an extensive pace due to the demographic’s consumer habits alongside having an appreciation for expressive garments , the eagerness to disperse from the crowd , experimental with various styles from different generations such as 90s and Y2K along with their trend changing habits and support for circular fashion.
Generation Z value diversity , activism on social and political issues , mental health and sustainability in which they seek for among their belongings to reflect on their beliefs and values along with the brands they support and purchase from .Brands that highlight and cater to Generation Z’s values are Fenty Beauty and Rare Beauty. Fenty Beauty , a makeup and skincare brand that launched in 2017 that produce and launched a range of diverse foundation shades as the brand includes all races, all ethnicities and all abilities in their campaigns(Nduka, 2022). Rare beauty , a makeup brand that solely focuses on mental health and sustainability through their “MAKEARAREIMPACT” campaign , fundraiser , packing and adversity that along correlate with Generation Z’s values for mental health and wellbeing therefore it is supported and incorporated in Generation Z’s makeup routine .
Generation Z is all about communication and leadership in the workplace which is crucial to build a successful fashion brand.
Bililography
I.Hall. (2022). Nike, M&S and Fenty Beauty | 3 Gen Zers Share Which Brands They Love for Their Diversity. [Online]. Voxburner. Last Updated: 6 may. Available at: https://www.voxburner.com/blog/nike-ms-apple-fentybeauty-diverse-genz-brands/ [Accessed 15 October 2023].
Moran, G. (2022) Drapers, Gen Z and Millennials 2022.
‘people’ is one of the four pillar of fashion business school. In fashion business people is an indispensable part, explaining this pillar Liz Gee stated: “Fashion, beauty and well-being choices are integral part of consumers daily life. Equitable treatment of all stakeholders should promote a positive relationship between dress, society and self identity.”(2023).
Discussing about ‘people’, Gen Z could be a topic to start with. Generation Z also being called Gen Z, considering people born from 1996 until 2010. The Gen Zers are the first generation born with internet to be widely used, this allowed internet became a daily product to them, therefore “digital natives” are other names they’ve been called. It’s being estimated that GenZ takes up 26% of the world population, with its rapid growth, when 2025 comes the population of Gen Z may reach a percentage of a quarter of the the Asia–Pacific region. This large population cause Gen Z to become the largest group of consumers in nowadays, which could be a target market for a lot of fashion business.
As “digital natives” Gen Z rely a lot on internet as consumers, it’s been proved that comparing to other generations Gen Zers used their phone more regularly and has a longer screen time. Within the screen time they use their phone to be engaged in social media and trendy platform such as TikTok, this lead them to be a generation which is easily influenced by social media or online platforms for brand decisions. Therefore, brands which seen Gen Z as target customer should empathise more on the advertising through social media and reputation of brand to avoid negative reviews online.
Gen Z was described as ‘inclusive consumer’, this shows that this generation has a strong moral sense, they care about justice, environment and equity. ‘Diversity’ is the term important to Gen Z, which may also affect their decision on consumptions. Responding to this, cosmetic brands such as Fenty Beauty did react by launching a series of Pro Filt’r Foundation which includes 40 shades for different skin colour of people. This allows people of different skin colour could all have beauty product which matches them, where cosmetics brands are not only producing products for stereotypical beauty skin.
Other than consumers, people working in the industry is also a significant sector that occurs this pillar. Fashion industries’ worker need to have team working skill to collaborate with each other, communication is then important towards team working. People need to have effective communication skills to increase the efficiency of work, this could help brands to minimise waste in time or resources to assure they are resulting in high quality products with the lowest cost being input.
Reference List:
Kim, A., McInerney, P., Rüdiger Smith, T. and Yamakawa, N. (2020). What makes Gen Z in Asia different? | McKinsey. [online] www.mckinsey.com. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/what-makes-asia-pacifics-generation-z-different.
Liz G., Dean. (2023). Welcome to Fashion Business School [Power Point] University of the Arts London: London College of 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.
Weinswig, D. (2016). Gen Z: Get ready for the most self-conscious, demanding consumer segment. Fung Global Retail & Technology, 1-19. Werle, A. (2019). TopSCHOLAR® Beyond Light, Medium, and Dark: Diversity and Inclusivity in the Makeup and Beauty Industries. [online] Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1838&context=stu_hon_theses.
People are one of the most important parts of the fashion industry because both consumers and appreciators are made up of people and these are the pillars of the fashion industry. Also people represent a fashion traffic system, which is the way in which people exchange benefits in the fashion industry.
First of all Gen Z is currently the second-youngest generation, with millennials before and Generation Alpha after. Like every generation, Gen Z’s behaviors are shaped by how they grew up. Young people today have come of age in the shadow of climate doom, pandemic lockdowns, and fears of economic collapse. The first Gen Zers were born when the internet had just achieved widespread use. They’re called “digital natives”—the first generation to grow up with the internet as a part of daily life. The generation spans a wide range: the oldest Gen Zers have jobs and mortgages, while the youngest are still preteens. Globally, Gen Z is growing fast: Gen Zers will make up a quarter of the population of the Asia–Pacific region by 2025. Read on to understand what makes Gen Z tick. The Gen Zs are made up of people born between 1996 and 2010. And the consumer trend of the z-age relies on social media to ‘craft’ their online image, which refers to wrapping themselves in some fashion images and elements etc. on the internet. As well as looking for discounts before making a purchase, expecting a wide range of services and features, using personalization, customization, exclusive and limited edition products, brand collaborations, etc. as examples. And most z-age consumers prefer brands that show their personality and uniqueness but are well-known enough to be recognized. They are also heavily influenced by the internet and social media when choosing products. An important feature is that they tend to be environmentally friendly.
Now, what’s special about Gen Zs? While there are substantive differences within the cohort known as Gen Z, there are a few common traits that they all share. As the first real digital natives, Gen Zers—speaking generally—are extremely online. Gen Zers are known for working, shopping, dating, and making friends online; in Asia, Gen Zers spend six of more hours per day on their phones. Digital natives often turn to the internet when looking for any kind of information, including news and reviews prior to make a purchase. They flit between sites, apps, and social media feeds, each one forming a different part of their online ecosystem. Having grown up with social media, Gen Zers curste their online selves more carefully than those in prior generations have, and they are more likely to turn to trends of anonymity, more personalized feeds, and a smaller online presence, even as they consume the media online. Video-sharing social media sites for example TikTok etc have seen a meteoric rise as Gen Z comes of age. TikTok currently rules trends, feelings, and culture for Gen Zers, who make up 60% of its one billion users. Gen Zers flock to corners of the internet where they can discuss their passions and interests with those who share them—from gaming to Kpop, bonding with both people they know in real life and ones they’ve only met online. Gen Z also faces an unprecedented behavioral health crisis: US Gen Zers surveyed by McKinsey report the least positive outlook and the highest prevalence of mental illness of any generation, and European respondents report struggling with self-stigma. This pessimism is fueled by growing global unrest, wars and disruptions, financial crises, and educational interruptions due to the COVID-19pandemic. Feelings of “climate anxiety” are also widely reported: many Gen Zers report that they think about the fate of the planet on a daily basis They are already seeing decreased economic opportunity and don’t assume a social safety net will be there to catch them as pensions shrink, saving for retirement gets more difficult, and the older population grows. Already, 58 percent of Gen Zers in a recent McKinsey survey reported not having a basic social need met—the largest percentage by far of any generation. But Gen Zers also report a more nuanced perspective around the stigma of mental illness than other generations. European Gen Zers seem less inclined to discriminate against people with mental illness (although they do stigmatize themselves).
Secondly, one of the first things brands need to realize if they want to appeal to the Generation Z crowd is that Generation Z is truly a digital generation. They have been online since they were young, using the internet, cell phones, social networks and even shopping at a very young age. So the internet is one of the best ways to cut through to the z-age crowd. And one of the things that they tend to pay a lot of attention to for the z-age crowd is the aesthetics of the product. They will be willing to pay for good looks.
Thirdly, a good example of how brands are responding to diversity is Nike, whose “until we all win” focus is inspiring. The brand says: “Nike believes in the power of sport to unite and inspire people to take action in their communities. Equality is not a game. But achieving it will be our biggest victory. Until we all win. Nike has also expanded its product offerings, such as full-coverage swimwear.
In the end, there are many skills necessary for personnel to succeed in a fashion brand like understanding the fashion industry . In order to be a great fashion brand manager, one must have a deep understanding of the fashion industry. Stay up to date with the latest trends, designers and brands by reading fashion magazines, attending fashion shows and following influential fashion bloggers and influencers. This knowledge will help you make informed decisions and stay ahead of the competition. As well as Marketing and branding expertise. As well as very importantly fashion is a highly creative industry and as a fashion brand manager you need to have a keen eye for aesthetics and a strong creative vision. It’s also important to be flexible and adaptable, the fashion industry is known for its fast-paced and ever-changing nature and requires flexibility and adaptability to keep up with the latest trends and industry developments. Embrace change and be open to new ideas and strategies to stay ahead of the curve in the competitive fashion landscape. One last very important point Networking skills, networking is vital in the fashion industry. Attend industry events, join professional organizations, and connect with influential individuals in the fashion industry. Building a strong network not only opens doors to new opportunities, but also provides valuable insight and guidance throughout your career.
Gen Zs and their fashion styles, which are bold and fresh.
Reference
What is gen Z? (2023) McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-gen-z (Accessed: 29 April 2024).
Panel®, E. (n.d.). Council Post: 12 Ways Brands Can Appeal To Generation Z’s Deep Convictions. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2021/05/04/12-ways-brands-can-appeal-to-generation-zs-deep-convictions/?sh=443b0f1a58d5 [Accessed 15 Oct. 2023].
Panel®, E. (n.d.). Council Post: 11 Brands That Successfully Model Diverse And Inclusive Advertising. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2022/07/15/11-brands-that-successfully-model-diverse-and-inclusive-advertising/?sh=5d3238eb57b9 [Accessed 15 Oct. 2023].
(No date a) Google. Available at: https://www.google.com.hk/search?q=gen%2Bz%2Band%2Bfashion&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwicxsCci-iFAxViBfsDHc66D3IQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=gen%2Bz%2Band%2Bfashion&gs_lp=EgNpbWciEWdlbiB6IGFuZCBmYXNoaW9uMgcQABiABBgTSI4SUABY_g5wAHgAkAEAmAE6oAHSBKoBAjEyuAEDyAEA-AEBigILZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfCAgUQABiABMICBxAAGIAEGAzCAgQQABgewgIGEAAYDBgeiAYB&sclient=img&ei=husvZpzrCuKK7M8PzvW-kAc&bih=727&biw=1194&prmd=invmbtz&hl=zh-CN#imgrc=EuH6HgyoE1L2BM (Accessed: 29 April 2024).
They are now the second youngest group in the world. In the present era, Gen Z has become a pivotal cohort driving the advancement of the fashion industry. They are characterized by their creativity and critical thinking, enabling them to form unique judgments about various matters. Born in an age of rapid internet development, they are also referred to as “digital natives“ (2023,MCKINSEY). Gen Zers are known for working, shopping, dating, and making friends online. As consumers, individual rom Generation Z exhibit consumer behaviors that are largely shaped by their pragmatic perspective on financial matters and educational pursuits. Principal determinants of their consumption patterns include a pronounced inclination towards technological advancements, a deep-rooted commitment to societal issues, and a marked sense of individualism (2023,BEWICKE). Gen zers exhibit distinct consumption patterns, largely influenced by their pragmatic perspective on financial matters and educational pursuits. Notably, their proclivity for technological advancements, commitment to societal issues, and pronounced individualism are pivotal in shaping their consumer behaviors. In contrast to earlier generations, Gen zers does not prioritize cost as the primary decision-making factor. For a product or brand to resonate with this demographic, it must present a harmonious blend of value, superior quality, and ethical integrity.
Individuals from Generation Z exhibit distinct consumer behaviors, largely influenced by their pragmatic perspectives on financial and educational matters. Additionally, their profound relationship with technology, commitment to societal causes, and marked individualism play significant roles. Each generational cohort forges an identity distinct from its predecessors. Notably, Generation Z stands out as the inaugural generation of genuine digital natives. Their formative experiences are intertwined with digital phenomena, such as online gaming and trending internet content. It is probable that during their educational years, they relied on digital devices like personal computers or tablets for note-taking(2023,GOMEZ).
In 2023, Twitch has emerged as a predominant brand favored by Generation Z. Originally launched in 2005, Twitch was conceived as a real-time broadcasting platform where individuals could showcase their daily activities. While the platform has diversified its content categories, video gaming remains its central focus. Boasting over 240 million active users monthly, Twitch commands an impressive 73% of the live streaming market share. Notably, internal data from Twitch reveals that a significant 55% of its audience comprises members of Generation Z. Further, there is a discernible positive sentiment within the Twitch community towards channel monetization and advertisement displays, presenting a lucrative avenue for potential advertisers(2023,KHALID).
Bibliography
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The fashion industry or any industry is not possible without people. People make a huge contribution into the fashion industry and these businesses can only be successful with their help. The fashion industry provides opportunities worldwide for retailers, designers, artisans etc. This industry can support people’s careers and goals to further improve this industry.
Focusing on Generation Z, known as ‘Gen Z’, are people aged around 11-26. Internet has always existed for this generation. Social media, online videos and other technological features are accessible to Gen Z. Gen Z as consumers typically believe that ongoing innovation is a guarantee. Standards are rather high for this generation and they expect more as time go by. (Wood, S., 2013) When Gen Z develop interest in a certain product or clothing research online is available to them before making decisions. As this generation have access and the privilege to use many resources, product quality is very important as well as customer service.
Figure 1 (Photo by Calla Kessler for The Washington Post)
Generation Z are now target audiences to many brands worldwide. Collaborations and partnerships are often seen happening within brands to attract Gen Z consumers. As social media plays a big role in Gen Z, many influencers who are Gen Z themselves, are seen collaborating or partnering with these brands. Gen Z are more likely to listen to influencer’s recommendations for products rather than the brand advertisements. Advertising approaches should focus on developing stimulating and interesting goods that are intriguing, desired, fresh, and innovative in order to appeal to Gen Z consumers. These goods should also help young people feel socially connected and enhance their personal development. (Adriana-Camelia, B.U.D.A.C., 2014)
Figure 2 (The Guardian 2017)
Generation Z has opened up to the world about many topics that were not easy to speak of and has now normalised many traditionalised topics. Because of this brands have opened up to diversity and inclusivity. For example, Nike has launched a ‘Nike Pro Hijab’ for Muslim female athletes as well as plus size athletic wear. All athletes and models wear Nike gear, highlighting the brand’s mission and commitment to consumers’ dreams. (Anthony, G. 2023)
For a fashion brand to be successful, people in business for the brand will require many skills however, a few that stand out are passion and ambition to contribute to the brands success. Communication is very important especially when building relationships with potential customers. As Gen Z are taking over, creativity and innovative design and ideas should be guaranteed. (Hillman, J. 2022)
Reference:
Adriana-Camelia, B.U.D.A.C., 2014. Strategic considerations on how brands should deal with generation Z. Revista Economică, 66(5).
Anthony, G. (2023) 8 examples of brands who got Multicultural Marketing Right, MILITARY | TEEN | COLLEGE | MULTICULTURAL. Available at: https://www.refuelagency.com/blog/multicultural/examples-of-brands-who-got-multicultural-marketing-right/#:~:text=All%20models%20and%20sports%20stars,going%20far%20beyond%20a%20checkbox. (Accessed: 15 October 2023).
Hillman, J. (2022) The Fashion Entrepreneur Skills You Need in 2022, James Hillman Fashion Consultancy. Available at: https://www.jameshillman.co.uk/blog/2021/1/24/the-fashion-entrepreneur-skills-you-need-in-2022 (Accessed: 15 October 2023).
Wood, S., 2013. Generation Z as consumers: trends and innovation. Institute for Emerging Issues: NC State University, 119(9), pp.7767-7779.
People is another pillar of the four pillars of the Fashion Business School. People is essential in fashion as they are the direct producers and consumers in the fashion industry. With the development of the current society, the youngest generation, Gen Z, has became more dominant in the fashion industry.
Gen Z has been known as digital natives, hence the reason that they would be able to adapt the major change between physical and digital components in the industry (McKinsey, 2020). By getting to know the internet and digital devices, the formation of Gen Z’s identity has been influenced massively by the internet. Rather than fitting into the crowd, the majority of the Gen Z consumers in the fashion industry would like to be standing out, which suggest the trend of Y2K, vintage being a major trend again. Gen Z consumers as a group also appreciate the level of involvement that brands provide with areas of equality and sustainability . The level of input on social media can also directly impact the level of interest in Gen Z. Recently, fashion luxury brands, such as Vivienne Westwood has been using 3D modelling and rendering videos of their products in a larger scale with the surrounding of the reality. By posting them onto social media, this has quickly attracted people attention, especially the Gen Z consumers.
Figure 1: Vivienne Westwood Official InstagramReels(2023)
Brands in the industry have also made changes to the mode of business in order to adapt Gen Z’s consumption habits. Changing the major advertisement method from physical stores to online advertisement has been a big change to the industry with the purpose of fitting in with the Gen Z consumers. The major fashion magazines have their own online websites which is adapting the the habit of consumption of younger consumers, especially Gen Z. Elle, a trend leading magazine, has also successfully included diversity in their editions. In the May, 2018, South Africa publication, Elle has chosen to use Winnie Harlow, who is a model representing diversity from the dominant market.
Figure 2: ELLE South Africa (May, 2018)
In order to be successful in the current fashion industry, it is important to be sensitive on the daily topic as well as the current trend. Gen Z consumers do not only look for items they would like to purchase, but also seek and absorb knowledge and additional information, especially around their interested fields.
Reference
ELLE South Africa, May 2018. Available at www.elle.co.za
Vivienne Westwood. (2023)https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyQaiCqsbXM/?igshid=YjVjNjZkNmFjNg==https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyQaiCqsbXM/?igshid=YjVjNjZkNmFjNg== What is Gen Z? , McKinsey & Company. [online] Published on 20 March 2023. Available at https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-gen-z
The pillar of People focuses on investigating all kinds of specific groups of people. It absorbs their ideas, preferences, consumption habits or other potential factors as the reference data of enterprises, so as to help enterprises make business decisions and make target consumers attracted by their products.
“Generation Z” is usually described as Gen Z, which refers to people born from 1996 to 2010. Gen Zers nowadays have lived through dramatic social events like climate crisis, epidemic lockdowns, and economic collapse. When the first crowd of Gen Z was born, it was the starting point of the rise of the Internet. Gen Z grew up with the Internet, smartphones and artificial intelligence. Gen Z has a long era span. The oldest Gen Z has begun to work independently and may shoulder loans, while the youngest group of Gen Z is still experiencing puberty. In such an era of complex social background and efficient information access, Gen Z has become an open and inclusive group.
To attract Gen Z, brands must highlight their commitment to societal challenges such as diversity, environmentalism, sustainability, climate change and world hunger. (Scott Clark, 2022)
Gen Z attaches great importance to personal uniqueness and social hot spots. Gen Zers will be more willing to cooperate and consume with enterprises and brands with the same values as themselves, as long as Gen Z is a digital aborigine, they are well aware of the marketing routines of designing media, so enterprises must truly have a sense of social responsibility, otherwise, Gen Z will easily identify some enterprises’ false propaganda for marketing purposes.
Make-up brand Fenty Beauty has proved that the brand is diversified through practical actions. Fenty Beauty opened with 40 colours of powerful foundation (now expanded to 50) and is committed to launching a foundation suitable for all races and skin tones. Fenty Beauty has subverted the beauty industry and become an industry benchmark, “it is not enough for a beauty brand to have less than 40 colours of foundation.” (Funmi Fetto, 2020)
As mentioned above, the key skill to a fashion brand with People as the centre is to always pay attention to its target customer group and analyse the customer group (or even potential customer group) thoroughly to ensure that the brand is accurate to the customer portrayal. Always update the data of target customers, such as fashion trends, economic income and social issues that they care about.
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Clark, Scott. “What Does Gen Z Really Want from Brands?” CMSWire.com, 1 Aug. 2022, www.cmswire.com/customer-experience/do-your-brands-values-align-with-those-of-gen-z/.
Fetto, Funmi. “How Fenty Beauty Changed the State of Play in the Industry.” British Vogue, 6 Apr. 2020, www.vogue.co.uk/beauty/article/rihanna-fenty-beauty-diversity.
The people’s pillar is an essential part of the fashion business, related to the relationship between the fashion industry, society, and the masses. Gen Z, which is currently discussed, is a vital consumer group closely related to the fashion industry. Generation Z uses their own culture to influence the environment of the fashion industry.
Generation Z is a group of people born between 1995 and 2006. They are representatives of contemporary young people. Generation Z is a generation seriously affected by the Internet. They are usually more realistic than Generation （Y. Sladek, S., & Grabinger, A. 2014). As consumers, Generation Z is a group of people who grew up on the Internet. Social media usually influences them in their consumption decisions. For example, under the current development of we-media networks, Generation Z likes to follow pop stars and influencers on social media to check current trends, thus affecting their consumption decisions. At the same time, Generation Z is also a group with solid self-awareness. They advocate self-please and like to pay for everything beneficial to them. For example, they prefer to consume products that can express themselves in the fashion industry. Their consumption often focuses on whether the products are good-looking and quality.
Figure 1. photo by Gatty photo
When we start to think about how brands can attract Generation Z consumers, promotion on social media has become an important part. Brands should pay attention to the interaction on social media and find some celebrities liked by Generation Z to promote and attract Generation Z. The interactivity of advertising needs to be very high. It can’t just insert an ordinary advertising copy because Generation Z often prefers authenticity and originality.
In addition, brand selection and the current trend of IP co-branding is also an excellent way to attract the z generation. There is a tea drink brand called HeyTea in China. Hey Tea is a new high-end tea drink brand. Its target customer group is Z-generation consumers pursuing quality and innovation in modern cities. (Filieri, R., & Xu, Y. 2022).The brand has attracted many Z-generation consumers through joint brands such as Fendi and Hiroshi Fujiwara. The brand co-created with Fendi by printing the Fendi logo on the beverage cup and giving away peripheral products with the Fendi logo. At the same time, he found many influencers on social media to promote products to increase product exposure, which aroused the curiosity of the masses, causing a group of consumers to post the co-branded post on social media spontaneously. This practice has also attracted more Chinese Generation Z fans to Fendi. The marketing strategy launched by the brand to cater to Generation Z is very successful.
Figure 2 photo by Writer et al., 2023
Generally speaking, all interpersonal skills are critical to the brand, especially communication skills and brand services, which will significantly enhance the image value of the brand.
Reference list
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Dwivedi, Y. K., Kapoor, K. K., & Chen, H. (2015). Social media marketing and advertising. The Marketing Review, 15(3), 289-309.
Fashion cannot exist without people, and neither can people exist without fashion. Through the many decades of fashion and its evolution and trends we have seen a vast arrangement of individuals involved. The current leaders of this space have suddenly become Gen z. Gen Z consists of people born from the late nineties until the late two-thousands, specifically 1997 to 2012 (Eldrige,A 2023). In the United States 40% of Gen Z consumers admitted to being influenced into online shopping which presents once again the evolution of the industry but in this case the consumer and economic industry of fashion (Mckinsey, 2023). During a Mckinsey study it was found out that 73% of Gen z try to make an effort to shop ethically (Mckinsey, 2023). This shows the relationship between the post millennial generation and its relationship with sustainability and the current crisis of the world and its climate. The collaboration between gen z and the climate crisis continues through influential figures such as Greta Thunberg who actually stated during an interview with Vogue that “The fashion industry is a huge contributor to the climate-and-ecological emergency,” and that most brands who display a fantasy of being ethical or sustainable are actually “nothing but greenwashing” (Greta Thunberg,2021). Not only should brands stay true to their promise of sustainability to attract Gen z they also need to adapt their marketing standpoints. Brands need to adopt a TikTok audience and market through that app to keep young gen z consumers attracted. Tik Tok has been downloaded over 1 billion times globally since its launch just 5 years ago with its fast-paced trends it’s a perfect chance for brands to create campaigns and hashtags for its young viewer’s (Marketing North,2019). Diversity is again another thing brands need to keep up with Rihanna’s Fenty and Savage x Fenty seeking to accomplish that through hiring models such as Precious lee who is and plus sized woman of colour and as she stated creates an “unprecedented level of representation” (Precious Lee,2023).It’s also extremely important and essential for brands to be doing things such as using people of all shapes, ethnicities and sizes because its represents a way huger target audience and caters to every person. The key people skills for a brand to be and maintain success would be the acknowledgment of everyone and do not be ignorant to any individual. This can be achieved through marketing and done through staying up to date with trends by employing fashion professionals because the importance of a forecaster in trend analysis is invaluable and when people feel seen or relate to what a brand offers, they want to invest their money and support a brand. In conclusion fashion cannot exist without people and people cannot exist without fashion.
“As consumers we have so much power to change the world by just being careful in what we buy” (Watson, 2023). This pillar appears to be the most essential of them all since it shares a similar denominator with the others: “it is a form that intertwines culture, identity, and creativity” (Quora). Fashion, in general, allows all consumers to freely express themselves, feel confident, and share something in common with others; it bears a great value. It is more than just trends and appearances.
Gen Z was born between 1997 and 2010, even though the exact dates vary depending on who you ask. Gen Z currently ranges in age from 11 to 24. The elder half of the generation is now legally classed as adult, and many individuals have already entered the workforce. The tail end of the generation, on the other hand, is still in school. These younger zoomers won’t gain any sort of financial independence for quite a while, and they’ll probably change our current understanding of their generation as they get older. In terms of consumption and finances, most of this generation, with the exception of the younger half, has been through defining events such as COVID-19 and the Great Recession (2007-2009). Both of these events had long-lasting consequences on the market, but many brands were able to deal with it and make it work by working with the effects that these events caused rather than working around them. Brands were able to add many more services, and online shopping was and continues to be the most popular alternative for the majority of consumers. Nonetheless, in-store purchasing retains a high value due to the increased engagement between store personnel and customers. This creates a safe environment for consumers, allowing them to accomplish more than what online buying provides. Overall, Gen Zs are well-informed and do a lot of research and weighing possibilities before committing to a brand. Because this generation is more inclined to shop online, a lot of research goes into selecting the ideal piece.
Gen Z’ers share many consumer characteristics with Millennials. In this sense, brands shouldn’t worry too much about having to completely reinvent their marketing strategy just for a specific generation. There’s no clear benefit to reactively marketing to Gen Z, and ignoring things that have worked well. However, there are some key things to consider when dealing with the Gen Z market. The best chance of capturing as many consumers as possible is being social media aware. Gen Z spend most of there time on social media, being able to engage with them in digital platforms increase the chance of them engaging back
Brands have a huge influence on consumers. It starts with what we would consider little details, but brands as a whole should emphasise their marketing approach; the way they choose to portray and display their products has a lot of value. Building partnerships with diverse artists, models from all cultural backgrounds, all shapes and colours, as well as their current brand community, they would not be able to sell and generate as much profit as they do without their consumers.”Diversity and inclusion are important in marketing because they help celebrate audiences of different backgrounds”told Amazon Ads prior to the 2022 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.Displaying clothing items on larger models, for example, does not demonstrate a commitment to a larger person; it is not inclusive of what plus-size is; rather, it is an attempt to make it appear as if they genuinely offer this range of clothing when, in fact, they do not, and this is something they could work on. Another important area that they would benefit from and could concentrate on is creating and attempting to make more sustainable things. That is, our target audience in this case is Generation Z; they are our future, and they will research and participate in this. This would imply that they will perhaps transmit this one down to the following generation in the near future.
Overall, the key to a company’s success is consistency and a consistent brand message across every platform. Developing a consistent and recognisable brand identity. This reinforces a company’s views and message, which leaves a lasting impression on customers and helps establish loyalty among clients.
Bibliography ~
Quora.com. (2021). Why Is Fashion Important ? [online] Available at:
United Nations. (2023). Ensure Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education and Promote Lifelong Learning Opportunities for All. [online] Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4. [Accessed 13 Oct. 2023].
