People Pillar
‘People’ forms another key pillar of the fashion industry. This pillar relates to both consumers and producers of fashion, with Gen Z currently forming a key focus group. As consumers, Gen Z have been described as ‘mostly educated about brands and the realities behind them’ (Francis and Hoefel, 2018) and as having ‘intentions to purchase ethically’ (Walters, 2021). Gen Z, generally due to their familiarity with the Internet, have been exposed to the truth behind their clothing’s origins more than any generation before them. An emphasis on ethical consumption now persists in Gen Z, however limitations in access to ethically produced garments and information on how brands’ labour is sourced have made translating care about working conditions into industrial change exceedingly difficult. Gen Z also place large emphasis on diversity in brands’ advertising yet also within brands in aspiration for a more equitable society- ‘If a brand advertises diversity but lacks diversity within its own ranks, that contradiction will be noticed’ (Francis and Hoefel, 2018). To this end, many brands have begun using far more diverse groups of models and body types to advertise their clothing. A key example of this is Selkie, a brand selling primarily dresses which recently displayed an extremely diverse runway, including models with varying body types and skin tones. The positive reception this received from the brand’s primarily Gen Z audience highlights the appreciation Gen Z has for diversity. In this way, brands can appeal to Gen Z by utilising a diverse cast of models to display their collections. Gen Z also have an appreciation for collections and garments from diverse sources, however. While diversity in models and advertising is crucial to a Gen Z audience, ethical production is also very appealing to much of the generation- though a large proportion of brands claiming this are not being truthful. To appeal to this specific group, brands must utilise a diverse group of models and claim to be producing garments ethically. While Gen Z intend to consume ethically, brand deception and price limitations make this typically difficult to fully realise.
References:
Francis, T., & Hoefel, F. (2018). True Gen’: Generation Z and its implications for companies. McKinsey & Company, 12, 1-10.
Walters, P. (2021). Are generation Z ethical consumers?. In Generation Z Marketing and Management in Tourism and Hospitality: The Future of the Industry (pp. 303-325). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
McKinsey’s ‘What is Gen Z’ https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-gen-z#/
Draper’s ‘Gen Z and Millennials 2022’ report https://www.drapersonline.com/guides/gen-z-and-millennials-2022
‘Selkie’ brand story https://selkiecollection.com/pages/about-selkie