Yinan Zhou

The word purpose in the dictionary means “why you do something or why something exists.” The purpose of a fashion brand is as diverse as the pursuit of self-expression, quality and craftsmanship, communicating the brand’s philosophy, and realising the brand’s values. The ultimate purpose of fashion is to be socially responsible and to develop sustainability.

Fashionable, fashion-conscious consumers often buy large quantities of goods. Because brands sell new products every quarter of the year, this leads to impulse spending by consumers who are looking for something new. This phenomenon reflects over-consumption, which can be very harmful to the environment. According to the research (University of Cambridge Institute for Manufacturing 2006: 31) determine that perhaps brands can be more sustainable and emotionally attached to their products by implementing a variety of strategies. strategies to design sustainable and emotionally attached clothing and brand concepts to address this issue.

Brands must have their own mission, vision, and value proposition in business and marketing. A clear brand philosophy provides a company with a clear purpose and direction. It answers the fundamental questions of why the brand exists, where it is going, and what it stands for. It can also resonate with customers on a personal level. It helps build emotional connections and loyalty among consumers who share the brand’s values and vision. This can increase customer retention and advocacy. In a crowded marketplace, a unique and compelling brand idea helps a company stand out from the competition. It communicates what makes the brand unique and gives customers a reason to choose it over other brands. Asos, for example, clearly states on the brand’s official website that its brand purpose is geared towards 20-somethings, regardless of where the consumer is from, and that they accept purchases from people of different ethnicities. This shows the inclusiveness of ASOS and will appeal to consumers of all races. (ASOS, 2021)

Gen Z is the broadest consumer generation at the moment and communicating a brand’s purpose to Gen Z requires a considered approach as this generation tends to be more socially conscious, digitally savvy and sceptical of traditional advertising methods. Nike is a great example of this with the Nike x Billie Eilish AF1 Low launching in November 2022. “I want my collaboration with Nike to tell a story that not only highlights the importance of recycling but also reminds us that we need to take better care of our planet,” says Eilish. (Nike, 2022) Nike has shown a strong sense of social responsibility, giving Gen Z a strong affinity for the brand.

Reference List:

Londrigan, M.P. and Jenkins, J.M. (2018). Fashion supply chain management. [online] New York: Fairchild Books, An Imprint Of Bloomsbury Publishing Inc. Available at: https://www-bloomsburyfashioncentral-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/encyclopedia?docid=b-9781501317798.

ASOS (2021). Our purpose and values. [online] ASOS plc. Available at: https://www.asosplc.com/this-is-asos/our-purpose-and-values/.

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

Picture Reference:

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

Fashion and profit are intertwined and no industry can be separated from profit. The word fashion is noble, but essentially fashion is for profit.

Food, clothing and shelter are necessities for people , so the fashion industry is one of the biggest industries in the world. It is one of the key factors driving the global economy. After the Covid-19 pandemic in the last few years, the whole world’s economy has been hit hard, and the fashion industry has not been spared either, according to Euromonitor the global apparel and footwear market size shrinks According to Euromonitor the global apparel and footwear market size shrunk in 2020 by -18.1% (to $1.45 trillion). (Euromonitor, June 2021)

LVMH is by far the highest market capitalisation apparel company at around $479bn. LVMH tripled in size from 2016 to 2022. (Statista, May 2023) How has it remained highly profitable in such turbulent economic times? Firstly LVMH is involved in several industries like Christian Dior, Givenchy, Fendi, Bulgari, TAG Heuer, Sephora, Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon, Hennessy, and many others.This diversification allows the company to capture different consumer preferences and not run into a crisis by relying too much on one brand or division. Secondly, LVMH has a very precise brand positioning, which is aimed at the middle class and above, and the luxury sector is perhaps the least affected because the affluent will continue to buy luxury goods and will not be greatly affected by the poor economic situation.LVMH’s Louis Vuitton has built up a reputation for craftsmanship and exclusivity, and has gained a high degree of brand loyalty and global recognition from its consumers.LV has a very strong brand name. LV has a strong capacity for innovation and LVMH invests heavily in R&D, design and marketing. ” The French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH Group, primarily known for its fashion house Louis Vuitton, spent around 9.5 billion euros in advertising and promotion costs worldwide in 2022. The value corresponded to around 12 percent of LMVH revenue that year.”(Statista. January 2023) From this data it is clear that marketing is vital for a brand.

There is a big gap between creativity and business, designers have a lot of creativity but maybe the consumers won’t pay for it because the consumers most directly see what the product looks like and won’t look deeper into the meaning and background behind the product, so they need a person to show the story to the consumers and the Creative director is that person. The creative director needs to understand the visual DNA of the brand and re-present it in a modern way that meets the aesthetic needs of the current clientele and the business prospects of the management. (Mitterfellner, O 2023)

Reference List:

Euromonitor. (n.d.). Global Recovery Tracker: Q2 2021. [online] Available at: https://www.euromonitor.com/global-recovery-tracker-q2-2021/report [Accessed 23 Oct. 2023].

Smith, P. (2022). Clothing Companies Market Capitalization 2022. [online] Statista. Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1293538/clothing-companies-market-cap/.

Statista. (n.d.). LVMH Group’s ad spend worldwide, 2019. [online] Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/410677/lvmh-group-s-ad-spend-worldwide/.

Mitterfellner, Olga. Luxury Fashion Brand Management : Unifying Fashion with Sustainability, Taylor & Francis Group, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ual/detail.action?docID=7260416.

Picture Reference List:

P1: Nast, C. (2023). A Blanket Scarf Is Your Quickest – And Cosiest – Route To Autumn Chic. [online] British Vogue. Available at: https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/scarf-trend-autumn-2023#intcid=_vogue-uk-bottom-recirc_03b469ff-d69d-4ce6-93c5-34d434c43f7c_similar2-3 [Accessed 24 Oct. 2023].

People are one of the key pillars of Sustainability, and consumer awareness and choice can influence the demand for sustainable products, prompting fashion brands to adopt greener, more ethical practices. Fashion designers can design products with durability and repairability in mind, an approach that encourages consumers to invest in high-quality, durable products. From the time of production to the time the clothes are finally discarded, all one can do is buy sustainably used products and recycle or recycle garments. The fashion industry needs to increase transparency in the industry so that consumers can trace the origin of their clothing and ensure ethical practices. In today’s society Generation Z is currently the second youngest generation they are made up of people born between 1996-2010 and this generation is the main consumer that the fashion industry is targeting. Because the Generation Z population is growing rapidly, by 2025 they will make up a quarter of the population in the Asia Pacific region and are the most powerful consumers today. The oldest Generation Zs have jobs and mortgages, while the youngest are barely out of their teens. They are called “digital natives”. (McKinsey, 2023)

Gen Z has been reshaping the fashion industry in many ways as consumers.Gen Z is the first generation to grow up entirely in the digital age, and has been surrounded by the internet and technology their entire lives.Gen Z is keen to buy from internet platforms and receives much of their information from the internet and social media.Gen Z seeks fun and inspiration in addition to convenience and speed when shopping online. inspiration. (Drapers, 2022) In today’s world, times are moving fast and people’s lives are becoming more and more fast-paced, so Gen Z are looking for convenience and they do not want to waste time and energy spending money and queuing up offline.Gen Z are passionate about inclusivity and diversity in fashion, and they would like to see different races, sizes and genders on models in advertisements and shows. In response to this Gen Z mentality, brands should start to appeal to them in this area by showing inclusivity and social responsibility.Thome Browne used 12 black people in their Spring/Summer 2021 show and their outfits were gender-neutral, which showed their gender inclusivity, and that boys can wear dresses too.(Friedman, V., Tillet, S., Paton, E., Testa, J. and Brown, E.N. ,2021)

Lastly, looking at the fashion industry as a whole, I think diversity and equality are key factors in how to make a brand successful. Diversity can be seen in many different ways such as gender, sexuality, religion and so on.

Reference list:

www.mckinsey.com. (n.d.). What is Gen Z? | McKinsey. [online] Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-gen-z..

Moran, G. (2022). Gen Z and Millennials 2022. [online] Drapers. Available at: https://www.drapersonline.com/guides/gen-z-and-millennials-2022.

Friedman, V., Tillet, S., Paton, E., Testa, J. and Brown, E.N. (2021). The Fashion World Promised More Diversity. Here’s What We Found. The New York Times. [online] 4 Mar. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/04/style/Black-representation-fashion.html.

Picture Reference List:

Nast, C. (2021). Thom Browne debutta nel childreswear. [online] GQ Italia. Available at: https://www.gqitalia.it/moda/article/thom-browne-childreswear-foto?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social&utm_brand=gq-italia&utm_social-type=owned [Accessed 15 Oct. 2023].

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The fashion industry has changed in recent years as more and more fashion research data shows the intensification of global apparel consumption and the increased accessibility and affordability of clothing, and awareness of the environmental impact of the fashion industry continues to grow. Sustainability is becoming a core value of the global fashion industry. (Monday Lecture12.15-1.15 PLANET & FASHION_KR_2023) FASHION INDUSTRY : Major contributor to world pollution and climate change. textiles production Textiles production : 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 annually, 12 billion garments produced every year! 85 percent of textiles are sent to landfills, i.e. 21 billion tons a year.

Planet, Purpose, People and Profit reflect the four pillars of Sustainability, which make up Sustainable Development. they are the key factors in creating a truly ethical business, which is linked to human survival and long-term quality of life. survival and long-term quality of life.

Current fashion system, which is driven by ‘take-make-usethrowaway’ scenario, believes the resources are infinite.( Subramanian Senthilkannan Muthu, Springer, 2022) The process of extracting raw materials for clothing, the process of making the clothing, the process of using the clothing, and finally the disposal of the clothing produces CO2, which is very harmful to the environment. The global economy is under pressure as a result of rising raw material prices due to ongoing environmental hazards and the scarcity of non-renewable energy sources.

Sustainability means preventing the depletion of natural or plant resources over time so that they can survive for a long time. In today’s society, with the rise in popularity of fast fashion, people are overusing natural resources, which is leading to an accelerated depletion of resources and means that the time people have to live on earth is shortened. People are becoming more aware of the serious impact that clothes have on the environment. Alarmingly, the industry is responsible for between 4 and 10 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions each year, a figure that cannot be ignored. “I think five years from now every serious brand, and definitely every multi-brand retailer, will have rental [fashion] within their offering,” Victoria Prew, CEO and co-founder of rental platform Hurr.( Victoria Prew, CEO and co-founder of rental platform Hurr ,British Vogue’s January 2023 issue) More and more brands and businesses are recognising this serious problem and are taking steps to address it. For example, they are converting non-renewable materials into renewable ones and using more eco-friendly and recyclable fabrics. These small changes can make a huge difference to the planet.

The United Nations set 17 Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 which are scheduled to be completed by 2030 to protect the environment. The thirteenth goal, Climate action, is in my opinion relevant to the fashion industry. The resources used to produce clothes seriously contribute to the harshness of the climate. Every part of the circular fashion economy is producing pollution and emitting co2, which leads to air pollution global warming. Many people live in highly vulnerable regions, which indirectly contributes to the mortality rate of some of the people living in these regions.Between 2010 and 2020, highly vulnerable regions, home to approximately 3.3- 3.6 billion people, experienced 15 per cent of the world’s population. Between 2010 and 2020, highly vulnerable regions, home to approximately 3.3- 3.6 billion people, experienced 15 times higher human mortality rates from floods, droughts and storms compared to regions with very low vulnerability. (United Nations, The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special edition)

Bibliography：

(1）Monday Lecture12.15-1.15 PLANET & FASHION_KR_2023

(2）Sustainable Approaches in Textiles and Fashion : Circular Economy and Microplastic Pollution, edited by Subramanian Senthilkannan Muthu, Springer, 2022. ProQuest Ebook Central,

(3）http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ual/detail.action?docID=6950983.

P1:https://thetrendgaze.com/en/blog/2020/11/08/why-the-fashion-industry-should-adopt-a-circular-economy/

(4）https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/sustainable-fashion-trends

(5)The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023:Special edition