MA Fashion + Business
PERFORM PROPOSAL + + + CIRC_LAR + U Circular Fashion Communication in an Ever-Digitising Fashion World
Annabel Lindsay (Read) | 19000613 Formative Perform Proposal MA Fashion & Business Manchester Metropolitan University
CIRC_LAR + U Investigating different digitised fashion mediums effectiveness, at communicating circular fashion concepts and initiatives to consumers. AIM
SCOPE
To explore the transition of fashion into a digitally
The primary desired outcome is an omni-channelled
consumed outcome and how digitisation can be
Pop-Up Digital Event, hosted under my circular
utilised to communicate initiatives that advance towards
concept store brand CIRC_ULAR + U. This project
a circular fashion economy, through the running of a
will be completed for the 21st of September 2020.
digital pop-up event and personal research outputs.
Components for achieving this event will comprise of a digital research vlog journal, documented on YouTube, alongside synchronised relevant social
OBJECTIVES 1. To understand recent advances in the circular
media posts and a central website acting as the hosting vehicle for documenting project progression.
fashion economy and any digital capacities supporting its communications and promotion.
Accumulative Project Deliverables: + Personal research vlog journal.
2. Explore my own digital capabilities by creating circular fashion related digital content for social media
+ Central website hub documenting user-centric
and to document how my personal outputs are
research and for promotional purposes.
perceived by digital audiences. + Weekly statistics report summary for engagement 3. Investigate how existing fashion players are
and traffic across all in-use digital platforms.
digitally adapting during the Covid-19 pandemic, in comparison to before a nationwide lockdown and
+ Portfolio documenting research, planning
the effect it’s having on fashion events- particularly
scheduling, running and critical evaluation of the
pop-ups.
digital pop-up event.
4. Collate research to organise a user-centric digital
Project Success: The project will be determined
pop-up fashion event under my concept fashion store
successful if the digital event consists of relevant key
brand name, CIRC_LAR + U, by collaborating with the
circular fashion player collaborations and based upon
online sustainable fashion community and analyse the
the overall level of consumer participation and
digital content effectiveness at communicating circular
engagement across the digitally documented research
fashion initiatives.
and final event attributes.
BACKGROUND + RATIONALE
Lockdown has birthed social media into a whole new
The circular fashion movement has gained traction
dimension, with a recorded ‘25% increase in
amongst the fashion industry over the past few years.
engagement on Instagram and TikTok in the past
My passion for the concept of a circular fashion
month and 72% increase on #ad content by
economy spawned from an inner self-realisation. I’m
influencers’ (Adams, 2020:online). With articles
concerned by the environmental damage caused by
emerging on how brands can utilise social media at
the current systematic linear consumption of disposable
this time to maximise brand relevance, like: be a force
clothes, to which I was once guilty of contributing to.
for good, put your audience first, be authentic and
I now want to help realise a fully circular fashion
interactive and go ‘Live’ (Adams, 2020:online).
economy, by bridging the largely unaddressed gap between circular systems and vital consumer
Such advice is supported by Authors of ‘Waste to
awareness and participation.
Wealth’, Lacy and Rutqvist (2015) whom suggest that effective circular ‘ventures require a unique
Particularly with the ongoing pandemic crisis,
mind-set as information is often shared at levels that
discussion for creating ‘a more ethical and less
many... find uncomfortable’. Brands need to ‘see
environmentally damaging model for an industry...
beyond their core business and respond to trends
responsible for 10% of global carbon dioxide
from consumer demand with a complete separation
emissions every year is more relevant than ever’
to existing linear models’. Scenario’s which Covid-19
(Bramley, 2020:online). With much of fashion now
has arguably brought forward amongst brand and
on pause, unsustainable ‘cracks of the industry’ are
fashion player considerations.
emerging. This gives an opportunity to transform the direction of fashion, from change in consumer
With the fashion industry and the world as we know
attitudes to a slowing down of the seasonal model
it drastically changing before our eyes, it can be easy
or an uptick in respect for the garment workers that
for sustainability to be pushed into the background.
power (Bramley, 2020:online).
However, I believe it’s more important than ever to highlight the connectedness of circular fashion with
This is supported by Hirscher, (2013:3) whom states
planetary, social and mental health.
that ‘For a more sustainable production system, the general relationship between product–producer and
The future of fashion lies in ambitious fashion
enduser must shift towards slower cycles, more local
channels and outputs, and a new value paradigm
production and a much more valued product person
of fashion shifting from clothing acquisition to
relationship (Niinimäki and Koskinen, 2011)’.
experience, community and creativity. Aptly quoted by Nini, (2016:online), founder of Eco Warrior Princess,
Fashion has too long thrived from ‘abusing this
“We can’t just consume our way to a more
psychological need for individuality and belonging to
sustainable world”. Instead by championing
create an artificial desire for new products, expressed
creativity, circular fashion initiatives can
through different forms of planned obsolescence (Burns,
become fluid, open-minded and
2010)’ cited through Hirscher (2013:4). Now facing in-
user-centric for consumers, providing
creased scrutiny and accountability for the wasteful way
quality meaningful fashion
in which it operates, consumers are wanting ‘visible and
experiences with circularity at the
concrete information about circular clothing and how
heart of it all.
their behaviour has affected the environmental aspects of textile production. The communication should be
This project will undergo
timed correctly by using multiple communication
the experiential digitisation
channels’, according to Vehmas et al. (2018:online).
of the CIRC_LAR + U circular fashion
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, a need for
concept store which
access to digital communication is also more
I developed in
prevalent than ever. So that we can remain connected,
the Realisation
stay or get creative, participate in society, learn new
project.
skills and unify our humanness. We are connecting in
Realisation
new, transformative ways, with many brands taking
explored
opportune to either establish or dramatically grow
how
their digital presence.
a brick and
The CIRC_LAR + U digital pop-up event will explore the effectiveness of digital outputs at generating... engagement in circular fashion conversation + + +
Primary, quantitative data in the form of engagement
mortar hub could be a catalyst for climate emergency
sources- some of whom have been identified within
activism through the medium of experiential circular
the Realisation project. These interviews may be carried
fashion advancing initiatives. This ethos will be
out solely for obtaining research, or in a practice-based
carried over into this project in the form of a digital
context, where said interviews directly contribute as a
pop-up event.
digital output that I share with a digital audience.
The CIRC_LAR + U digital pop-up event will explore
Mixed secondary sources will contribute contextual
the effectiveness of digital outputs at generating interest
understanding to the recent historical development of
and desired engagement in circular fashion conversa-
how both circular fashion and digitised fashion have
tion and initiatives across the fashion community.
progressed to where they are now. I will compare this
and traffic statistics across the mixed platforms, will allow me to analyse the successes of different digital media channels and identify which content types perform better and why.
By creating a journal vlog and hosting a digital pop-up event under my official retail brand name CIRC_LAR + U, it’ll allow me to draw comparisons on whether a professional brand image or my individual face and personality are perceived more acceptingly or widely across varied mediums in discussing topics surrounding circular fashion.
Primary data will also be obtained via digital, open-ended interviews with relevant third-party
with the types of communication channels that have Ultimately, I want to formulate a miniature digital world
thus far been used to achieve growth and development.
that shapes persuasive narratives for circular fashion. With the end of goal of creating a community where circular fashion is not an exclusive discussion for just
LIMITATIONS
those with industry prestige or on the business side
There are a few project limitations to be mindful of.
of fashion. By building an online community where
Firstly, the current nationwide lockdown, as a result of
consumers have the opportunity to engage with,
the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, largely restricts my
promote and celebrate circular fashion initiatives, it’ll
research sources to predominantly online or digital.
hopefully command increased systematic changes
This may also affect the level of cooperation and
across the whole of the fashion industry.
engagement from third-party fashion players willing to support my primary research, as personal, private, or business matters may have to take priority in these
METHODOLOGY
unprecedented times.
A largely practice-based research methodology will be adopted throughout the duration of this project. Where
A practice-based research method approach incurs
‘practice embedded in the research process’ and
time management risks. There is less of a pre-planned
‘research questions arise from the process of practice,
structure to this method, as the research route is
the answers to which are directed toward enlightening
determined by the ongoing findings throughout the
and enhancing practice’ (Candy and Ernest, 2018:63).
project duration. Whilst creative research output can be undertaken, ‘the outcomes of practice must be ac-
This will allow me to connect closely to existing digital
companied by documentation of the research process’,
communications, but provides means of exploration for
alongside, ‘textual analysis or explanation to support its
me to apply crucial circular fashion theory across my
position and to demonstrate critical reflection’ (Candy,
practices. Enabling research that extends existing work
2006:2). Therefore, the project timeline must allow for
in a personal sense, alongside contributing to the wider
creative flexibility in order to adapt to the potentially
understanding of digital fashion communication.
shifting nature of the project’s roadmap.
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
REFERENCES
Due to the collaborative nature of the project, particularly of the digital pop-up event to be hosted
Adams, C. (2020) OPINION: Social media for brands
towards the end of the project, there are a series of
during lockdown - how to adapt to the new nor-
relevant; important ethics.
mal. 8th April. The Drum. [Online] [Accessed on 27th April 2020] https://www.thedrum.com/opin-
Wherever there is human-participant research, I will
ion/2020/04/08/social-media-brands-during-lock-
take informed consent, provide participant information
down-how-adapt-the-new-normal
sheets and a consent form to sign. Bramley, E, V. (2020) ‘‘Lockdown has been a wakeFor my vlog journal research series, I need to ensure
up call for the industry’: what next for fashion?’. The
that I avoid any type of video editing which could
Guardian. [Online] 22nd April. [Accessed on 27th April
cause any information to be misleading.
2020] https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2020/
Representation of primary data findings in a biased
apr/22/lockdown-fashion-wakeup-call-coronavi-
way must be avoided also.
rus-lockdown
A fully detailed and approved EthOS form will ensure
Candy, L. (2006) ‘Practice Based Research: A Guide.’
my research adheres to the updated Data Protection
Creativity and Cognition Studios, 1:0, pp. 1-19/ [On-
Act (2018) and protects the privacy and data of any
line] [Accessed on 27th April 2020] https://www.
project participants.
researchgate.net/publication/257944497_Practice_ Based_Research_A_Guide
Candy, L. and Ernest, E. (2018). ‘Practice-Based Research in the Creative Arts Foundations and Futures from the Front Line’. Leonarodo, 51:1, pp. 63-69. [Online] [Accessed on 27th April 2020] https://www. mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/LEON_a_01471
Hirscher, A. (2013). ‘Fashion Activism Evaluation and Application of Fashion Activism Strategies to Ease Transition Towards Sustainable Consumption Behaviour.’ Research Journal of Textile and Apparel. 17, pp. 23-38. [Online] [Accessed on 28th April 2020] DOI: 10.1108/RJTA-17-01-2013-B003.
Nini, J. (2016) 60 Great Quotes About Sustainability, Green Living and Our Environment. 11th January. Eco Warrior Princess. [Online] [Accessed on 27th April 2020] https://ecowarriorprincess.net/2016/01/60-gr eat-quotes-about-sustainability-green-living-our-environment-2/
Vehmas, K., Raudaskoski, A., Heikklä, P., Harlin, A. and Mensonen, A. (2018). ‘Consumer attitudes and communication in circular fashion.’ Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 22:3, pp.286-300. [Online] [Accessed on27th April 2020] https://doi. org/10.1108/JFMM-08-2017-0079