Louise Harris

About Louise Harris

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Profit

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Fashion is more than wearing clothes for functionality, it’s where the world of art and clothing merge. Only the richest members of society, like royalty, were able to the different fabrics and craftsmanship required to create a fashionable garment years ago (Crane, 2000). Although fashion is more accessible now, there is still exclusivity in luxury fashion through the combination of artistic design, price point and marketing. In today’s society, how does the blurring of lines between fashion and art influence consumers’ shopping habits, and therefore profits?

The fashion industry is multifaceted and broad, with its contribution to the global economy valued at 2.5 trillion dollars before the pandemic (McKinsey, 2022). It’s not only about clothing; ‘a fashion ecosystem needs a range of retailers, a strong youth culture, museums, galleries and other cultural institutions’ (Corner, 2014). Selfridges use this ecosystem to their advantage and showcase art installations across their locations. This has led to a 28% year-on-year growth, at £843.7 million in the 2022 fiscal year (Beevers, 2023). Even the way clothes are merchandised can be seen as an art form. Research has shown that people experience similar positive emotions when they judge fashion displays as beautiful as they do when they look at traditional paintings (Cheung et al., 2019). By having displays that can be perceived as art in themselves, companies can see substantial growth in profits.

Aesthetic pleasure can be gained from viewing beautiful displays, however there is also a social motivation to buy and wear clothes that have artistic value. One study found that people who wear clothing with visible logos are often perceived as ‘higher in status, more intelligent, and attractive’ (Razmus & Fortuna, 2022). Brands need to understand the desire to be seen as successful in their creative processes and marketing strategies to stay profitable. A perfect example of this is Virgil Abloh, who founded the brand ‘Off-White.’ He drew inspiration from various cultural aspects, including streetwear, art, and music. His trailblazing designs celebrated creativity while keeping a high price to maintain desirability. The Off-White tag is now a symbol of wealth and status.

The fusion of art and clothing has revolutionised the fashion industry; clothes are no longer to only stay warm and provide protection, they are a way to display status. Brands who use this to enhance our shopping experience turn their stores into galleries of modern fashion. This impacts our shopping habits as consumers, as it turns our clothing into a form of self-expression, affecting both our own and other’s perspectives. This ability that clothing has encourages us to spend more money on our image, boosting the profits of these companies.

Reference List

Beevers, A. (2023, October 11). Selfridges’ Losses Narrow after Sales Boost. Retail Bulletin | Daily UK Retail News. https://www.theretailbulletin.com/department-stores/selfridges-narrows-losses-after-sales-boost-11-10-2023/#:~:text=%2Don%2Dyear.-

Cheung, M.-C., Law, D., Yip, J., & Wong, C. W. Y. (2019). Emotional Responses to Visual Art and Commercial Stimuli: Implications for Creativity and Aesthetics. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(JAN). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00014

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Corner, F. (2014). Why Fashion Matters. In Library Catalog (Koha). Thames and Hudson, Limited. https://libsearch.arts.ac.uk/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=1449157&query_desc=kw%2Cwrdl%3A%20Why%20Fashion%20Matters

‌ Crane, D. (2000). Fashion and its social agendas: class, gender, and identity in clothing. In Library Catalog (Koha). University of Chicago Press. https://libsearch.arts.ac.uk/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=1450986&query_desc=kw%2Cwrdl%3A%20Fashion%20and%20Its%20Social%20Agendas

‌ McKinsey. (2022, November 29). The State of Fashion 2023: Holding onto growth as global clouds gather. McKinsey; McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/state-of-fashion

‌ Razmus, W., & Fortuna, P. (2022). Someone like me: The role of consumer brand engagement and social identification in the perception of luxury brand users. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 21(5), 1190–1202. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.2071

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Marketing to Gen Z- People Pillar

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People have always been the main drivers in the fashion world; humans are a herding species, influenced by the people and objects around them. Traditional media, like magazines and fashion shows, were the primary sources of inspiration in the past. Nowadays, in the digital era, the rise of social media has resulted in a new muse: the ‘Influencer.’ Generation Z has become the primary focus for many advertisers in today’s world, so how can brands adapt to meet the changing tastes and needs that have taken centre stage in this new era?

            A recent study found that 44.0% of young adults aged 18 to 29 could have purchase decisions swayed by an influencer post, and 64% trusted influencer posts more than posts from A-list celebrities (Izea, 2023). This is because the average consumer has closer social proximity to influencers than celebrities. The impact of influencers is even more pronounced for Gen Z as digital nomads, who can move fluidly between online social groups; ‘sixty-six percent of the Gen Z’ers in our survey believe that communities are created by causes and interests, not by economic backgrounds or educational levels’ (Francis and Hoefel, 2018). Gen Z consumers can become a part of a diverse online community when interacting with an influencer, so if brands sponsor these influencers, they can attract a broader customer base from various backgrounds.

            Access to online communities from a young age has given Gen Z an inherent understanding of the importance of diversity, affecting their buying habits. One study found that young Pakistani women experienced increased hedonistic and eudemonic well-being, which link to brand engagement and purchase intent, after watching inclusive representation in an advertisement (Qayyum et al., 2023). Nike is an example of authentic diversity in advertising, as inclusion is an integral part of its ethos. In their August 2023 campaign, ‘A Feel For Every You’, women from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, religions, and body sizes were featured (Nike, 2023). Brands should follow Nike’s example by incorporating a new skill set, as the demand for inclusive marketing is growing alongside new technology. Affective communication skills across different cultures and backgrounds should be prioritised and integrated with digital expertise to partake in, and potentially create online communities.

            With Generation Z’s $360 billion in spending power (Pollard, 2021), brands must utilise the concept of diverse online communities and influencers to attract this market. It is shown that it is the most trusted advertising approach for many Gen Z’s, so to stay ahead, brands need to tap into the full potential of this new marketing strategy.

Reference List:

Francis, T., & Hoefel, F. (2018). “True Gen”: Generation Z and Its Implications for Companies. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies

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Izea. (2023). 2023 Trust in Influencer Marketing. https://content.izea.com/hubfs/Gated_Content/2023/IZEA%202023%20Trust%20in%20Influencer%20Marketing.pdf

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Nike. (2023). A Feel For Every You. In www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVljFVClyws

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Pollard, A. (2021, November 17). Gen Z Has $360 Billion to Spend, Trick Is Getting Them to Buy. Www.bloomberg.com; Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-17/gen-z-has-360-billion-to-spend-trick-is-getting-them-to-buy?leadSource=uverify%20wall

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Qayyum, A., Jamil, R. A., Shah, A. M., & Lee, K. (2023). Inclusive advertising featuring disability on instagram: Effect on consumer well-being, brand engagement, and purchase intention. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 75, 103515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2023.103515‌

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PLANET: How can we encourage consumers to reduce waste?

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Every stage of the supply chain, which covers ‘all the processes, organisations and individuals involved in turning raw materials into finished products and delivering them to customers,’ (www.condenast.com, n.d.) relies heavily on Earth’s limited resources. Recent research revealed that synthetic fibre production for textiles currently consumes a whopping 1.35% of the world’s total oil supply (Changing Markets Foundation, 2021). This figure is particularly concerning when contrasted with the fact that 95% of clothing can be recycled, but only 1% actually is. Given the fashion industry’s significant role in oil consumption, how can we encourage consumers to reduce their reliance on products that use this precious resource?

One promising solution is to embrace the concept of a circular economy as an alternative to the current linear ‘make, take, and waste’ model. In simple terms, a circular economy repurposes waste as a resource for regeneration, giving garments a second life. An example of this approach comes from Napapijri, which creates entire jackets from a single, easily recyclable polymer. They offer a 20% discount to incentivize customers to recycle their old jackets, which they can do by bringing them back to the store. By using this form of classical conditioning, consumers gradually link recycling with financial benefits. This approach works well for premium brands like Napapijri, where higher prices limit the number of products people normally buy. However, the same strategy could backfire for lower-cost, fast-fashion brands by encouraging overconsumption. It’s important to note that a study found an increase in the use and disposal of paper towels in public restrooms when a recycling bin was introduced (Catlin and Wang, 2012). Many consumers are already aware of fast fashion’s negative impact, which could make this method an ethical reassurance for their choices.

The fashion industry’s reliance on finite resources is related to the principles of SDG (sustainable development goal) 12, ‘Responsible Consumption and Production.’ SDG 12 calls for a change in how we create and utilize resources, including the clothes that we wear. The number of clothes with the potential to be upcycled or recycled yet are sent to landfill highlights the pressing need for responsible resource utilisation, which is central to SDG 12. We need to rethink the way we view textile waste and shift our thought processes toward sustainable production and consumption. While solutions that work for upscale brands may not work in fast fashion, the overarching goal is to cause a ripple effect of eco-consciousness across the industry. Introducing these practices could go on to cultivate a collective mindset where responsible consumerism doesn’t require thought but is an inherent practice.

Reference List

Catlin, J.R. and Wang, Y. (2012). Recycling Gone Bad: When the Option to Recycle Increases Resource Consumption. [online] Social Science Research Network. Available at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2056047 [Accessed 4 Oct. 2023].

Changing Markets Foundation (2021). Fossil Fashion. [online] Available at: https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/FOSSIL-FASHION_Web-compressed.pdf.

‌ www.condenast.com. (n.d.). Condé Nast. [online] Available at: https://www.condenast.com/glossary/social-cultural-and-economic-impacts-of-fashion/supply-chain [Accessed 7 Oct. 2023].

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My Favourite Brand

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Adorned (formerly known as Adorned Duo) is a sustainable fashion brand run by a mother-daughter duo specialising in ‘hippie-wear’. The mother, Margarita, began their journey selling handmade jewellery in the early 2000s, and the brand evolved from there. The daughter, Sarah, finished university and decided to give the business her full attention, starting to trade under the name ‘Adorned’ in 2014.

This brand is my favourite due to its humble roots and ethos; they source all their fabrics sustainably and prioritise quality over mass production. I have had the pleasure of speaking with them, and they are both lovely people who genuinely love the brand and their customer base.

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