Emma Brown

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Purpose

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In order for a fashion brand to be successful, their purpose within the market and the wider society must be established. This can be achieved through strategy, which is a ‘journey with a vision’ according to Liz Gee (2023). It can also be the trajectory of the organisation’s achievements through its effective use of resources. This would greatly apply to a brand with a clear understanding of mission, vision and values.

Mission refers to where the brand is currently within different metrics of success, as well as the reason for its creation and perhaps the gap in the market it intends to fill. A vision is a more futuristic prediction of what goals the company hopes to achieve to maintain their success. These can be measured on a variety of time scales, with the most common being annually. A business can assess their yearly performance in relation to changing social, economic and environmental factors and update their practices where necessary. For example, the current environmental situation has resulted in a heightened focus on sustainability and the impact the current scale of production has on the environment. Therefore, a future ambition of the brand could be to increase the use of recycled materials in the context of a circular business model, which would be possible solutions within the overarching planet pillar. An exemplification of this would be Nike’s collaboration with Billie Eilish, where material waste from her prior collection was used to create a new aesthetic (Nike, 2022). Another category in a brand’s vision could be its goals towards inclusivity and diversity, as failure to do so may result in boycott of the business, particularly with a Gen Z audience. The final aspect of business purpose is values. This is what is important to the brand and how they intend to operate. There is an increasing desire for brand advocacy, as 76% of consumers would hope a brand not only supplies a product but advocates (Curry, 2020) for a socio-political cause. This can be measured by the brand advocacy map (Figure 1).

Figure 1: The Brand Advocacy Map (2020)) Available at: https://hbr.org/2020/08/how-brands-can-follow-through-on-the-values-theyre-selling [Accessed 24 Oct. 2023].

With Gen Z becoming a greater influence of purchasing power, within their own age groups through social media channels as well as their recommendations to older family members (McKinsey&Company, 2020) it is paramount for a brand to communicate their purpose. The creation of brand stories is important such as Ralph Lauren’s understanding that to create a look of history and heritage communicates a feeling of trust and timelessness and this longevity in translated into the brand (Mitterfellner, 2023).

Conclusively, purpose is a necessary component of a brand to portray concepts and attract customers. 

Curry, L. (2020). How Brands Can Follow Through on the Values They’re Selling. [online] Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2020/08/how-brands-can-follow-through-on-the-values-theyre-selling [Accessed 24 Oct. 2023].

Gee,L. (2023) ‘Welcome to Fashion Business School’ [Lecture]. FU010030: Introduction to Fashion Marketing. London College of Fashion. 26th September.

Spagnuolo, E. (2020) Meet Generation Z: Shaping the Future of Shopping McKinsey&Company[Podcast]. 4th August. Available at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/61BlUYGg67ZXfMjy6NrQHd?si=y2GVPiqNQZ6BmhDXaeCpZQ (Accessed: 24th October 2023).

Mitterfelner, O. (2023). Luxury Fashion Brand Management : Unifying Fashion with Sustainability. 1st ed. [online] London: Taylor & Francis Group. Pages 66-68. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ual/reader.action?docID=7260416 [Accessed 14 Oct. 2023].

Nike (2022). Nike x Billie Eilish AF1 Low. [online] Nike.com. Available at: https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-x-billie-eilish-af1-low [Accessed 29 Oct. 2023].

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Profit

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Despite contemporary attitudes that brands should prioritise environmental sustainability or focus more on the people in the industry, ultimately a business’ objective is to make a profit. In some cases, the ‘triple bottom line’ (Miller, 2020) is disregarded for this common bottom line, especially in an industry where current fast fashion market value worldwide is forecasted to more than double from 2021’s $91.23 billion to 2027’s $184.96 billion (Statista,2023), as shown by the increasing trajectory of Figure 1. 

Statista. (2023). Fast fashion market value forecast worldwide from 2022 to 2027 (in billion U.S. dollars). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: October 21, 2023. https://www-statista-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/statistics/1008241/fast-fashion-market-value-forecast-worldwide/

Due to the current economic climate, with inflation being a primary concern for much of the world (Berg, 2022) , businesses have to adapt in order to stay competitive. One example of this would be investment in e-commerce which has been successful in the times of the Covid-19 pandemic. As well as this, the fashion industry has always recognised the significance of opinion leaders – select individuals who pass on relevant information to their mass audiences (Mitterfellner, 2019). This was extensively done by supermodels in the 1990s, as highlighted in the recent Apple TV series ‘The Supermodels’ where the significance of household names and celebrity endorsements are shown to market products well. This is because consumers are able to relate to people they look up to, therefore increasing a brand’s need for ambassadors to generate revenue where traditional sales may not be performing their best. Environmental uncertainty could incentivise brands to reduce their impact on the environment as 76% of Gen Z consumers willing to pay a premium for ethical/ sustainable goods (McKinsey&Company, 2023). With Gen Z also being the demographic with the highest digital presence and wider acceptance for people’s differences, inclusivity becomes a significant part of fashion marketing. An example on a large scale was the 2019 MET gala theme Camp: Notes On Fashion where Hamish Bowles, a LGBTQ+ fashion critic among others, were able to express their queer identity. Many of these are displayed in Kensignton Palace today.

In this era of postmodernity, creative directors must continue to bridge the gap between creativity and commerce. One theory by Diane Crane (2012) describes this process as ‘artification’ where non-art becomes art. For example, in Karl Lagerfeld’s position as creative director for Chanel, he and his team were able to construct elaborate runway shows based on holiday destinations, which generated exposure for the brand (Mitterfelner,2023). Another way is through exhibiting archival pieces in museums or galleries, which references the creative process of fashion alongside its links to commerce. Gucci Cosmos, Gabrielle Chanel: A Fashion Manifesto, Crown to Couture and REBEL: 30 Years of London Fashion are all current exhibitions in London to date which generates profit for both the brand and the business that displays them.

Reference list:

Apple TV. (2023). Watch The Legacy – The Super Models (Series 1) – Apple TV+ (UK). [online] Available at: https://tv.apple.com/gb/episode/the-legacy/umc.cmc.76akjmgc64m1t1n4i9vjvqm88?showId=umc.cmc.1jvelve41wn4nv2fl4v2u8rgj [Accessed 4 Oct. 2023].

Berg, A. (2022). Fashion industry challenges and global disruptions | McKinsey. [online] www.mckinsey.com. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/how-current-global-trends-are-disrupting-the-fashion-industry#/ [Accessed 20 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].

Miller, K. (2020). The Triple Bottom Line: What It Is & Why It’s Important. [online] Harvard Business School Online. Available at: https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/what-is-the-triple-bottom-line [Accessed 4 Oct. 2023].

Mitterfelner, O. (2023). Luxury Fashion Brand Management : Unifying Fashion with Sustainability. 1st ed. [online] London: Taylor & Francis Group. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ual/reader.action?docID=7260416 [Accessed 14 Oct. 2023].

Mitterfellner, O. (2019). FASHION MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION : theory and practice across the fashion industry. [online] London: Routledge. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ual/reader.action?docID=5981798 [Accessed 19 Oct. 2023].

Statista. (2023). Fast fashion market value forecast worldwide from 2022 to 2027 (in billion U.S. dollars). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: October 21, 2023. https://www-statista-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/statistics/1008241/fast-fashion-market-value-forecast-worldwide/

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People

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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).

Trend Watching (2023) Available at: https://www.trendwatching.com/innovation-of-the-day/beauty-beyond-bias-glow-recipe-casts-models-sight-unseen-for-major-ad-campaign

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].

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Planet

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Planet is a pillar in the fashion industry, which is becoming increasingly more significant with regards to the climate emergency and a quest for sustainability. Sustainability has been described as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” (Brundtland, 1987) and has often been sidelined in the name of profit in our market-driven economy. 

Fashion is important to consider in this instance, particularly with the current linear model of production used. This has been described as a 3-step process of ‘take, make and waste’ (Ellen McArthur Foundation, 2021) or alternatively, the infamous term ‘fast fashion’ (Condé Nast, 2020) which negatively impacts the environment and fails to take into consideration a garment’s ‘end-of-life’ (Gwilt, 2020) stage.

Despite our current trajectory in the fashion industry, solutions are slowly increasing in number. One of these is the circular economy, which focuses on reducing waste and pollution, so that repetitive cycles of recovery and regeneration can take place (Condé Nast, 2020). This means that clothes are designed in a way that could appeal to the consumer in a recurrent fashion, perhaps as an up-cycled or reworked piece. The fashion designer Patrick McDowell’s initiative called ‘Reimagine’ demonstrates craft of use, as familiar clothes are remade or reworked to whatever the client requests, whether that be accessories or even interiors. 

Sustainability in fashion is not altogether limited to this end-of-life aspect, as all stages of production are known to be environmentally taxing on the planet (Rimarcikova, 2023). 

The UN has introduced Sustainable Development Goals in order to combat this, with the hope that by 2030, the planet will be in a better environmental position. Goal 9 within this framework is industry, innovation and infrastructure (UN, 2023) and one way of achieving this would be using recycled materials, as brands such as Stella McCartney, Patagonia and House of Sunny already do. This would satisfy the circular economy model as the end of one garment’s life marks the start of another. Also, simple innovations such as using paper bags in retail instead of plastic could greatly reduce the global problems of plastic pollution, as this extensively used packaging option could be phased out for biodegradable alternatives. Investment in renewable energy would reduce carbon emissions in the production of clothes, which is also necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Brundtland, G.H. (1987). Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future. [online] United Nations. Available at: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/5987our-common-future.pdf [Accessed 4 Oct. 2023].

Condé Nast, Centre for Sustainable Fashion and London College of Fashion (2020)a Condé Nast Sustainable Fashion Glossary.[online] www.condenast.com. Available at: https://www.condenast.com/glossary/f/fast-fashion [Accessed 7Oct. 2023]. 

Condé Nast, Centre for Sustainable Fashion and London College of Fashion (2020)b Condé Nast Sustainable Fashion Glossary.[online] www.condenast.com. Available at: https://www.condenast.com/glossary/c/circular-economy [Accessed 4 Oct. 2023]. 

‌Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2023). What is the linear economy? [online] ellenmacarthurfoundation.org. Available at:https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/what-is-the-linear-economy [Accessed 7 Oct. 2023].

Gwilt, A. (2020). The Life Cycle of a Garment. In A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion (pp. 22–45). London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.5040/9781350067059.ch-002 [Accessed 3 Oct. 2023].

patrickmcdowell. (n.d.). Reimagine. [online] Available at: https://patrickmcdowell.co.uk/pages/reimagine [Accessed 7 Oct. 2023].

Rimarcikova, K. (2023) Planet Earth and Fashion lecture [Accessed 2 Oct. 2023].

UN (2023). The Sustainable Development Goals Report Special Edition. [online] United Nations. Available at: https://ual-moodle-sitedata.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/9b/6a/9b6a64041b4f79fe0c4219930aed42073c61c12d?response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3D%22The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2023.pdf%22&response-content-type=application%2Fpdf&X-Amz-Content-Sha256=UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIA2PCH3OG65JHUZNKL%2F20231006%2Feu-west-2%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20231006T130200Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=21540&X-Amz-Signature=d987fba61bee70dbf4d359cb3c85ac86f8d05bfa77a347e3856e18ac11ee11c9 [Accessed 6 Oct. 2023].

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my (current) favourite fashion brand

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Currently, my favourite fashion brand would have to be Chanel, after recently doing research on the history of this iconic fashion house. In watching the BBC2 programme, ‘Coco Chanel Unbuttoned’ I have gained a historic insight in how the brand came into fruition. Affectionately named ‘Coco’, Gabrielle Chanel had a tragic childhood which resulted in her movement to a convent.This is likely to have influenced her understanding of female empowerment in the patriarchal society she grew up in, as she looked on the nuns there as role models. Her mindset is not the only influence she gained from this experience, as it is thought that her traditional black and white colour palette was resemblant of their uniform. Chanel is also known for her use of pearls to pair with simplistic designs, which could be compared to the rosary of the Catholic convent. 

Despite having a plethora of important men in her life, Chanel only used them for her own gain, which highlights her proto-feminist attitudes! For example, her first true love ‘Boy’ Capel financially supported her in her hat business, which became the first step in her fashion journey. Many socialite women had fled to French seaside towns and she recognised the absence of hat makers and ateliers and put this to her own use. During this time, she designed the 1920s flapper dress which is greatly referenced in contemporary society as synonymous with the roaring 20s. These garments were often tasseled, which caused them to crease less, as Chanel’s main priority was to make women comfortable, which is unusual considering the presentation of upper class women at the time. This becomes the focal point of her designs. She also spent 10 years of her life with the Duke of Westminster and his friend Sir Winston Churchill. By experiencing British society, she was able to continue her work, as she saw how men could be comfortable in their sports with a jersey material. She began experimenting with this fabric, which led to the androgynous appearance of skirts and trousers which she designed and modelled herself. Also, in England, she became interested in tweed, which began to feature in her slightly later collections, a whole wall of which are on display in the V&A’s sold-out exhibition ‘Gabrielle Chanel: A Fashion Manifesto, which I have been lucky enough to visit. 

Finally, her debut of couture collections around the 1950s mean she was also responsible for creating the hype around the little black dress. As Chanel had experienced much grief throughout her life, she is said to have rebranded black, less as a colour of mourning and more of sophistication and simplicity. This remains relevant today particularly in night-life around the world where this is still a common staple. As a result, her legacy and influence as a fashion icon and her subsequent fashion house has led me to respect her all the more and decide to share why this is my favourite brand at the time. Not only did she revolutionise female dress, she also played a huge part in the perfume, jewellery, hat and accessories business. Her iconography and influence on the fashion world continue to remain prevalent today, particularly her mentality that ‘fashion should die and die quickly, in order for commerce to survive’ as she told Paul Morand for the semi-autobiographical book ‘The Allure of Chanel’.

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