Models parade to show the new collection during the Dior 2012 Spring/Summer fashion show in Nanjing city, east Chinas Jiangsu province, 25 February 2012.
Luxury products are often associated with exclusivity rather than inclusion. But thanks to universal social media scrutiny and consumer activism, high-end brands are under increasing pressure to be seen as companies that care. Do we have inclusive luxury fashion?
Inclusive luxury fashion
Information from Fast Company ensures that
Changsha Mobile Number List some of these have spent large sums on initiatives that address environmental concerns, or have used their experience to help deal with the pandemic.
The Kering group (owner of Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen), for example, has proposed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2025.
In response to COVID-19, fashion house Burberry donated more than 100,000 pieces of PPE to the NHS and healthcare charities. For its part, luxury brand LVMH used its perfume manufacturing facilities to make free hand sanitizers for France's healthcare system.
Inclusive luxury fashion
However, it remains unclear whether consumers can reconcile the exclusive nature of luxury brands - which are sold at prices that many cannot afford - with a public image of sustainability and environmental or social awareness.
Various studies have shown that consumers are ambivalent. Research on millennial attitudes showed that younger consumers even view the concepts of luxury and sustainability as contradictory.
This is understandable, as some brands' apparent attempts to address social challenges have come after receiving widespread criticism for their own apparent failures.
Gucci, for example, has a $1.5 million plan to support young designers from disadvantaged backgrounds. But it was launched after the brand faced accusations of racism over a jersey design.
And while Prada has spoken out against racial injustice on social media, the company has also been forced to apologize for products deemed racist. Dior, for its part, launched a message of support and solidarity accompanied by a black background. But, again, it comes after accusations of cultural appropriation.
Inclusive luxury fashion
A New York Times report showed that among the fashion world's top designers and creative directors , only four are black. Models and photographers from diverse backgrounds are also very underrepresented in the luxury fashion industry. Leaving aside inclusive luxury fashion.
Designer Virgil Abloh, head of men's fashion at Louis Vuitton, is one of the few black figures to have reached the heights of a luxury brand. He has commented:
Diversity is not just a matter of gender and ethnicity. It's a question of experience. Contribute new ideas. And it would be good if the fashion industry listened to them and took them into account.
Exclusive to each other?
Against this complex backdrop, the public was asked their opinion on luxury brands' inclusion campaigns. In general, consumers—especially those with lower incomes—gave a negative response.
The majority of people surveyed (87%) believe luxury brands could be more inclusive if they focused on fair pay and workers' rights.
Efforts toward climate change initiatives are also popular (79%), as is work aimed at reducing racial and gender inequality.
Respondents also welcomed the idea of luxury brands selecting their partners and suppliers in response to social and political situations: for example, Burberry's decision to boycott cotton from China's Xinjiang region over alleged trade abuses. human rights.
