For decades, the fashion industry worldwide has been promoting extreme thinness standards. Professional models often experience mental and physical health issues as they are pressured to comply with the employers’ requirements. Moreover, scholars believe that such marketing policies increase the risks of eating disorders among teenagers and young adults (Rogers et al., 2017). In the past few years, several states, such as New York and California, have introduced or proposed legislation that addresses this issue (Rodgers et al., 2017). In the nearest future, the fashion industry might face increased pressure from the lawmakers to adjust marketing content to promote a healthier lifestyle.
Seasonal factors represent another important aspect to consider in the fashion industry. A significant percentage of items are sold at decreased prices at off-season sales. The brands focusing exclusively on such products in demand during the summer or the winter as, for example, swimwear or parkas, have to account for the potential losses during an off-season. Weather issues can also impact the sales of certain types of clothes and accessories, such as sunglasses or fur coats.
The latter might become unpopular clothing, as environmental issues have a notable influence on the latest tendencies in fashion. In modern society, sustainability has become a ubiquitous trend. The textile industry has always been notorious for its environmental impact, but changing consumer attitudes forces major conglomerates to rethink their strategies (Kusa & Urminova, 2020). Environmental awareness of Millennials and Generation Z is a significant factor that affects the marketing strategies of brands and designers in the 21st century (Kusa & Urminova, 2020). It is reasonable to suggest that the demand for the materials which do not fit in the sustainability concept, such as furs, will drop significantly over the next decades.
The popularity of online stores, on the other hand, will only keep growing. In the past decade, e-commerce has become a critical business development tool, and the fashion industry is not an exception. Online shopping has emerged as an alternative to department stores, and online sales have been steadily growing during the last decades (Guercini et al., 2017). Moreover, e-commerce plays a pivotal role in the internationalization of fashion brands (Guercini et al., 2017). Overall, online sales represent a huge potential for the industry, as they replace traditional distribution channels.
References
Guercini, S., Mir Bernal, P., & Prentice, C. (2017). New marketing in fashion e-commerce.Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 9(1), 1-8. Web.
Kusa, A., & Urminova, M. (2020). Communication as a part of identity of sustainable subjects in fashion.Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 13(12), 305.
Rodgers, R. F., Ziff, S., Lowy, A. S., Yu, K., & Austin, S. B. (2017). Results of a strategic science study to inform policies targeting extreme thinness standards in the fashion industry.International Journal of Eating Disorders, 50(3), 284-292. Web.