Material Cultures and Mass Consumption Essay

Write a brief account of THREE key developments covered in the lecture series and their effect on YOUR DISCIPLINE of either art and design, fashion design, fashion technology, fashion marketing, graphics and communication design and textiles.

Student Name: Emily Rathbone Student Number: 201219903 Course: 201219903 Year: 2019 Module: DESN1815 Word Count: 2132 Words

Introduction One of the most significant current discussions in the creative industries of art and design is that of sustainability and supply chains within the culture of production (WK One Introduction Lecture). The industrial revolutions of the 19th Century contributed to “an increase in population, expansion of cities, and a boom in technology and the economy” (Digital Experts Academy.2015), and hence a rise in consumption levels. The Digital revolution, characterised by the information era, lead the transition from analogue to digital, and saw the invention of the World Wide Web (Benatti, M R. 2016). Developments in technology, such as the Internet, have resulted in improved infrastructure, mobility and access to information for much of society, resulting in significant impact on the retail sector and the discipline of fashion marketing. It is understood that fashion is widely used as a medium for identity construction and self-fulfilment (Biehl-Missal,B. 2013), as supported in Veblen’s ‘The Theory of the Leisure Class’ (1899/ 1994), however with technology shifting the structure and pace of the fashion industry, consumer expectations have changed, and sharing of opinions through online communities puts further pressure on retailers. With increased demand and pressure for low prices the seasonal pace and traditional product-development model is too slow (Hunter, E et al. 2018); instead it is commonplace for resources to be outsourced overseas, where costs of production are at a minimum and a sizeable workforce enables fast turnaround (Peston, R. 2013).

In the “Aesthetic Economy” (Böhme,G. 1993) of today, excessive consumption has provided the basis for “limitless exploitation” by fashion marketers, fuelling social and environmental issues (Böhme,G. 1993). Unlike the approach taken to marketing in the past, contemporary fashion marketer’s focus upon the consumers wants and needs to encourage consumerism, adjusting practices to consumer values (Middleton, S. 2011). This essay seeks to address how of the key developments of globalisation, shifts consumer behaviour and patterns of consumption and changes in personal ethics, crucially lead to industrial challenges and changes.

Globalisation Globalization is a multi-dimensional process “characterized by technological innovation and organizational change” of social relations and transactions (UNESCO, n.d.), and in the context of the fashion industry, it has affected the product variety across world markets, and the way trends are transmitted and clothing produced (Ledezma,V.2017).

As a result of the increased connectedness and mobility that globalisation offers, and to keepup with present day mass consumerism, radical changes have occurred within political economy of design, particularly in relation to labour, values, industry standards and product sourcing.

Though the ‘Western world’ has imported throughout history, globalisation has accelerated this trend, and contributed to a decentralised product production process (Peston,R. 2013). The move towards a global assembly line, with manufacturers outsourcing material and labour, has allowed retailers to cut turnover times and costs of production, whilst simultaneously increasing product variety, lowering prices and fuelling consumption (Ledezma, V.2017.). In essence, the dynamic of the fashion eco-system has changed.

Consequentially, the sense of interdependence between businesses at each stage in the production line has strengthened, as it has become necessary to “integrate, collaborate, and optimize efficiencies” to product the end product faster and at more profit than competitors (Keiser, S J and Garner, M. 2005).

As it appears, consumers and producers largely gain from globalization, however, in a social context, British manufacturers are negatively impacted by the subsequent industrial decline rise in unemployment in Britain (Peston, R. 2013), and, to an extent, certain labour workers in the overseas factories are negatively affected through low wages, poor working conditions and instability (Han,S. 2018). Moreover, the extensive transporting of materials and harmful practices involved in the production process has a significant environmental impact, making

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the fashion industry the second largest polluter (GreenMatch. 2019). Subsequently, it has been suggested that globalization also brings about exploitation and economic unsustainability (Biehl-Missal,B. 2013).

Alongside changes in garment styles and trends, and the emergence of a global production line, globalisation has affected fashion business through its ability to “propel brand awareness” and establish new markets with relative ease (Phillips, A. 2018).

Innovations have allowed global fast fashion retailers, such as Zara, to be market-driven brands that ensure collections that can be marketed to a wide audience, not just a local market or elite segment (Ledezma, V. 2017). The ease of importing has encouraged a continued the flourish of the fast-fashion industry since the 1990s, as retailers can demand trend-led products at short notice, and import them in locations across the world to reach a vast audience (Ledezma, V. 2017). In spite of this, it proposes challenges to marketers breaking into markets. With the choice to develop a global marketing strategy, or an approach to individual to each market, often including adopting unique product lines it is essential that brands adapt to be recognized (Phillips, A. 2018).

Patterns of consumption and consumer behaviour online Conspicuous consumption and the ‘Habit of Discontent’ remain ever present in today’s society, with shopping now appearing to be viewed as a recreational activity in many Western economies (Ledezma, V. 2017). However the move towards a global assembly line, technology and the digital revolution has changed modern consumption patterns and consumer behaviour online, contributing to local communities moving away from traditional narrative environments of brick and mortar retail and using alternative digital transaction methods. By consequence, new retail spaces are emerging and traditional distribution channels are being modified to maintain the interest of modern consumers.

In response to changes in consumption patterns, fashion businesses are making changes to their retail spaces to revolutionise the retail experience and enhance how customers perceive the brand (Atha, C. 2019.). A key example of this is the development of the Prada Epicentre in 2001, a retail theatre combining a multitude of facilities including an exclusive boutique, a public space, a gallery, a performance space, a laboratory, etc., to create an innovative shopping environment. Technology is also playing a key role in revolutionising physical fashion stores, with features such as digital changing rooms mediating experiences and altering consumer’s engagement with the store and the products. Moreover, it may be suggested brands are attempting to design physical store spaces to replicate the sleek experience of online retail. Using omni-channel marketing, The Conservatory in New York’s Hudson Yards aims to replicate “online shopping in real life” (The Conservatory NYC, 2019), through their integration of technology and physical retail spaces, where shoppers can try on display items in store, but transactions are then made through the store website and shipped to the home address of the purchaser, rather than completed in-store (Chen. C. 2019).

Alongside The Conservatory, a significant amount of retailers, from supermarkets to highvalue brands, are adopting intuitive technology such as ‘click and collect’, as, according to The Business of Fashion, consumers are coming to expect brands to offer such augmented services as standard (Chen, C. 2019).

Fig.1.: The Conservatory, a Chic Concept Store at Hudson Yards.

Harpers Bazaar, 2019.

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A second change occurring to the physical store environment is the emerging preferences for smaller store spaces. According to Hudson (Cited in Chen. C. 2019), a growing number of brands are now purchasing smaller retail spaces, as it generally means inventory is turned over faster, allowing for new stock. This is particularly desirable for marketers in modern society, as the global production line means new designs and products are constantly being developed, and a smaller store is an effective means of ensuring the current stock is in trend, fuelling consumption and encouraging sales.

With technology facilitating public access to product information and enabling customers to view multiple retail sites simultaneously, modern consumers appear to ‘shop around’ before making purchases (Chen. C. 2019). Consequently, online sales have grown faster than sales within stores (Office for National Statistics, 2018). Changes in consumer behaviour online have resulted in retailers integrating digital media into the shopping experience, and adopting an omni-channel approach to marketing (Digital High Street Advisory Board. 2015.). Enhancing online shopping features through fast-checkouts and product videos, and incorporating digital promotion methods, such as content marketing, marketers are aiming to create a retail environment that appeals to the digital consumer (8zidou, M. 2019). For example, amongst other brands, ASOS introduced catwalk videos to support product photos with the aim of minimizing returns and ensuring the customer is aware of the fit (Atha, C. 2019.). Moreover, social media sites such as Instagram are becoming popular marketing tools for fashion labels, due to a high number of active users (Statista, 2018) and high levels brand engagement (Burney,K. n.d.). Having developed a feature that enables users to seamlessly purchase products whilst ‘scrolling’ (Fernandez, C.2019), the platform creates a space for retailers, influencers and the general public to communicate opinions of the products on offer, giving rise to emergence of online ‘communities’ and ‘social shopping’ (Preston, R. 2013).

Fig.2.: Emory Park maxi dress with tie sleeves.

ASOS. 2019.

However, consumption of goods and services has continued to rise in developing and ‘developed’ nations globally (WorldWatch.2019), at a rate that is not sustainable economically or environmentally, for this risks a financial crisis from amalgamated debts, as the case in 2008 (Peston,R.2013), and for the welfare of the planet with the destructive production practices.

Corporate and personal ethics Since the 1980s, there has been a growing interest in the applications of sustainability and ecology in the fashion industry, hastened in recent years by developments in technology (Cotton, B. 2018) and widespread reporting of society’s threat to the ecosystem (Walnut Unlimited. N.d.). Consequentially, consumers’ personal ethics are changing, valuing socially responsible and traceable brands, and embracing a circular economy. According to the State of Fashion Report 2019, the younger generation of consumers believe it to be the responsibility of companies to “address environmental and social issues” (McKinsey&Company, and Business of Fashion. 2019.), however, data also demonstrates “conscious consumers” are taking it upon themselves to adjust consumption habits to suit

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personal ethics, with Lyst recording a “66% rise in searches for sustainable fashion” in 2018 (Kent,S.2019). As a result, we are seeing a shift in business paradigms (Atha, C. 2019), and a concerted movement of retailers towards adopting ethical practices (Cotton, B. 2018).

Fig.3.: Circular Economy and Circular Fashion.

Global Change Award. 2019.

Alongside the growing number of sustainable brands on the market, many existing retailers are introducing new sustainable product lines or adjusting production practices to become more ‘ethical’ and appeal to the modern consumer (McKinsey&Company, and Business of Fashion. 2019.). H&M are a global fast-fashion retailer pioneering affordable, sustainable and transparent retail, adjusting corporate ethics to befit consumers’ personal ethics. Following the key principals established in the Circular Transitions Conference of 2016, the brand is attempting to “lead the change towards a circular and renewable fashion economy” (H&M Group.2019.). Through use of new technologies to create innovative materials, textile-recycling schemes for social responsibility and traceable product lines (H&M Customer Service.2019), H&M is a key example of how changing personal ethics have transformed corporate ethics and contributed to shifts in business paradigms of the fashion industry. Arguably, this change is occurring across the field of art and design, with furniture retailer, IKEA, introducing their “Democratic Design” initiative in 2009, positioning the brand as a socially conscious. Concluding the five “dimensions to democratic design” (Sustainability, function, low-price, form and quality) are met in each product, the brand boasts innovative design techniques and suggests there to be invariance between the company’s ethos and the consumers’ expectations (IKEA Democratic Design.2019). Despite the possibility that sustainability may prove highly profitable for manufacturers (Farra, E.2019), particularly with over fourteen million conscious consumers (Cotton, B. 2018), improvements remain to be made, with many major retailers, including Boohoo and Amazon, continuing to lack in sustainable initiatives (Farra, E.2019) Conclusion To conclude, this essay has argued how technological developments have contributed to significant change in consumer cultures and ultimately affected major global industries, including the fashion industry. Technology has facilitated communication between players at all levels of the product production line, hastening production speeds and lowering costs for producers and consumers. In turn, this has fuelled mass consumption and consumer expectations for product availability and variety. The development of the World Wide Web, and new distribution methods that occurred as a result of the global production line, changed consumer’s approach to shopping, with the industry seeing a decline in sales made in local physical retailers, and an increase in sales made to national to international online spaces.

Furthermore, with worldwide internet usage growing year-on-year, messages concerning environmental hazards are beginning to enter “mainstream” (Dalal-Clayton,B and Bass,S.2009), contributing to changes in consumer ethics and hence habits, with an obvious example being that of the “Attenborough Effect”.

Such developments affect the discipline of fashion marketing, as brands are expected to make changes to all aspects of the business and manufacturing process in order to increase

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traceability and sustainability, whilst delivering an omni-channel experience to the consumer to ensure the shopping process is as simple as possible. In addition, as consumers believe it to be the responsibility of retailers to ensure sustainability, brands are now accountable for marketing promoting responsible consumer behaviour.

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Fig.1.: Harpers Bazaar. 2019. The Conservatory, a Chic Concept Store at Hudson Yards. [Online]. [Accessed: 2 May 2019]. Available from: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/trends/g26840335/conservatory-new-yorkboutique-hudson-yards/ Fig.2.: ASOS. 2019. Emory Park maxi dress with tie sleeves.. [Online]. [Accessed: 2 May 2019]. Available from: https://www.asos.com/emory-park/emory-park-maxidress-with-tiesleeves/prd/11181310?clr=orange&colourWayId=16365492&SearchQuery=&cid=87 99&gridcolumn=4&gridrow=1&gridsize=4&pge=1&pgesize=72&totalstyles=6704 Fig.3.: Global Change Awards. 2019. Circular Economy and Circular Fashion.

[Online]. [Accessed: 2 May 2019]. Available from: https://globalchangeaward.com/circular-fashion/

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Internet World Stats. 2019. Internet Usage Statistics. [Online]. [Accessed: 2 May 2019]. Available from: https://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm McCarthy, J and Sanchez, E. 2019. The “Attenborough Effect” is Causing Plastic Pollution to Plummet. [Online]. [Accessed: 2 May 2019]. Available from: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/attenborough-effect-plastics/ University of Arts: London. 2019. Circular Transitions. [Online]. [Accessed: 2 May 2019]. Available from: http://circulartransitions.org/

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