PEOPLE
To live is to continuously meet new people of all ages and backgrounds. This means we are constantly developing as individuals, as we continue to expand our knowledge of different cultures and generations, this development also directly applies to fashion. With the introduction of each generation, it entails the progression of fashion trends and ideologies. Most recently and notably, Gen Z has brought more sustainable and individualistic ideas forward in the industry, urging companies to bring attention to 3 core ideas ‘consumption as access rather than possession, consumption as an expression of individual identity, and consumption as a matter of ethical concern.’ (McKinsey & Company, 2018). Examples of developments brought forth from gen z ideologies would be the rise of second-hand fashion, with the creation of brands such as Vinted and Depop. Brands are required to follow the changing standards of fashion; this can be achieved through being transparent about the goals of their company and using social media as a form of marketing to attract Gen Z consumers. Another main idea that Gen Z advocates for within fashion is diversity, this is a core factor that determines wether they will abandon a purchase or not. For example, roughly 46.8% of Gen Z members have refrained from making a purchase that contradicted their values and a majority think that it is fairly important that a brand is pro-diversity and pro-equality (Drapers, 2022).
(Drapers, 2022). This notion has had an influence on the fashion industry, most recent and notably with the 2023 Victoria Secret runway show which included many different races and sizes of models, promoting diversity. However, in this case, rather than being progressive, it may be seen as a controversial choice due to the hesitation in past years to include diversity in their shows. For a brand to be able to approach progressive ideas, they need to have people skills, this refers to qualities such as being able to communicate with your target consumers by listening and having empathy. These skills are key with the coming times as Gen Z are more involved and critical consumers, therefore developing these skills is crucial to be able to attract the new generations. A brand who uses people skills to attract a Gen Z audience would be Jaded London, they use social media, specifically TikTok, to communicate with their customers and it has proved to be successful as they gained major popularity and traction from TikTok advertising alone.
References:
Moran, G. (2022) Drapers, Gen Z and Millennials 2022
https://www.drapersonline.com/guides/gen-z-and-millennials-2022 (Accessed: 14/10/23)
Francis, T. and Hoefel, F., 2018. True Gen’: Generation Z and its implications for companies. McKinsey & Company, 12.
https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/true-gen- generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies (Accessed: 11/10/23)