Jinlin Zhu

In the fashion industry, the “people pillar” refers to the human element and social aspects of the fashion supply chain and its impact on workers, communities, and consumers. It emphasizes the well-being, rights, and empowerment of individuals involved in the fashion industry, from garment workers to designers, and it also considers the social responsibility of fashion brands and consumers.

As consumers, Gen Z exhibits distinct characteristics and preferences that set them apart from previous generations. Gen Z grew up in a highly digital world, with easy access to the internet and smartphones from an early age. They are tech-savvy and rely heavily on digital platforms for information, communication, and shopping. In addition, Growing up during economic downturns and financial crises, many Gen Z consumers tend to be frugal and price-conscious. They are often looking for value and may prioritize savings and discounts.

Firstly, Gen Z is passionate about environmental and social issues. Brands should demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, transparency, and ethical practices. Consider eco-friendly materials, responsible sourcing, and reducing the carbon footprint of your products and operations. Also, they spends a significant amount of time on social media platforms. Maintain an active and engaging social media presence. 

Secondly, should ensure that your brand reflects and celebrates diversity in its advertising, hiring practices, and corporate culture. Gen Z values inclusivity and wants to see themselves represented. Furthermore, the brands should create interactive and gamified experiences related to your products or services, because Gen Z enjoys interactive entertainment and experiences, so incorporating elements of gamification can be appealing. 

One notable example is the beauty brand Fenty Beauty, which was launched by global music icon Rihanna in 2017. Fenty Beauty gained widespread recognition for its groundbreaking approach to inclusivity in the beauty industry.  This brand’s most significant contribution to the beauty industry was its extensive range of foundation shades. The brand initially launched with 40 different shades, covering a wide spectrum of skin tones, from the lightest to the deepest. This was a significant departure from the limited shade ranges typically offered by other beauty brands. And, while it offered premium products, it also introduced affordable options like their Match Stix, lip gloss, and other products.

People should have innovative thinking which can generate fresh and unique ideas for fashion products, collections, and branding; trend Awareness to update with current fashion trends and anticipating future ones; attention to Detail, need precision in design, pattern-making, and quality control to ensure the final product meets high standards; and teamwork to collaborate with a diverse team of designers, seamstresses, marketers, and other professionals.

Environmental sustainability occurs when processes, systems, and activities reduce the environmental impact of an organization’s facilities, products, and operations. For renewable resources, the rate of harvest should not exceed the rate of regeneration. Also the rates of waste generation from projects should not exceed the assimilative capacity of the environment.

A circular economy favours activities that preserve value in the form of energy, labour, and materials. This means designing for durability, reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling to keep products, components, and materials circulating in the economy.

Sustainable fashion is a way in which brands create clothing that not only reduces the impact on the environment but is also mindful of the people who work to produce the garments. It is fashion that is ethically made and environmentally friendly.

For the industry to become sustainable as a whole, consumers must be willing to pay more to help make the change, or at the very least, stop buying from brands that have no regard for the environment.

The fashion industry is incredibly harmful to the planet. Second only to oil, the industry is one of the world’s largest polluters, responsible for 20% of global industrial water pollution. It comes as a surprise to many that most clothes are actually made out of plastic, creating a microplastic disaster in the making. Add to that the thousands of harmful chemicals used in the textile mills around the world, which are dangerous to both the environment and the people working with them, and the time has come for a global change in the industry.

I think the most important SDGs for the fashion industry will be SDG 12, which is responsible consumption and production. This calls for the decoupling of economic growth from increasing resource consumption. Fashion uses 98 million tonnes of non-renewable resources each year, and only 12 per cent of the material used in clothing is currently recycled. There is therefore a clear need to move towards more circular practices in the industry, which will require the input of both consumers and manufacturers (Hempstead, 2022).

Balenciaga

Balenciaga is a women’s clothing especially designed for the needs of British nobility (The History (and evolution) of Balenciaga, 2022). Balenciaga’s target audience is socially prominent women: big fortunes from finance and industrial worlds, aristocrats, artists and intellectuals and diplomats (Uria, no date). Today, Balenciaga still prevails, and its main products are ready-to-wear, footwear, handbags, and accessories and fragrances (Wiki, 2022). Balenciaga’s current target customers are Generation Z, younger generations are paying more attention to the environmental impact of the goods they buy.

Through short films and catalogues, Balenciaga reversed the previous mysterious style and conveyed an unprecedented clear message, that although global travel has been restricted after the epidemic, people are more curious about and exploring the world. Balenciaga hopes to inspire people’s interest in the world again. Desire, awaken positive emotions, and bring pleasant audio-visual experience. It also breaks the traditional classification of casual wear and formal wear, and creates a styling style that blurs the distinction between scenes, meets people’s diverse dressing needs, and is suitable for wearing on various occasions.

As a consumer of the Z era, I am very interested in the changes in Balenciaga’s visual culture. Because Balenciaga deliberately avoids commercialization and insists on being a pioneer in the production of products and content, but it actually brings huge commercial returns. According to analyst estimates, under the leadership of creative director Demna Gvasalia, Balenciaga sales have jumped to 1 billion euros in 2019, mainly due to the promotion of popular products such as handbags and sneakers. And also, sustainability is part of Balenciaga values, and the house is committed to improve traceability of raw materials and responsibility regarding social, environmental and animal welfare values throughout its supply chain.