People
People are integral to the fashion industry, as producers, consumers and stakeholders. This applies throughout the supply chain, from agriculture to manufacturing to production, consumption and end-of-life. Despite the rise of AI and other technologies, fashion could still arguably be the most human labour-intensive manufacturing industry (De Castro, 2021) which means the significance of human welfare within these chains should rank highly in a brands corporate social responsibility (Stobierski, 2021).
In order to understand consumer habits, business will often segment their target markets into the generations of life, although some social scientists believe this reduces the individuality of a person’s choices. Gen Z are the first generation to grow up with technology integrated in their everyday lives, sometimes called ‘digital natives’. This is reflected by the high percentage of Gen Z on social media, such as 60% of Tiktok’s one billion (and increasing) users. As consumers they are ‘generally known for [their] idealism’ for a more inclusive environment which was somewhat rejected by older generations. As a result of ongoing environmental worries, they are also more likely to support sustainable practices, with 73% trying to purchase from ethical companies (McKinsey&Company,2023).
A brand who has responded to this inclusive and diverse mindset of Gen Z is a beauty brand called Glow Recipe. Recently, a blind casting was held, so that fans of this brand would be able to feature in the advertising campaigns, without the stereotypical features over the usual commercial model (Toom, 2023) This was achieved by censoring any definitive appearance characteristics, as well as names for unconscious bias. Consequently, the advertisement featured people from many different backgrounds, which is known to be important as relatability to the target audience would increase hopefully increase sales. The most obvious example of a brand who achieved a similar goal to this is Fenty Beauty. Singer-songwriter Rihanna developed a makeup line in 2018 which revolutionised the makeup industry for darker skin tones (Fetto, 2020). Following this, her lingerie brand Savage x Fenty featured all body types and skin tones in their advertising, which demonstrated the significance of inclusion in advertising (Cat-Wells, 2021).
Consequently, for a fashion brand to be as successful as these, they must recognise the consumption patterns of each generation and act accordingly. Increasing need for data analysis shows are more digitised approach to people which is significant in this modern era. Ability to use technology is important, as this is incorporated in the majority of the marketing mix lately. However, brands must also view inclusion, diversity and sustainability as paramount to the needs of future generations.
Cat-Wells, K. (2021). Shaholly Ayers On Savage X Fenty: A More Inclusive Fashion And Advertising Landscape. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/keelycatwells/2021/10/16/shaholly-ayers-on-savage-x-fenty-a-more-inclusive-fashion-and-advertising-landscape/.
De Castro, O. (2021). LOVED CLOTHES LAST : the joy of repairing, rewearing and caring for your clothes. S.L.: Penguin Life.
Fetto, F. (2020). How Fenty Beauty Changed The State Of Play In The Industry. [online] British Vogue. Available at: https://www.vogue.co.uk/beauty/article/rihanna-fenty-beauty-diversity [Accessed 13 Oct. 2023].
McKinsey&Company ed., (2023). What is Gen Z? | McKinsey. [online] www.mckinsey.com. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-gen-z#/ [Accessed 10 Oct. 2023].
Stobierski, T. (2021). What is corporate social responsibility? 4 types. [online] Harvard Business School Online. Available at: https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/types-of-corporate-social-responsibility [Accessed 13 Oct. 2023].
Toom, L. den (2023). Beauty beyond bias: Glow Recipe casts models sight unseen for major ad campaign. [online] www.trendwatching.com. Available at: https://www.trendwatching.com/innovation-of-the-day/beauty-beyond-bias-glow-recipe-casts-models-sight-unseen-for-major-ad-campaign [Accessed 10 Oct. 2023].