People

One of the four pillars is ‘People,’ and according to Carlsen, the pillar aims to ‘end poverty in all forms and ensure dignity and equality’ (Carlsen, 2023), expressing the importance of inclusivity. A prime example of this is shown within the issue of gender stereotypes in comparison to the modern approach focus of diversity. Mulvey’s theory of ‘the male gaze’ (1975) explains the objectification of women and how their physicality’s are used to attract a male audience. An experiment conducted by Fredrickson, Roberts, Noll, Quinn, & Twenge (1997) explored the different reactions people had when wearing a swimsuit in comparison to a jumper, which resulted to ‘only women’ facing ‘self-objectification and increased body shame’ leading to psychological issues such as ‘restrained eating’. Insecurities could also be created through social media since the rise of online platforms in the 2000’s and the representations of body and fashion ideals being more accessible than ever. Gottlieb (2001) found that during this time, ‘more than 670 000 liposuction procedures were performed’ in America alone as well as ‘about 244,000 facelifts’- seen as cosmetic surgeries (aren’t health related). The ASPS ‘2020 Plastic Surgery Report’ expressed the continuation of the gender difference as ‘92% of all cosmetic procedures’ were carried upon the female audience in comparison to the ‘8%’ of men. Later, Adam & Galinsky’s theory of ‘enclothed cognition’ (2012) explored the idea that clothes and the way we look do in fact effect humans psychologically, which supports humans need for physical change to this day. 

Model of State Self-objectification in Women. [Digital Image]. (2018). Experimental Studies on State Self-Objectification: A Review and an Integrative Process Model – PMC (nih.gov)

Plastic Surgery Statistics Report. [Digital Image]. (2020). 2020 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report

Despite the negative appearance impacts of social media, the internet has allowed better communication, which is an important skill within the Gen Z demographic and fashion business. The language of fashion aims to be inclusive and sustainable to be successful and can only achieve this through the feedback of its consumers. Moran explored the different attributes in which Gen Z has impacted fashion and found that ‘61.6%… say they are familiar with the concept of the metaverse, compared with 39.5% of millennials’, which influenced companies such as Balenciaga to collaborate with digital games like Fortnite. Brands are advised to consider investing within the metaverse as it ‘could be an £627bn market opportunity by 2024’ (Moran, 2022). 

Benefits of using Social Media in the Fashion Industry. [Digital Image]. (N.D). https://bulk.ly/social-media-in-the-fashion-industry/

Gen Z has influenced companies to change, as 10% make more effort to be ethical (Smith, 2020). For Example, Koi Footwear, a popular vegan footwear brand, which uses a ‘eco-friendly waterborne coating technique’ and ‘cuts energy consumption by 55%’ saving ‘95%’ of water, gained popularity with their inclusivity through their wide range of styles paired with affordable prices, allowing those who cannot afford more luxury sustainable items fulfil their ethical needs.  

Koi Footwear: Our Edits Style List . [Digital Image]. (2023). https://www.koifootwear.com/

word count = 437 (10% leniency)

References:

Adam, H., & Galinsky, A. D. (2012). Enclothed cognition. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 48(4), 918–925. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2012.02.008

Admin. (2023). What is “Enclothed Cognition?” Henry a. Davidsen. https://henrydavidsen.com/what-is-enclothedcognition/#:~:text=Defining%20Enclothed%20Cognition,that%20in%20the%20next%20section).

Carlsen, L. (2023). The state of the ‘People’ pillar by 2022 A partial ordering-based analysis of the sustainable development goals 1–5. World Development Sustainability, 2, 100071. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wds.2023.100071

Directo-Meston, D. (2021, September 21). The Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/shopping/balenciaga-fortnite-fashion-collection-1235017456/

Fredrickson, B. L., Roberts, T., Noll, S. M., Quinn, D. M., & Twenge, J. M. (1998). That swimsuit becomes you: Sex differences in self-objectification, restrained eating, and math performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(1), 269–284. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.75.1.269

García‐Ortega, B., Galán-Cubillo, J., Montes, F. J. L., & De Miguel Molina, B. (2023). Sufficient consumption as a missing link toward sustainability: The case of fast fashion. Journal of Cleaner Production, 399, 136678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136678

Gottlieb, S. (2001, March 3). Plastic surgery rockets as baby boomers search for youth and beauty. PubMed Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1174731/#:~:text=More%20than%20670%20000%20liposuction,from%2037%20000%20in%201990).

Jackson, L. M. (2023, July 14). The Invention of “the Male Gaze.” The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/books/second-read/the-invention-of-the-male-gaze

Kahalon, R., Shnabel, N., & Becker, J. C. (2018). Experimental Studies on State Self-Objectification: A review and an Integrative Process model. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01268

Maguire, L. (2021, September 20). Balenciaga launches on Fortnite: What it means for luxury. Vogue Business. https://www.voguebusiness.com/technology/balenciaga-launches-on-fortnite-what-it-means-for-luxury

Moran, G. (2022, May 10). Gen Z and Millennials 2022 – Drapers. Drapers. https://www.drapersonline.com/guides/gen-z-and-millennials-2022

Ortiz-Ospina, E. (2023, May 25). The rise of social media. Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/rise-of-social-media#:~:text=Social%20media%20started%20in%20the,media%20as%20we%20know%20it.

Xafis, V., Schaefer, G. O., Labude, M. K., Zhu, Y., & Hsu, L. Y. (2020). The perfect moral storm: Diverse ethical considerations in the COVID-19 pandemic. Asian Bioethics Review, 12(2), 65–83. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41649-020-00125-3

Young, A. (2022, June 17). How to use social media in the fashion industry to launch new styles | Bulkly. Bulkly. https://bulk.ly/social-media-in-the-fashion-industry/