People

People is the second of the four pillars of sustainability. This pillar focuses on both aspects of people involved in sustainable development from inside businesses to the consumers who are using and buying the products or garments. This is especially true in Generation Z, who have a focus on being environmentally conscious and expecting other companies to share their values when it comes to climate change and how to reduce it. Gen Z also have a more inclusive outlook of the world meaning that they support all communities and believe that everyone should be follow that belief. In addition, due to the internet being more accessible to Gen Z, it has caused them to be more technologically (McKinsey and Company, 2023).

When it comes to attracting Gen Z, brands need to identify that there are new ways to communicate and entice consumers as attitudes are developing in a new interconnected world through social media, inclusivity and global warming conscious behaviour. Gen Z can be attracted by updating the marketing mix from the 4 Ps to the 4 Ds: diversity, design, desire, digitalisation (Mitterfellner, 2023). By reinventing the way that products are conveyed to Gen Z, it allows their values to be considered, making Gen Z more likely to be interested in the brand. Diversity is having a variety of different trade routes and being more global to ensure that no demographic is left out or treated differently. This can also involve having a more diverse workforce within a brand, making sure that everyone is treated equally, which is an important value for Gen Z. Design is pushing to use more technology and looking after the planet. This includes using computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) to make sure that the product is at its highest quality. Design also involves responsibly producing products or garments, which aligns strongly with Gen Z’s attitude to look after the planet. Desire looks at looks at decision factors of buying a product, which are especially important in Gen Z as they look at sustainability, brand image and the products story, not just the price. Lastly, digitalisation focuses on how communication channels are shifting to online platforms such as social media and influencers, which is how Gen Z will primarily see advertisements.

An example of a brand that has responded to diversity is Victoria’s Secret. In the past Victoria’s Secret was known for not being very inclusive and focusing on showcasing slim women only, which didn’t show much diversity. However, Victoria Secret’s marketing has been prominent on social media explain that they have been renovated and have included a wide range of different women in their new tour shows (Fernandez, 2023). By doing this, Victoria’s Secret have indicated that they want to grow and be more inclusive in the fashion industry.

For a fashion brand to be successful in today’s society, the key people skills have to follow current values, such as inclusivity and sustainability. A good template for this are the inner development goals which emphasise how people in themselves can reach to achieve a sustainable planet through Sustainable Development Goals (Inner Development Goals, 2023). These include: inner-compass, openness and learning mindset; and empathy and compassion. By having these skills, it ensures that businesses have a workforce that are dedicated to a brighter future, equality and the success of the business.

Bibliography:

C, Fernandez. (2023) ‘Victoria’s Secret returns to TV -but its challenges are bigger than branding’, Financial Times, (Online) Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/5d40d725-24ea-480f-8c9c-05d281006e79 (Last Accessed 13th October 2023)

O, Mitterfellner. (2023) ‘Luxury Fashion Brand Management: Unifying Fashion with Sustainability‘, ProQuest Ebook Central (Online) Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ual/reader.action?docID=7260416 (Last Accessed 11th October 2023)

McKinsey and Company. (2023) ‘What is Gen Z?‘ (Online) Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/featured%20insights/mckinsey%20explainers/what%20is%20gen%20z/what-is-gen-z.pdf (Last Accessed 12th October 2023)

Inner Development Goals. (2023) ‘IDG Framework‘ (Online) Available at: https://www.innerdevelopmentgoals.org/framework (Last Accessed 15th October 2023)