Pia Walker

About Pia Walker

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Purpose

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A brand’s purpose can be seen as just making money however it is the reason why a brand exists, what they are aiming to achieve are and how they achieve it. It is crucial that a brands values match their product and production methods. Having a strategy gives an advantage to brands throughout changing environments and economys and helps fulfil expectation and the aims of a brand. (Johnson et all, 2011) 

By a brand sharing their philosophy it can create a stronger, more loyal bond for the consumers. Transparency and responsibility are crucial to attract loyal consumers who identify themselves with a brand. Within larger brands such as John Lewis, it is obvious that their identity is the main selling point. In 2018, John Lewis achieved a profit of £3,961 million, which was their largest revenue between 2009 and 2023 (Statista, 2023). However in the 2018 Christmas advert, arguably their most important selling point and a way to showcase their mission, vision and values, the only item available to buy was a piano which cost over £3000. This proved that despite their advert not showing a multitude of products the brand was still able to achieve a high profit. A philosophy must align with consumer beliefs, consumers, especially Gen Z are becoming much more aware of the environmental and societal impacts within the fashion industry and with there being so many cheap, available brands to choose from companies have to have a strong identity in order to encourage consumers to put their trust in the brand. 

To follow through on core values within smaller businesses Co design fashion can be used. It involves working with customers to develop customized, enduring garments. In some smaller brands, producers offer unique and personalized services and sometimes enable the wearers to engage in the creative process. Having meaningful relationships with designers can encourage gen z to buy from a brand and stay loyal during competitive times. (Gwilt, A, 2014). In order to attract Gen Z it is important that a company takes responsibility for their impact on society. Sustainable policies and practices within a brand help to attract Gen Z customers who demand purpose and accountability. Brands such as TOMS perform sustainable corporate social responsibility practices and communicate their purpose through giving in-depth detail into the practices within their business. Their products are made using vegan materials and sustainable practices. On the website the section “How we give” provides easily accessible, in-depth detail to how the brand give back to the community in various ways, they are accountable for their environmental impacts and for the people they employ and communities in need. (Londrigan, M.P., & Jenkins, J.M., 2018)

Londrigan, M.P., & Jenkins, J.M. (2018) “Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability.” https://www-bloomsburyfashioncentral-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/encyclopedia-chapter?docid=b-9781501317798&tocid=b-9781501317798-chapter3&pdfid=9781501317798.ch-003.pdf (accessed 27/10/2023) 

Gwilt, A (2014) “A practical guide to sustainable fashion” https://www-bloomsburyfashioncentral-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/encyclopedia-chapter?docid=b-9781350067059&tocid=b-9781350067059-chapter7&pdfid=9781350067059.ch-007.pdf (accessed 28/10/2023)

John Lewis revenue 2023, Statista (2023). https://www.statista.com/statistics/420216/john-lewis-revenue-uk-united-kingdom/. (Accessed 28/10/2023)

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Profit

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Profit can be used as a measure of success within a business, it is defined as money that is earned in trade or business after paying the costs of producing and selling goods and services. (Cambridge dictionary). It is assumed that a business’s main objective is to make a profit however with growing concerns over the environment, equality and accountability from Gen z consumers, businesses must adhere to these factors as well as their goal of profit.

In 2022, the revenue of the global market was estimated at $1.52 trillion with China and the USA accounting for 41%.(Statista., 2023) The industry experienced 18 months of robust growth between early 2021 and mid 2022, after Covid 19 lockdown restrictions were lifted in parts of the world (McKinsey., 2022). Hyperinflation has already resulted in declining rates of consumption in 2022 and 2023. The luxury sector however is expected to outperform the rest of the industry, it’s expected to grow between 5-10% in 2023 in China and the US. In Europe however with high pressure from currency rates and the growing energy crisis the growth in the luxury sector is likely to result in modest growth in the luxury sector. (McKinsey 2022) 

Uncertainty within the industry is rife, with many consumers, especially in Europe having less disposable income due to cost-of-living crisis. Successful social media campaigns are crucial in order to attract consumers. A study by SDL in 2014 revealed that 5 out of 6 millennials connect with companies on social media platforms (Hethorn, J & Ulasewicz, C., 2015). Companies who pay attention to consumers beliefs such as trying to stop further climate change will have a better chance at staying competitive. A 2011 pew survey found that millennials are more supportive of stricter environmental laws and are more likely to favour environmentally friendly policies. With the internet it is easy to research brands and see whether they are adhering to environmentally friendly practices. Millennials and Gen Z are more likely to pay for more responsibly made products and 80% say they want to work for companies that care about their impacts on the climate. 

Karl Lagerfeld’s work with Fendi and Chanel is a great example of how creative directors combine creativity and commerce. Whilst working with Fendi, Lagerfeld was behind the scenes. After 50 years as creative director, they created the Fendi book and the Karlito fur toy design, this started a wide trend of furry bag accessories across the industry, which is still popular today and creates revenue within brands of all price points. Lagerfeld then became the openly showed face of Chanel where he created impression insulations and brought Chanel’s heritage to life through film and photographs used in advertising. (Mitterfellner, 2023)

Statista (2023) ‘Global apparel market – statistics and facts’  https://www.statista.com/topics/5091/apparel-market-worldwide/#topicOverview (accessed 19/10/2023)

Hethorn, J & Ulasewicz, C (Eds) (2015) ‘Sustainable fashion, what’s next?’

https://www-bloomsburyfashioncentral-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/encyclopedia-chapter?docid=b-9781501312250&tocid=b-9781501312250-chapter4&pdfid=9781501312250.ch-004.pdf (accessed 19/10/2023) 

McKinsey & Company (2022) ‘The state of fashion 2023: Holding onto growth as global clouds gather’

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/state-of-fashion (accessed 20/10/2023)

Mitterfellner, O (2023) Luxury fashion brand management: Unifying fashion with sustainability https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ual/reader.action?docID=7260416 (accessed 19/10/2023)

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People

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People play arguably the most important role in the fashion industry, the relationship between brands and their consumers is vital as all transactions are built on a mutual trust in each other. Gen Z identity has been shaped by the digital age, climate anxiety, and covid 19. They believe in doing their part to stop further climate change, encourage greater equality for all, and demand accountability. However with everchanging trends, exacerbated by social media and influencers, consumers are encouraged to buy more clothing and dispose of items from previous trends more rapidly than ever. These habits are supported by fast fashion retailers supplying accessible clothing; for example shein adds over 6,000 new products a day to their website. (BoF and McKinsey State of Fashion Survey., 2022)

Reoccurring fashion from previous eras has encouraged Gen Z to buy from vintage stores and 2nd hand platforms. Fashion resale has experienced massive growth thanks to Gen Z which helps lengthen the lifecycle of a garment. (McKinsey & company., 2023) However it has created an opportunity for fast fashion dupes which are more likely to be cheaper and have more product range. In order to attract Gen Z consumers brands such as ASOS have released a marketplace within their website with over 600 second hand brands and boutiques. This attracts consumers as ASOS is an online store with easy returns and quick payment including apple pay which helps to complete transactions.  

Diversity refers to the recognition and respect for differences between individuals, communities, and cultures. (Conde Nast glossary., 2020) Diversity within the industry can include showcasing a wide array of ethnicities and body types on runways/advertisement and producing products suitable for them. Fenty has been praised for working with an array of diverse, talented people and producing makeup and lingerie for all. Shaholly Ayers is a congenital amputee and was the first model to walk at New York fashion week without a prosthetic. She said working with Rihanna was ‘unreal’ and she was proud to be part of the most inclusive production she’s ever done. (Forbes, Cat-Wells, K., 2021)

Key people skills needed in the new fashion industry are AI and technology skills and knowledge. Skills are vital in order to stop AI replacing jobs currently completed by humans. Gen Z are responsive to social media and website adds, personalised adds produced with the help of AI therefore are an important marketing strategy. A study published by Robert Williams reported that Gen Z typically want the information they receive to be targeted and personalised. 38% prefer online ads to be related to their browsing history. (Williams, R., 2019) Strengthening the relationship between Gen z and companies and adapting to the changes needed will not only help increase revenue but will lead to a more inclusive, sustainable, and reliable industry.

References:

Francis, T and Hoefel, F (2018) ‘True Gen’: generation Z and it’s implications for companies. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies#/ (Accessed 10/10/2023)

McKinsey & Company (2023) ‘What is Gen Z’ https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-gen-z (Accessed 10/10/2023)

BoF & McKinsey (2022) ‘The state of Fashion 2022’ p.50 https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/industries/retail/our%20insights/state%20of%20fashion/2022/the-state-of-fashion-2022.pdf?shouldindex=false&cid=other-eml-mtg-mip-mck&hlkid=9a0c54ae82f2464c967755e3f1700654&hctky=1926&hdpid=323e04d8-b0a2-4478-8ee2-cb5d3ea127ef (Accessed 10/10,2023)

Cat-Wells (2021) ‘Shaholly Ayers on Savage X Fenty: A more inclusive fashion and advertising landscape.’ https://www.forbes.com/sites/keelycatwells/2021/10/16/shaholly-ayers-on-savage-x-fenty-a-more-inclusive-fashion-and-advertising-landscape/?sh=1cc0c6ab1d43 (Accessed 12/10/2023)

Condé Nast glossary (2020) https://www.condenast.com/glossary/key-elements-of-fashion-and-sustainability/diversity (Accessed 13/10/2023)

Williams, R (2019) ‘Study: Gen Z opts for personalised, interactive content over privacy’ https://www.marketingdive.com/news/study-gen-z-opts-for-personalized-interactive-content-over-privacy/556101/?referrer_site=www.mobilemarketer.com (Accessed 13/10/2023)

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Planet

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Sustainable fashion is a term for producing merchandise whilst considering the social and environmental impacts, in order to create a more ethical supply chain. The fashion industry is responsible for over 11715 million tonnes of CO2 emissions and 93 billion cubic meters of water annually. (Geneva environment network, 2023) Without efforts to avert heating above 1.5C this could trigger a cascade of events leading to irreversible damage to the global climate system and further warming. (Yale environment 360, 2023) However with consumption rapidly increasing meaning 3x more natural resources will be needed by 2050, this seems impossible.

Efforts are being made to change the circular economy as the current system leads to 75% of discarded clothing ending up in landfill or being incinerated. According to the Conde Nast sustainable fashion glossary, the average cost per tonne of landfill is £100, costing the UK economy up to £82 million a year. (Williams D; Burcikova M; Needham S et al., 2019) The vision for the circular economy focuses on 3 areas; new business models to increase clothing use, safe and renewable inputs, and solutions to turn used clothes into new. Brands such as Patrick McDowell have started to implement these ideas, such as using discard materials such as Swarovski jewels and recycling them into new collections. To decrease the companies waste with their collection ‘Cinderella shall go to the football’ the brand has agreed to do repairs, alterations and completely transform worn pieces. The aim being to stop garments from only being worn a few times then discarded.

Responsible consumption and production is one of the UN sustainable development goals, 62 countries plus the EU have introduced 485 policies for sustainable consumption and production shifts and 70% of monitored companies released sustainability reports in 2021, 3x the amount in 2016. (UN the sustainable development goals report, Guterres A, 2023) Once a garment is purchased its known as the ‘Use phase’. This stage of consumption includes wearing, laundering, and repairing garments. Studies have shown that most environmental impacts are created during this phase mainly due to laundering. Although large amounts of textile waste can be attributed to wasteful production methods, it’s also attributed to poor consumer care methods, early disposal of items, lack of repair skills and recycling. Therefore it’s important that designers and producers understand how garments are used and discarded so they can remanufacture/produce new garments to improve the pattern of use. Responsible production however is difficult to improve as the industry’s made up of a global network of suppliers, producers, and retailers and to make improvements involves leasing with multiple stakeholders all working under different laws and legislations. (Gwilt A, 2014)

Overall, it’s important that brands are held accountable for their addition to the global climate crisis. Brands need to be transparent with their production process so consumers have full knowledge before deciding to purchase their products.

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My favourite brand

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Anthropologie

Anthropologie is a US based brand owned by the URBN group. It was founded in 1992 and has opened over 200 stores worldwide. The brand pride themselves with their in store and online appearance, they achieve this aesthetic by working with talented in store artists and visual merchandisers who help make each store unique and help to strengthen brand identity.

The URBN group has 3 main brands which cater to different demographics, Anthropologies key demographic being affluent, creative women in their 30s-40s. However the brand is still inclusive and attractive to a wider range of customers as they offer a large variety of products such as homeware and furniture. Artist collaborations and sub brands is what attracts me most to Anthropologie. Artists such as Nathalie Lété, and brands such as Maeve specialise in key products helping to give the brand more variety and cater to different consumer tastes.

Although Anthropologie is considered to be a fast fashion brand, they are working towards using more responsible sourcing, renewable resources, and working with more sustainable brands such as SWK who specialise in sustainable denim. They collaborate with charity partners such as The Nature Conservancy (TNC). Between November 2022 and December 2023 Anthropologie, in conjunction with other URBN brands, helped to donate $100,000 to TNC.

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