Kate Turner Turner

One of the four pillars that is extremely important to consider when working within the fashion industry is ‘people’. This can be considered in the form of diversity and inclusion, which in recent years has become a factor at the forefront of the majority of fashion brands. For example, racial inclusion has become a priority since the summer of 2020. This is when the fashion industry called for a change – in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, businesses of all sizes and scopes denounced racism, and committed to prioritising diversity and inclusion in all its forms (Benigson et al., 2022).

Diversity and inclusion is a goal that the fashion industry’s newest consumers, Gen Z, values greatly and so it gives fashion brands even more of an incentive to prioritise it. Gen Z as consumers are part of a new wave of ‘inclusive consumers’ and socially progressive dreamers (McKinsey & Co, 2023). They generally have strong values related to racial justice and sustainability – mobilizations like the Global Climate March, led by Gen Z activist Greta Thunberg, thrive on the activism of young people. 

Therefore, in order for a brand to attract Gen Z, they should ensure their practices comply with diversity and inclusion and present their campaigns in a way which promotes inclusion and individuality. This even applies to luxury brands, which have previously been built on the idea of exclusivity. For Gen Z consumers, luxury is no longer a status symbol but a method of self expression (Lux Digital, 2022). Additionally to attract Gen Z consumers it is important that a brand has diversity at the centre – and this generation expects brands to be thoroughly authentic and live up to their sustainability and corporate responsibility promises (Mittenfellner, 2023). Essentially a fashion brand cannot simply state that they are implementing diversity and inclusion, they should also make an effort to live up to those statements. 

One example of how a brand has done this and responded to diversity is Fenty Beauty’s brand identity. When the brand first launched, they had a huge foundation range of 40 shades which has now expanded to 59 (2023). Rihanna, the founder of the brand, aimed to make all customers feel included, but in particular aimed to change the beauty industry in terms of the inclusion of black women. This resonated with the audience as the beauty industry has a long history of excluding those who didn’t fit Eurocentric beauty standards – and it has proven to be successful with the high sales, success and popularity of the brand. Some of the most obvious proof came when the darkest shade of Fenty Beauty foundations sold out first. Which is why now, every savvy brand – and not just those in the beauty industry – is aware that without an inclusivity strategy, they have no growth strategy (Fetto, 2020). 

As well as diversity, another method for a fashion brand to be successful within the pillar of people is simply key people skills. For example, the brand Farfetch’s aims involve connecting people to meaningful work and creating a very strong sense of belonging (Keane, 2022). Due to the impact of Covid-19 and in turn the huge shift towards online working this is a skill that is extremely important to prioritise as there is high risk of a lack of belonging and connection if brands do not go out of their way to do so with their employees. 

The four pillars that are important to consider when aiming for sustainability within the fashion industry includes the planet, people, profit and purpose. The pillar of ‘planet’ is rapidly becoming a pressing matter as demonstrated by many reports such as Pulse of Fashion (2015) which stated that the fashion industry was responsible for 1.715 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2015 – consuming more energy than the aviation and shipping industry combined. They also report fashion emissions to grow by 63% by 2030, with this figure having increased since it was estimated in 2015. This is only one example of the many issues that the fashion industry is causing the planet, and one of the only ways to reduce this impact is by reducing waste.

This can be implemented by introducing a circular economy. The circular economy, as described by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2010), is a system where materials never become waste and nature is regenerated. They base it on three key principles, driven by design, which are: to eliminate waste and production, to circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and to regenerate nature. Circular design is needed in the fashion industry because there is a huge environmental impact created in the design and manufacturing stage of a product’s lifecycle. Everything from the materials to the production processes can have a dramatic impact, with a knock-on effect on how that product flows through its entire life cycle: how it is used and reused, how it typically doesn’t – but should – get recycled. (Drapers, 2022).

This is an example of what sustainability can look like in relation to fashion. The industry’s reposition towards the broader concept of design for sustainability acknowledges a holistic approach that includes a consideration of social issues within a long term product innovation strategy (Gwilt, 2020). Other sustainability goals that may have an impact and relevance to the fashion industry includes the United Nations SDGs (Sustainability Development Goals). For example, 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production (Kostoska and Kocarev, 2019). This can link back to the idea of waste reduction and how important it is to be responsible when consuming and producing fashion products in order to attempt to slow down the increasing carbon emissions involved in the production of fashion products, as well as the 66% of textiles produced that are discarded and end up in landfill each year (Lundberg and Devoy, 2022).