In this book, I will be taking you along on my journey of how I arrived at my final 360 campaign idea. Having recently completed the brand me part of this module, I have established who I am as a person and my best fit within a specific market level, and so I am now at the stage where I intend to explore this market level further and look at how I can build my own brand within.
As I take this project further, I need to think about how I can future proof my brand to fit into the future of my market level. This means that I need to look towards the future, in particular focusing my attention on the future consumer. In this currrent climate, it is important to be one step ahead in order to evolve with the times. Covid-19 may be behind us, however we now have another crisis in our hands. The cost of living crisis. As this is very current, I intend to look into how I can find more cost efficient solutions in the long term, to ensure that it is more affordable for my target consumer. This is one way in which I intend to future proof my brand.
With regards to future proofing, I thought that it would be necessary for me to research and look at how the second hand market is looking to the future, this is relevant research for informing how I can future proof my brand. To begin with, I wanted to start off by looking at Depop. Depop is a community-powered marketplace app to buy and sell unique second hand fashion. (THE DEPOP X BAIN & COMPANY REPORT)
From doing some research, I have found that their consumer base is predominantly Gen Z and they highly value this generations voice as they believe that they are a generation of changemakers. A Depop user survey conducted in 2020 shows that social media is the number one driving force for influencing consumers to shop on the app which tells us that social media has a lot of influential power on this generation. “I feel more anxiety than hope for the future: we’re progressing on some fronts, but losing rights on others.” (The Depop x Bain & Company Report On Gen Z 1. Empathy and awareness). This response is feedback from a Gen Z Depop user and I think that this proves that Gen Z are a very anxious generation as a result of social media, climate change, a global pandemic. The effect of all of this is that they have increased levels of anxiety about the future.
I think it is clear to say that social media still has a lot of power for influencing consumers and that is something I will most likely take forward, even for targeting Gen Alpha. From this research, it is obvious to see that Gen Z are still a prominent consumer at the moment especially in the resale market. However, to move this research on, I need to find the gaps in the market that Gen Z have hinted at, and look further at these gaps to see how I can fill them in time for the next generation of consumers.
As mentioned previously in the BRAND ME book, I have determined that my best fit and where I think I sit is within the second hand resale market, so more of a focus on sustainability. Again, as mentioned before, I know that this is the best fit for me as I have found a passion for this from running a business alongside.
To further my research and understanding of this market level and how I can fit my brand into this space, I intend to look into other brands within this market and the consumers that buy into these brands etc. This is so that I can gauge an idea as to how brands operate within this market, and so I can apply any research and knowledge to the launch of my own brand campaign.
To begin with, the second hand market has drastically grown over the last couple of years and is becoming one of the largest markets in the fashion industry to date. In fact, the global secondhand apparel market will grow 3X faster than the global apparel market overall, (THREDUP) and technology is driving it even further to success. Although my chosen market level is centred around sustainability, it is important to note that I am going to be placing more emphasis on the second hand resale market rather than looking at sustainable brands that don’t operate within the realms of resale. This is mainly because my business is centred around second hand, but also because ‘Second hand Fashion Is Seen As More Accessible and Inclusive Than Sustainable Fashion.’ (THREDUP) I think it’s great that we are seeing more sustainable brands in this industry, but the downside to it is that it’s not very accessible for younger generations because it’s generally more expensive.
Aswell as this being the best fit for me, I am intrigued by the future of this market as I believe that it has the potential to become the largest market in the fashion industry. Like other Gen Zers, I buy into the second hand market as I don’t see the need to buy brand new. For one, buying second hand is much cheaper and with the current cost of living crisis, I would 100% urge others to buy second hand. Although I don’t claim to be fully sustainable, I do however try to buy pre-loved as much as I can as I am aware of the impact of my buying habits, not only from the point of view of the planet but also from the point of view of factory workers rights. I may sound like a hypocrite by saying this, but even though I do occasionally buy into fast fashion, I can’t say that I agree with it. Considering myself to be a conscious consumer, I am very mindful when it comes to buying fast fashion and if I see something I like on a fast fashion website, I will check Depop or Vinted first to see if anyone is selling that same item second hand, for the sake of being sustainable and for the sake of saving money.
As mentioned before, I do see a lot of potential for this market in the future and I think that more and more consumers are starting to cotton onto the idea of buying pre-loved. Therefore, it is my expectation that this is a market that my target consumer will buy into as they feel the need to repair the damage that my generation and past generations have caused.
“The younger generations are more on board with the idea that their habits, especially their consumer habits, are going to determine the future of our climate,” (Romero, 2021).
As I have identified my best fit within a market level, I wanted to expand on my reasoning behind this by explaining what area of the second hand market I am most interested in and how that could potentially be a niche for my brand. So to begin with, I am most interested in and drawn to the vintage/2000s era of fashion as I find that it reflects and is a huge influence on my personal style. When I was growing up in the 2000s, I don’t remember much hype surrounding the fashion back then but I think that was because it was just how it was at the time, but only now am I and others starting to appreciate how this was the best era of fashion by far.
In the past 2 years or so, since I have been buying second hand, I have gravitated towards the vintage/2000s style as it has become a popular trend now, that pretty much rules resale. When I think of resale, I don’t look at it from an angle of clothes that have simply been worn and passed on, instead I relate it to a style of fashion in which case is the well known ‘Y2K style’ as Gen Z like to call it. To further my reasoning, I am placing a lot of emphasis on this style of fashion as it is a part of my brand, and the clothes I source are all from that era of which, if I haven’t mentioned I am obsessed with.
Why am I taking the Y2K style forwards with the 360 campaign? As mentioned before, it is a core part of my brand as this style of fashion is my product that I am selling to the consumer. However, I also know that there is evidently a market for this style and it is something of which younger generations predominantly buy into, with influence from TikTok and famous influencers like Bella Hadid of whom I would say is my biggest inspiration for all things fashion related.
To begin my research into the consumer base within this market, I have begun by focusing my attention on Gen Z as they are the current consumer group of whom invest their money into pre-loved clothing. However as I progress, my intention is to move on from this group of consumers and curate my campaign so that it attracts the Gen Alpha consumer group as they are the future. With regards to future proofing my brand, I need to make sure that my brand aligns with what this new generation will look for.
Since the pandemic, the rise in resale has largely come as a result of Gen Z. This generation were influenced by TikTok and a shift in attitudes and beliefs influenced them further to buy second hand as they realised that it was cool. Now, as a result of this, we are looking towards the future as this market becomes one of the biggest fashion markets to date. Although a lot of Gen Z are buying second hand, the majority of this generation are still buying into fast fashion which doesn’t solve our landfill problem, which is why I intend to move onto the next generation. Because it is simply too late to change the minds of Gen Z.
Gen Z, the current consumers of second hand, are a fluid generation who crave flexibility and think secondhand clothes are cool, according to new research by Depop. (Maguire, 2021). Not only do they perceive it as cool, but this generation as creatives made it cool through creating the popular ‘Y2K’ trend. It’s thanks to Gen Z that buying second hand is no longer associated with poor people, they broke the stigma of it being classed as embarrassing from previous generations and instead, decided that it was cool. “There’s not really like a stigma around it,” Dieguez said. “Now that it’s all over social media and everything people aren’t like as hesitant to say, ‘Oh yeah, it’s thrifted.’” (Daniels, 2022). If anything, this generation deserves more praise for both breaking the stigma and by encouraging others to be sustainable through buying pre-loved.
This generation are more careful with how they spend their money and part of the reason why so many of them buy second hand is because it is a cheaper alternative. Aswell as buying second hand, this generation of students are also self made entrepreneurs. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, many university students have taken to selling clothes and other items to cover expenses and costs related to their studies. (Bergin, 2020).
Aside from affordability and sustainability, Gen Z love thrifting because of one-of-akind fashion. For many younger generations, finding clothes that allow them to express themselves is important. Thrifting allows people to get creative and stand out from the crowd with unique pieces. (WHY DO MILLENIALS AND GEN Z LOVE THRIFTING?, 2021). For this generation, self expression and indentity is important and a lot of this generation took to second hand to express themselves, since the pandemic.
Gen Z have shown the world that they care about the planet more than any other generation, yet they are inundated with shopping choices that make it easier than ever to mindlessly consume. This presents a unique challenge for Gen Z. With one in three Gen Z consumers saying they feel addicted to fast fashion, our data demonstrates the dichotomy young consumers face today. The problem is thus twofold: in the face of such a volume of buying and selling, we find on the one hand the new generations of consumers now accustomed to overconsumption; on the other hand, companies that, despite new sustainable policies, remain tied to overproduction. (Salamone, 2022). Although a lot of Gen Z have switched to pre-loved, overconsumption still remains to be an issue and this is partly because this generation have grown up with overconsumption being the norm. Prior to sustainability and second hand being placed in the spotlight, fast fashion wasn’t seen in such a bad light and so, no one realized that overconsumption existed. The difference with Gen Alpha and Gen Z is that Gen Alpha have grown up seeing first hand, the effects of the damage caused by previous generations for neglect of the environment as a direct result of overconsumption. Whereas for Gen Z, as mentioned previously, fast fashion is what they grew up with and it has always been too available for them. While resale offers a path to extending the life of used clothing, the model doesn’t inherently account for what happens to clothes when they are discarded, or guarantee that clothing is made more sustainably in the first place. Nor does it have any bearing on the volumes of new clothes made or sold on the new market. (Salamone, 2022).
With Gen Z growing up in the so called Y2K era, they have been exposed to the harsh reality of body image standards, with this era of fashion being synonymous with low-rise jeans and thinness. (ELIZABETH, 2022). The return of this style of fashion has prompted a return of the desire for consumers of this trend to be thin, as the majority of Y2K clothes sold on Depop are tiny sizing and don’t account for people with a curvier shape. The Y2K trend that has the industry in a chokehold may also be resurrecting the unattainable, super-slim body ideal of the era. (Jana, 2022). With this, as someone who sells on Depop, I have noticed that a lot of sellers are bringing back this idea of dressing in juicy couture tracksuits and mini skirts with tiny frames, making consumers who don’t have a tiny frame thinking that they don’t belong within this era of fashion. Maybe, too, it felt like part of a general Y2K tilt towards a particularly unattainable body type: think Paris Hilton in hip bone-skimming low rise jeans, and teen pop stars with impossibly flat stomachs accentuated by tiny crop tops and belly-button piercings. (Jana, 2022). And this is what a lot of Gen Z resellers of the Y2K style romanticize.
“As much as I love Depop it triggers me personally in a few ways, as someone struggling with an eating disorder,” says Imogen, an 18-year-old New South Wales seller. On subreddits and Facebook groups, sellers confess that their relationship with Depop is affecting their wellbeing and body image, writing posts like “Does anyone else feel like their body isn’t good enough for depop?” and “My body will never have that ‘depop aesthetic’”. Depop “is not an inclusive or supportive place for plus-sized sellers.” Other users complain on Twitter, with varying degrees of seriousness, that their relationship to the app is “toxic”. (Anderson, 2021).
As a Depop seller and consumer, I also find that Depop isn’t the most size inclusive platform. Of course, this is something that is out of their control as anyone is allowed to sell on the platform, and so, this presents a challenge as Depop can’t stop sellers who are small in size from promoting small sizes. In contrast, I do see Depop as more inclusive and diverse as the explore page nowadays is filled with a variety of diverse sellers who all look different. I understand that it can be triggering on the same level as Instagram as there is also an explore page for Depop where users can browse sellers pages.
Depop seems to have done a decent job when it comes to diversity and inclusion, but when it comes to size inclusivity specifically… it’s extremely tedious trying to research and find good shops that have a wide range of sizes. it seems like it’s a whole part of inclusivity they haven’t actually tapped into and made an effort to change. It’s pretty frustrating that my whole style edit page is all XS & Small size items, and as someone who has dealt with body dysmorphia for most of their life, I rarely use depop for the reasoning that it’s extremely difficult to find items I want because of this. (I wish my style edit page was more size inclusive) This response was posted via a Depop thread on Reddit and I thought it would be relevant to look into what consumers have to say about the app.
it’s clear that the app is at least tackling one of these issues – models (most of whom are also sellers) are racially diverse. The diversity in terms of the size and shape of models, however, is still unfortunately lacking. The slight figures seen across the platform, along with the pressure to show clothes on the body, can make Depop an intimidating place for sellers. (Johnstone, 2021).
As mentioned previously, Generation Alpha are my target consumer for the future of my brand. At the moment I am currently focused on Gen Z as they are the current consumer group and Gen Alpha have not yet reached the age of understanding the divide between fast fashion and second hand. Although we don’t know much regarding Gen Alphas buying habits yet, we do know that they could potentially be the generation to change the fashion industry if they’re educated properly. I personally believe that from looking at Gen Z as an example, the reason why they are still buying into fast fashion has partially come as a result of a lack of education. But most importantly, fast fashion has been shoved down their throats through constant advertising and glamorising it. For example, TikTok shop has influenced and further encouraged consumers to keep the fast fashion market going. Fast fashion has been too available for this generation. Therefore, if we educate Gen Alpha and remove fast fashion from their minds. For example, this could be through recycling school uniforms, so that from a young age they are getting into the habit of buying second hand, so that this would become a norm for them as they grow up.
The consequence of our actions with regards to our carelessness for the planet has prompted anxiety amongst generation alpha for their future. With a global pandemic and an ever growing climate crisis, it’s no wonder the younger generation are worried about their future. I think that we have been selfish and reckless with our buying habits and because of our actions, we have left this generations future in limbo. My target consumer is Generation Alpha, not just because they’re the future consumer but also because I feel a responsibility to carve a better future for them. My interest in the second hand resale market has since magnified into the desire to revolve it around a sustainable future. To revolve it around a better future for the younger generation. Not only that, but it is in my interest to look at how I can make a difference within my brand.
From investigating Generation Alpha as my target consumer, It is so far pretty clear that this generation will most likely not buy into fast fashion as they ‘feel need to repair the damage that past generations have caused’.
Aswell as this, unrealistic beauty and body standards have ruled the fashion and clothing industry for generations, but their dominance and influence is rapidly being undermined. A new generation of consumers is demanding diversity, where all kinds of different physiques, shapes and sizes are not only embraced and accepted, but celebrated. (Blank, 2022). This research suggests that Gen Alpha will be looking for size inclusivity when buying into a brand. I expect that this emerging cohort of consumers will have a lot of expectations especially for fashion brands which is why it’s important to fill any gaps in the market now before they emerge as the current consumer.
There is no doubt that fast fashion still shows a lack of size inclusivity. For example, Zara have made a stir over social media due to their sizing. Their sizing isn’t very inclusive as the sizes are convincing consumers that they have put on weight as their usual size doesn’t fit, not only that but the sizing could be a potential trigger for eating disorders amongst the younger generation. The difference between fast fashion and second hand is that fast fashion has the ability to be size inclusive because it is all ‘design to fit’ but with second hand, the sizing and the clothes already exist. One of the reasons why overconsumption is a problem is because of design and the fact that fast fashion brands can design as much as they want, which in turn is resulting in overconsumption. A brand like Zara has enough resources and funds to design clothing that is true to size and yet they aren’t doing that which is giving them a bad reputation for customer dissatisfaction.
For who sits alongside this market. I found it quite difficult to begin with as the second hand resale market is not like any other market. For instance, with fast fashion and luxury, there are actual fashion brands selling products that cater to that specific market, whereas the resale market predominantly consists of individuals running a business from selling vintage second hand clothes. In this case, I thought it would be necessary for my research to look at some of the small independent sellers who have made a business out of selling vintage clothes as it would be informative for my business and for my FMP.
Since I started selling clothes on Depop, I have been doing a lot of research into resale, specifically researching other sellers within this domain to inform what I can do within my own business in terms of sourcing stock, promoting my business on social media etc. One seller in particular who has built a large following and has now transformed her reselling business into a sustainable fashion brand is someone whom I have followed since the beginning and I would definitely consider her to be an inspiration of mine for building my own brand in the realms of second hand fashion.
The reason why I consider her to be an inspiration of mine within this business is because she is passionate about being sustainable and being a role model through encouraging others to shop second hand. Taking this forward, I can say that
con-
‘Back then, I was selling and consuming fast fashion, but as I started investing more time in selling it allowed me to sit back and think about my role within the industry, through educating myself further I learnt so much about the social and environmental impacts of fast fashion, and wanted to create change in my own life and encourage others to do the same.’ (Gibbs).
I definitely relate to her values that underpin her business model and I will
tinue to look at how she has built her brand to inform the research for my business.
Aswell as the previous research I looked at with regards to a Depop seller, I also wanted to look at a vintage brand to further explore the possibilities within second hand fashion for future reference. For example, resale is the process of buying pre-loved clothes or accessories and selling them on for a higher price to make a profit and that is how individual sellers like myself make a business out of it. Looking at the brand Sami Miro Vintage, they work by utilizing deadstock material from second hand clothes, like vintage Levi’s jeans. Therefore, this brand would be considered as one that works with upcycling within the second hand market. I came across Sami Miro Vintage from looking into where Bella Hadid shops for clothes as she is my biggest inspiration and I know that she frequently buys into vintage fashion.
Personally, I view Sami Miro Vintage as an exclusive brand because they work with high quality deadstock material to create their limited run collections. The brand works within luxury because of the high price points but also works within sustainability and the second hand market through upcycling second hand clothes. Sami Miro Vintage was founded in 2016 out of Miro’s passion for second hand thrifting. With a recent surge of popularity for vintage clothing, her business came at the perfect time, but also as a larger conversation about fashion’s impact on our planet was taking place, “Sami Miro Vintage is a sustainable clothing company where eco-consciousness is the priority from beginning to end. That is the center of our ethos,” says Miro. (Perez, 2021).
“When I first started thrifting, it was out of insecurity. But it then quickly turned into what gave me confidence, knowing that I was the only person in the world who had that one piece. That transformed my entire outlook on fashion and how I wanted to portray myself physically.” (Perez, 2021).
As we have learnt from Gen Z, the fashion industry nowadays is trying to prioritize self expression and sustainability to meet consumer demands and expectations. I wanted to research this brand as I feel like this is an example of a brand that is unknowingly carving another path to reshape a market that Gen Alpha would buy into.
As I have included my favourite magazine publication in my brand me research, I wanted to take this further into my 360 campaign research. I am drawn to ID magazine primarily from the perspective of the visual element, however, I have also recently been looking through the issues from the 2000s as that is the era that I am focusing my attention on within vintage fashion, and I am taking a lot of inspiration from it. For this primary collage of cutouts from one of the magazines I looked at, I have used these cutouts where it has relatable text with standards on beauty and body image. I thought this was relevant as society standards are changing, and from my research into Generation Alpha, the younger generations will look to buy into brands that are inclusive and will reject any standards. Overall, I think that ID magazine is a very relatable publication and you can clearly see that it targets the younger generations, particularly Gen Z.
As mentioned previously in the brand me book, I have been selling clothes on Depop and Vinted over the last 2 years. What started out as a way of getting rid of clothes I no longer wanted, turned into a business opportunity for myself to venture into doing something I enjoy doing, which is sourcing second hand vintage clothes from all over the world and selling them on. Only recently did I make the decision to take it more seriously as I realized that this is what I want to do in terms of career goals. Not once have I looked back on the decision to make a business out of this, which is how I know that this is what I am meant to do after university.
With regards to the 360 campaign, it is going to be centred around my business. My intention for the rest of this year is to work on my business alongside whilst also creating a campaign that looks at missing gaps in the market that I can work on as I build my business. So far, since doing some research into gaps in the market, I have found that the one thing that stuck out the most with consumer concerns was the lack of size inclusivity. As this is a current concern for consumers who want to shop second hand and play their part, I thought that it would be necessary for me to investiage this further as a gap in the market, that I could potentially create my campaign around.
Having previously introduced my brand, I wanted to create a 10x10 word bank to depict words that are relevent to my brand. This is a way for me to be more transparent with my brand and back up any research so far.
From the point of view of myself, sustainability is embedded in everything I do, as the clothes I sell have essentially been saved from ending up in landfill and I resell them on to give them a new purpose and life. Second hand is sustainable as it brings existing clothes back into circulation and wearing second hand is of course more sustainable than buying new.
Having briefly explained that I sell second hand clothes within my business, one thing I have noticed since I started out reselling, is the amount of second hand clothes in amazing condition, that are just lying around waiting to be sent to landfill, and this is something that always makes me question as to why people are still consuming brand new. I would say that that is part of the reason why I got into this business, with the intention to bring existing clothes back into the industry. Aswell as being a reseller of second hand fashion, I am also a consumer of second hand and my reasoning for this is as follows. I am a conscious consumer, buying second hand is a cheaper alternative, I don’t agree with fast fashion and I prefer to buy second hand as I know that when I buy something second hand, I know that no one else can copy me and so, it makes me connect to that piece more.
Within second hand, as I have already mentioned, I don’t just sell any kind of second hand clothes. I have always referred to second hand as a particular era of fashion and that is the 2000s, also known as the popular ‘Y2K’ style which is where I source my stock from. As someone who also buys into this era of fashion, I am aware that this style of fashion has been trending since the pandemic, and still is to this day which has, in turn created its own market particularly amongst Gen Z. I think part of the reason why vintage fashion is so popular is because it is unique in a way that you know no one else will be wearing that piece as it is all one of a kind.
I hadn’t really considered this before, but I would consider my brand to be exclusive in the sense that when sourcing stock, I am handpicking each individual piece based on whether I think it has potential and whether my customers would buy it. Aswell as this, I don’t follow trends within my business and I only source the best stock, and so I have reached a point in my business where I will not accept just any stock, it has to be stock that stands out otherwise I am left with dead stock that won’t sell. So in that sense, I am carefully handpicking the best stock for my customers that I know they will love. For example, some of the pieces I receive are in demand so much to the point that they will sell within an hour of listing them.
As a seller and a buyer of second hand, I am aware of the responsibility that comes with this position. As a seller, I have a responsibility to ensure the stock
I source is of the best quality for my customers and to ensure my customers are satisfied with their item. However, as a buyer I have the responsibility to be consistent with opting for second hand rather than new, as I am aware that the majority of people are still buying into fast fashion and so, I have to take on that responsibility for them. Not only that, but as mentioned before, I feel a responsibility to play my part for the sake of Generation Alphas future.
Throughout this campaign, it is in my interest to future proof my brand alongside, whilst also ensuring that the campaign is future proof in itself. I think it is important to future proof my brand for reaching the future consumer but also to progress and evolve with the times, so that my brand can sustain and adapt to any changes in the future. As we all know, the metaverse and digital fashion is the future we are looking at, and so I think it’s important for me to think about how I can curate my campaign to fit into this. Although I am not big on the metaverse and digital fashion, I am however big on social media and I do think that social media will hold its position in the future, as we all know that it is a vital long term solution for communication, which is why I am thinking of creating a social media campaign for my brand.
Unlike many fashion brands, my brand is different in the sense that I am an independent reseller who is building a brand out of this. This means that I do everything myself, from sourcing stock to maintaining my social media presence. I would be lying if I said that being independent in business is easy, because it’s not. When starting out in business, independence is not too difficult, however it does mean that it’s more time consuming which is what makes it a full time role. Because I am starting out in the business world, I don’t have the funds necessary to take on employees, but hopefully further down the line as I build my business and establish it, I can start thinking about expanding into a studio and taking on employees to help myself out.
I have included longevity in the 10x10 as it is a word that I can tie into the stock I source. Most luxury brands have products that hold longevity, hence why the cost is so high. However, I may not be a luxury brand, but I do sell vintage clothes that include designer labels like Dolce & Gabbana and Diesel which therefore means that a lot of my stock holds longevity. When sourcing stock, as mentioned before, I look for the best of the best and I will not accept any fast fashion labels as I am aware of the cheap quality. When a customer buys into vintage clothes, they are ultimately buying into a unique piece that will last them a long time, as the majority of vintage fashion is good quality and I can affirm that as someone who has seen and felt the quality first hand. The difference between my brand and luxury is that I’m selling good quality second hand clothes at a cheaper price whereas, luxury brands are producing good quality clothes at a higher price.
Resale is the word that underpins my business because it is by means, the definition of buying clothes that already exist to sell on for a profit of what I bought it for. Since selling clothes on popular platforms like Depop and Vinted, I have witnessed first hand, the rise in resale which to this day has grown to be in a position where it is estimated to be bigger and worth more than the fast fashion market. What has helped this growth so much is Gen Z members realizing that they can make a business out of resale and by using their inquisitive minds to source stock from all over the world which in turn, is boosting the economy within this market. To further my research, I intend to look further into the resale market and the different avenues and possibilities for starting a business.
Nostalgic is a relevant word for the 10x10 because I am working with fashion from the early 2000s and that is nostalgic as I grew up in that era. Although I didn’t really think about that era too much at the time because it was just how fashion was then. Looking back on my childhood photos when I was younger in the early 2000s evokes a feeling of nostalgia as it is almost as if I am reliving my childhood and fashion in the early 2000s. Back then
I was too young to notice the clothes I wore and how amazing fashion was, but it definitely makes me happy knowing that I grew up in the 2000s as I am obsessed with that era of fashion as I have already mentioned.
The global fashion resale market is expected to grow 127 percent by 2026, three times faster than the broader retail clothing sector, according to a new report.
It comes as the ‘pre-loved’ fashion market continues to go from strength to strength, fueled by growing consumer and investor demand for more sustainable apparel alternatives.
The younger generation remains the most open to buying preloved fashion, with 62 percent of Gen Z and Millennials saying they look for an item second-hand before purchasing a new one.
The study also found that 58 percent of consumers say second-hand shopping has helped them in some way during a time of inflation. Meanwhile, 25 percent say they will consider buying more second-hand items if prices in apparel, footwear, and accessories continue to go up. (Hughes, 2022).
It is evidently clear that as a result of price inflation and the cost of living crisis, consumers are switching over to buying second hand rather than new to save money and because of this, brands are taking advantage of this by launching resale platforms to reach these consumers. However it seems that most consumers are shopping on Depop, Vinted and Ebay to buy second hand.
Resale has always presented itself as an opportunity to make the fashion industry more circular through bringing pre-existed clothing back into the industry, and this is exactly what I’m doing. I feel very optimistic about the future of resale as more and more consumers switch over to second hand, it makes me believe that there is a chance that the fashion industry has the potential to be sustainable.
One of the many things fashion has always had a problem withoverconsumption. “Second-hand sites push a bulimia of purchase. For the same price as a new garment, you can buy three or four. (Second-hand fashion : a trend towards over-consumption #441, 2022). When we look at Gen Z, we can see that a lot of consumers have moved over to buying second hand, but this is not entirely a good thing. A generation that are accustomed to endless supply of everything leaving them wanting more. They may be more sustainable consumers due to opting to buy second hand, but they are continuing the chain of overconsumption by making endless purchases similar to fast fashion because of the low price point. The question is whether overconsumption is as bad with second hand as it is with fast fashion. Unfortunately, it appears the best way to shop sustainably is to do it less. (KIBEL, 2020). Overconsumption exists with second hand too, which is why no matter what you are buying into, you must remember to avoid mindless consumption. Of course, we know one reason as to why overconsumption still exists and that is because of trends.
With #ThriftHaul being used over half a million times on Instagram (and counting), it’s clear that too many people have simply replaced their fast fashion addiction with second hand clothing. Plus, many consumers buy it from platforms like Depop or Vinted… but this ‘second hand clothing’ is often just fast fashion garments that have only been worn a couple of times! (Nizzoli, 2022). Many consumers think that if they buy fast fashion pieces second hand, it is classed as sustainable but it’s not really. As a second hand consumer myself, I think that opting for vintage second hand clothes is the more sustainable option, as they are usually good quality and were manufactured years ago. Rather than giving a cheap quality fast fashion piece a new lease of life, it’s better to bring vintage clothes back into circulation.
All in all, I think that the reason why overconsumption is problematic with Gen Z and previous generations is because they have grown up with overconsumption of everything including food. And so, I think the best solution for this is for brands to stop feeding consumers more and more as they are unable to resist the temptation.
From doing some research into vintage fashion, I came across the RE/SOURCED collaboration by Ralph Lauren and Depop. Ralph Lauren and resale platform Depop have come together to collaborate on the ultimate ‘90s collection of pre-loved fashion. The curated selection of vintage Ralph Lauren Polo has been sourced by savvy sellers and will be sold in the brand’s flagship store. (PIKE, 2019). Promoting a slower, more sustainable approach to buying clothes, Ralph Lauren has enlisted digital docufilm maker Mura to capture the stories behind the pieces and those involved in the project. Focusing on three Depop sellers, the film looks into the life cycles of the items they source and spotlights the significance of choosing second hand. (RALPH LAUREN × DEPOP, 2019). Highlighting where it says ‘capture the stories behind the pieces’. I wanted to pay attention to this as vintage fashion will always hold significance because of the stories behind each individual piece. For example, when the item was purchased, who the original owner is, how many owners have worn this item and the history of the item. As someone who buys into vintage fashion, this is something I am always intrigued by and it helps to form a connection with that piece.
The other reason why I wanted to include this collaboration in my research is because Ralph Lauren are a very popular brand on resale sites, not just for vintage pieces of the brand, but also for second hand pieces that are still very current and are sold in stores. I would definitely say that Ralph Lauren is one of the most sought after labels on resale sites, which is why sellers on Depop can get away with selling pieces for over £50. Ralph Lauren wanted to create this collaboration to encourage second hand shopping, but also to celebrate the brands history and the timeless quality of every collection.
As my brand is centred around sustainability, I throught it would be informative to do some research into sustainable brands, and so, I decided to research Christopher Raeburn. I also thought that this research would be informative as Christopher Raeburn is someone who works with upcycling within his collections, and upcycling is something I have been looking into within second hand.
Christopher Raeburn has established his eponymous brand with responsible and intelligent fashion design for a global audience. The RAEMADE ethos in particular has pioneered the reworking of surplus fabrics and garments to create distinctive and functional pieces. (RAEBURN CHANGING THE WORLD
THROUGH RESPONSIBLE DESIGN).
“The way we were bought up, it was with a really pragmatic way of doing things, mending things and making the most of what you had. You had to make your fun … I think that’s really translated into my creative practices as an adult.” (ZHANG, 2021). I agree with this and it raises the question as to why brands are still designing with newness when there are endless resources that surround us, you just have to be creative with whatever you have available. I personally think that upcycling is a great approach to design and the possibilities are endless with it, not only that but upcycling is a cheaper and more sustainable approach than producing collections with new materials.
To further my research into sustainability and brands that are sustainable, I thought it would be a good idea to do some research into Stella Mccartney as it is the first brand that comes to mind when thinking about sustainable brands. Stella Mccartney is an example of a brand that puts the planet before profit, and that is something I always admire and is an approach that every brand should follow to make the fashion industry more circular.
“I design clothes that are meant to last. I believe in creating pieces that are not going to get burnt, that are not going to landfills and that are not going to damage the environment.” (ALESSANDRA LOLLI). For every sustainable brand I research, it makes me question as to why consumers are spending so much money on cheap quality clothes that are bad for the environment and don’t last long when they could be putting their money into better quality clothing that is ultimately going to last a very long time. On one hand, one could argue that luxury may produce good quality clothing but it’s too expensive and this of course is understandable for consumers on lower incomes, however, on the other hand, there is the option to invest ones money into high quality second hand clothes that are in some cases cheaper than fast fashion prices.
I think that researching Stella Mccartney to inform my research has been very useful and motivating for myself to be more transparent with how the brand that I am building is sustainable and how it is helping the industry in becoming more circular. As I explained before about how second hand clothes are generally good quality, this is something in particular that I want to be more transparent about in informing my audience of how the positives outweigh the negatives when it comes to buying second hand.
On celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Stella Mccartney, unlike many other brands has not used this as an excuse to take advantage of this anniversary by prouducing another collection to make a profit off. “The world is crying out for change,” says McCartney. “The younger generation is telling us that our house is on fire and that we need to respond like we are in a crisis – because we are, in fact, in a crisis. Initiatives like Earth Day provide the opportunity for everyone to pause and really think about the devastation that is happening around us and what they can do to make a difference.” This year in particular, McCartney believes that we have been given a second chance to address our collective impact, to learn from the coronavirus pandemic and to make better choices going forward. (NEWBOLD, 2020) The reason why I wanted to include this in my research is because this is the exact attitude that Generation Alpha are looking for when buying into fashion. Ultimately, Generation Alpha are going to be buying into brands that want to protect their futures and ensure there will be a planet for them to live on. Because of this generations anxiety around their future, they will find it hard to trust brands to prioritize their future over mass production. And so, the fashion industry needs brands like Stella McCartney to stand up and speak to this generation with the intent of easing their anxiety by assuring that there will be a planet to live on. As Stella McCartney says, THERE IS NO PLANET B. So we need to work harder as a collective to save this planet.
Online secondhand shopping is fashion’s future. By 2030, it’s predicted that second-hand clothes will comprise around 18% of the average wardrobe, up from 9% in 2020. This is a welcome shift for the future of the planet, and will help tackle the 13 million garments discarded in the UK each week. As well as keeping clothing out of landfill and in circulation, the re-sale market decreases the need for new fabric production by reducing demand. (The Seam)
For many people, the rise of resale offers a less expensive and more sustainable way to refresh wardrobes, along with the potential to earn money from unused clothes. But there remains a roadblock in the potential of second hand clothes: finding the perfect fit. (The Seam)
The complexity around second hand sizing stems from the fashion industry’s lack of standardisation. Buying clothing from decades past renders the numbers on the tag essentially meaningless: a women’s size 12 in 1958 now matches a contemporary size 6. And the term ‘standard’ is far from an accurate description of how sizes shift from one retailer to the next. Even before we bring this sizing problem into the realm of second hand, clothing fit is the number one reason for garment returns in the UK, and it’s fueling an epidemic of purchases headed straight to landfill. Beyond the confusion around interpreting sizing on secondhand clothes, there is a lack of size representation above a UK size 12. for example, searching for a ‘dress’ on Depop generates 240,000 search results in a UK size 10, and just 1,900 in a UK size 24. A final challenge of finding the right size in second hand is the fact that there’s only one of each item, with no option to exchange for another size if it doesn’t fit. (The seam)
As a vintage second hand reseller and consumer, I very rarely see representation for sizes beyond a size Small and the sellers modelling stock also tend to be small in size. Of course, the fact that sizing was smaller back then plays a part in this. From a consumers perspective, I can say that it is annoying when I find something I really like, and can’t buy it because it’s not my size.
For many people, the rise of resale offers a less expensive and more sustainable way to refresh wardrobes, along with the potential to earn money from unused clothes. But there remains a roadblock in the potential of second hand clothes: finding the perfect fit. As someone who sources second hand clothes, I can vouch for this as I understand why there is a lack of size inclusiveness. The difficulty with second hand being more size inclusive is that you can’t just simply create a plus size range or design to fit all body sizes and shapes like any of the fashion houses do, as this is a market that works around what already exists. For example, when I am sourcing stock, I receive a mixed range of sizes for different styles of jeans and the problem is that I can’t cater to every body type as I can’t always be picky with sizing. The image on the previous page is of a few pairs of jeans from my stock, and I thought it would be relevant to include as I personally find that jeans are the most problematic when it comes to sizing, and I find that even I sometimes can’t model the jeans that I am selling as they don’t fit me. This causes more problems as the consumer is unable to see what they look like on, and this in turn can affect my sales.
Whether this is a possible campaign idea, I don’t know. However, I am going to explore this more with further research to look at how I could potentially solve the problem of size inclusivity within the second hand market. In order to get everyone on board with second hand, it needs to be inclusive for all.
Not seeing size-inclusive clothing at thrift stores makes us feel like outliers as it negates us from the equation and spreads the notion that only people of limited sizes get to be sustainable. We don’t really want to feel like that when all we’re trying to do is shop and be good to the environment,” (Dsouza)
As mentioned before, I intend to explore this further by finding potential solutions. Although I am thinking that this is the route I will go down, I need to find out how I can solve this before I finalize it as my campaign idea. With further research, I have found that a lot of vintage resellers and even fast fashion brands like Urban Outfitters are buying plus size vintage clothes from charity shops with the purpose of upcycling them to create a new design with a size range of 6-12, which means that plus size consumers with lower incomes that shop at charity shops are unable to find something in their size. One possible solution to this could be to do the opposite and for example, follow suit of what the vintage clothing brand Sami Miro Vintage are doing by sourcing deastock vintage clothes and upcycling them to create larger sizes.
When looking at modelling the clothes that I sell, as a small business startup I don’t have the funds or resources to hire models let alone to hire plus size models. Therefore, one idea that comes to mind could be to have customers model the plus size clothing they buy from me or ask them to tag me in their social media posts of them wearing the clothes so that I could repost to my socials as a way of promoting my efforts at being a sustainable and size inclusive fashion brand.
“A lot of the waste the industry creates is in excess inventory. It doesn’t make sense to produce things you can’t sell.” “The reason we mass produce the way that we do is because, based on our current systems, it is a financial efficacy, even if it shouldn’t be.” (Veurink, 2021).
“The exciting thing about made-to-order is the idea that you’re really only making stuff that you know is going somewhere where someone wants it. It also creates a different mindset for the person buying it because you don’t order something made-to-order and wear it once and then toss it.” (Veurink, 2021).
Made-to-measure takes the model a step further, promising a custom fit. (Veurink, 2021). Aswell as made to order being a sustainable approach for reducing consumption, made to measure has the advantage and flexibility of being size inclusive because the garment is designed to fit the customers body size and shape. Looking into the future of fashion, I personally think that made to order could possibly be the best solution to a sustainable and inclusive future. Fast fashion brands work on forecasting what consumers are looking to buy and what sizes they would be looking for. However, there is a major problem with this as predicting what consumers would buy does not promise sales, of course a brand may design a collection and sell a lot of it but then also be left with a lot that doesn’t sell, leading to waste and overproduction. In addition, when it comes to sizing with fast fashion, there comes the problem that customers will buy a product in more than one size because they’re worried that the size they were looking for won’t fit. Aswelll as this, the hassle of then having to return the sizes the customer doesn’t want and having to wait weeks for a refund is problematic in itself. With made to measure, the customer can order something without having to worry about whether it will fit. With regards to how this approach is relevant or is a potential solution for my campaign, I think this could be a great solution. Although made to order wouldn’t entirely work with what I do, as I sell clothes that already exist, there is the potential for me to extend the meaning of made to order and made to measure so that this can be an approach that second hand businesses can also include in their business models. For example, I would instead ‘source for your size’ meaning that I would source the clothes based on the models/customers size.
Furthermore, I find that with my business, I do end up with stock that doesn’t sell which isn’t directly classed as waste in terms of sustainability but, it does count as waste for myself in the sense that I have invested in some pieces that won’t sell. Therefore, made to order could essentially be a good solution for my business going forwards.
Having previously researched brands that sit alongside this market, I wanted to take the research into Sami Miro Vintage further in the direction of upcycling as an approach to being size inclusive with pre-loved clothes. So, from my research into upcycling, I came across a brand called Sevali. “With SEVALI, I want to push the boundaries of upcycling,” Sebastian says. “We want to experiment with different media, different materials, to propose something new. It’s a search for newness.” By fashion industry standards, the practice of upcycling usually involves flipping pre-existing garment textiles — deadstock fabrics, vintage clothing — into new pieces. Some of SEVALI’s garments abide by these industry conventions — say, a renewed antique wedding dress, a frock pieced together from silk scarves. (KENDALL, 2020). Although their approach is a bit different to what I am thinking with regards to the fact that Sevali prefer to use materials like old metro tickets or FedEx packaging rather than using vintage second hand clothes and upcycling them to make larger sizes. The point is that upcycling is an idea to inject newness into my brand by thinking outside of the box when it comes to being size inclusive, and I thought it would be necessary to gather as much research as I can of other brands that upcycle to see whether this could be a solution to the gap in the market.
On the topic of upcycling, I thought it would be relevant for me to include some primary imagery that I captured in Selfridges of the RESELFRIDGES sustainability strategy. The upcycled bags in this image are designed by Tomme Studio. TOMME (pronounced TOM) celebrates a blended vision of masculinity and femininity in its range of handcrafted basketball bags. Transforming an item rooted in a male-dominated sport into an individual, unisex piece of art, each TOMME bag boldly and confidently expresses a fused male / female aesthetic. (ABOUT US)
Although I am looking at upcycling from the idea of size inclusivity, I think it would also be important to explore this as something I could incorporate into my brand later down the line when I am more established. As a creative person, I am always looking for new ideas for my business, as my long term goal is to be a brand that Gen Alpha would buy into, and ultimately, I think it is important to explore these different paths now as trial and error, to see what I could incorporate into my brand.
Selfridges is aiming for almost half its interactions with customers to be based on resale, repair, rental or refills by 2030 as the upmarket department store responds to increasing demand for more sustainable shopping. (Butler, 2022)
The latest addition is RESELLFRIDGES, where you can shop one-of-a-kind pre-loved pieces, which help to close the loop on waste. For Earth Day 2021 find pre-loved outdoors wear and a range of consciously crafted outdoors accessories. Helping you to both protect and reconnect with nature in one swoop. When I looked into this research, I thought that it was a really great idea to combine the second hand with the nature aspect as a reminder to consumers that when you shop second hand, you’re protecting nature and in turn the planet. (Discover RESELFRIDGES)
A lot of fashion brands have been jumping onto second hand resale as of recently as the fashion industry is starting to note that second hand fashion is becoming more prominent and is encouraging consumers to move away from overconsumption. The aim of the RESELLFRIDGES initiative is to teach consumers the importance of sustainability and what they can do to play their part.
When looking into the pre-loved initiative within selfridges, I thought back to last year when I came across a collaboration between Bay Garnett and Oxfam launched in Selfridges and I though that it would be relevant to include some research into that. The Oxfam space at Selfridges has been curated by Stylist and self-proclaimed ‘Queen of Thrift’ Bay Garnett, as part of Oxfam’s Second Hand September campaign, which encourages us all to avoid buying new clothing for the entire month. “I have a real passion for clothing that isn’t new,” she says. “It’s amazing to find original pieces, and I love that I don’t care about trends.” Having spent her life dressing in clothes from past eras, Garnett has a growing awareness that vintage shopping is becoming more than just a niche pastime and is now a firm part of the fashion conscience. Pre-loved is a trend which, she believes, is driven by growing concern for climate change. To lower your environmental fashion footprint, Garnett suggests treating second hand shopping the same as buying for something new. “This idea of second hand being ‘another thing’ is wrong – it’s just clothing that has been worn previously,” she says. (Harling). Focusing on the part when she said that she loves to buy original pieces and how she loves that she doesn’t care about trends. This raises the question as to whether second hand is or isn’t trend driven. Personally, I can say that it is trend driven because of influencers, with the likes of iconic celebs such as Bella Hadid of whom dominates most of the vintage fashion trends.
As I have established the campaign idea being centred around size inclusivity within my brand, I wanted the do some further research into size inclusive brands or brands that have created campaigns around size inclusivity to inform my own campaign surrounding this.
For this, I decided to look at the size inclusive brand, Universal Standard for my research. Women have been shouting that message for ages, and it’s ridiculous that it needs to be said in 2022, but the industry has yet to embrace widespread change. Fashion still divides everyone into groups based on their dress size. At Universal Standard, we offer pieces from sizes 00 to 40, making us the most size-inclusive brand around. Access to clothing is a matter of dignity. When a designer offers their clothes in sizes that everyone can wear, it makes a statement that says that the customer is welcomed, seen, and considered worthy of that product. (Waldman, 2022).
Universal Standard are the perfect example of a brand that is acting on the lack of size inclusivity in the fashion industry. When looking at Generation Alpha, inclusivity in itself is a word that every brand should value as it is a warm word that welcomes and accepts consumers into their brand. Not only this, but as mentioned before, this generation are looking for diversity and inclusivity when they buy into a brand. Having already outlined that the future consumer is looking for sustainable and inclusive brands to buy into, within my brand, I already have the sustainability aspect nailed down and I am working on the inclusive aspect for my campaign so that eventually, I will have both aspects as a core part of my business model.
To ensure that this would be a good campaign and that it actually reflects a gap in the market, I wanted to conduct some primary research. This research has been collected by asking people I know, that shop second hand to see what they think about the lack of size inclusivity. When I put a poll on my Instagram asking whether people think there is a lack of size inclusivity with second hand fashion, the majority voted yes. Asking my sister who I know shops second hand to expand on why she thinks this, she said that second hand clothes generally consist of smaller sizes because people were smaller back in the 90s/2000s, in comparison to the present day where everything revolves around mass consumption and generally more of everything, so people tend to be bigger nowadays. I can confirm this as I often buy second hand clothes in my size and they end up not fitting which has always made me feel bad about myself, until I realized that clothes from the 90s/2000s are different in size compared to modern day sizing, which is why measurements are vital for vintage fashion.
Furthermore, she also said that a lot of young people buy bigger sizes of clothing from charity shops and then upcycle them to fit themselves, leaving people who are bigger in size and on lower incomes not being able to buy second hand or clothes in general. Not just young people, but Urban Outfitters have taken advantage of this idea to upcycle vintage second hand garments, through selling tops for about £50 each with a size range of UK 6-10/12, ultimately making it harder for bigger people who are trying to be sustainable to buy second hand, but also making it even more difficult for people without disposable incomes.
As a young person shopping second hand, it’s generally quite easy to find something that fits, whereas for larger people, they are limited to their choice. When talking about the difficulty with sourcing stock in a varied range of sizing, It’s difficult for me to cater to plus size customers as I receive various sizes and it’s hard to be picky as I am sourcing clothes and sizes that already exist. As I am a small business startup, I wouldn’t have the funds to be able to create plus size ranges, even if I was making my own designs. When asked what she thinks a potential solution to this could be, she said that because sourcing specific sizes is difficult, that a general awareness of this would help as she thinks that there isn’t much awareness with the lack of size inclusivity in this market.
For a brand to be size inclusive is not only beneficial for consumers to feel accepted, but it is also beneficial for making the industry more sustainable. Leading on from my research of the made to order approach and how that is a sustainable approach to being size inclusive, and how it reduces overconsumption in turn. If consumers can be sure that something they want to buy will fit, then this will remove the hassle for the consumer to have to buy the product in multiple sizes and then having to return the sizes that don’t fit for them to end up in landfill. With made to order, the product is designed to fit the consumer rather than releasing sizes with the hope that they will fit.
Fashion e-tailer Asos has started to add photos of different size models wearing the same clothing to help consumers visualize how a garment would look on their own body shape. According to media reports, the images will be created using augmented reality, as the technology will enable to company to superimpose the pieces on women of different sizes rather than having to resort to countless and expensive photo shoots. “This helps massively, as I often wonder how clothes would look on me, when I’m clearly 5 sizes bigger than the model. Great move forward.” (Santamaria, 2018). In this day in age, models aren’t that helpful when it comes to finding the right size or thinking about how it will look on myself. I have bought clothes before that look good on the model thinking that they will look good on me and they end up looking completely different or fitting different, even in my size. I think it is great that ASOS have introduced this as consumers need to see how it would look on a body shape similar to their own. I think this could be a sustainable move for the fast fashion brand as it could potentially prevent consumers from having to buy one product in multiple sizes, in turn reducing waste.
To conclude my research, I will now go onto discussing the plan for my campaign, looking at how I am going to capture it, what it will look like etc. From this research, I have taken the lack of size inclusivity with second hand forwards to base my final campaign around. My research suggests that size inclusivity is an evident gap in this market and is something that I can confirm, from researching consumers of second hand and conducting primary research through asking people I know whether they think sizing is an issue.
Gen Z of which are my current consumer base within my brand have already addressed their annoyance with sizing, particularly plus size consumers. With my target audience being aimed at Generation Alpha, I have also found that this generation will be looking to buy into diverse and inclusive brands which is partly why I have decided that this is a solid campaign as they are the future consumer and ultimately the consumer of second hand moving forwards.
Looking into the future of my brand, as mentioned before, if everyone is to be on board with shopping second hand, then it needs to be inclusive for all. If we want to save the planet and second hand is the way forward, then we need to make this market more accepting and welcoming which is why I think it’s important to fill the missing gaps now before Generation Alpha emerge into the limelight.
What is the significance of the imagery on this page? I have decided to put the image of myself in black and white to signify my commitment to making second hand inclusive for all, I also think that the black and white portrays the subtleness of the image whilst the sign states the obvious of what the campaign is about.
In summary, my intention is to build a greater awareness around the lack of size inclusivity with second hand fashion and this will be created through a social media campaign as I find that from running my business alongside, social media is how I reach my customers and how I put my brand out there.
Having previously mentioned that sourcing stock in larger sizes is difficult, I wanted to make sure that the solution to the sizing dilemma is feasible and something that as a startup business, I would be able to do. Although I am aware that this solution will not solve the dilemma, as mentioned before, I am sourcing stock in sizes that already exist. It is not as simple as just designing with a wider range of sizes. The best possible solution to this is to generate more awareness surrounding this, through a social media campaign and looking out for stock in larger sizes that I will use for the primary shoots that will take place after christmas. So far, I have found that the stock I source from suppliers are all very small in size, however I know that charity shops are my best bet for this, as they do tend to have more of a selection for larger sizes. What will this look like? As you can see with the image on this page, I have created a mockup of what this may look like in the photoshoot. I have used an instagram template from my page to emphasize that the campaign will be revealed on my business account. I have used a mannequin as the model and I have styled it with vintage clothes from my stock. I have included the text ‘all body shapes and sizes’ to reveal that my intention is not necessarily to focus on plus size, instead the intention is to focus on being inclusive with ‘all body shapes and sizes’. As mentioned before, I find that even for myself as a vintage second hand consumer, the size that I am in trousers for example is different to the size I would be in vintage trousers. As mentioned before, vintage sizing is different to modern day sizing, these days, modern day sizing is having to account for people with different body shapes e.g. wider hips. And I, especially find it really difficult to find trousers or jeans that I like, that will essentially fit me as I have wider hips.
To support the photoshoot images, I will create instagram posts alongside with slogans that will either be included in the photoshoot posts or will be made into a seperate post so that the audience can see what this campaign is about and can connect to the campaign more so, with this being something they relate to. ‘More sizes available’ emphasises that I don’t just cater to smaller consumers or sell clothes that are fit for a child. ‘Sourced for your size’ emphasises that I will source the clothes for the shoot based on the models size.
Part of the reason why I wanted to create a social media campaign around this is because, I want to build a community through this campaign. A community of likeminded people who also connect with the reality that second hand vintage is not inclusive to all. The image on this page as you can see, takes on quite a minimal vibe and this is exactly what I am looking for as I intend to conduct the photoshoot indoors with studio lighting, against a plain white background to place all attention on the model as they will be the core part of this campaign for informing the audience that it’s all about welcoming all sizes and shapes into the second hand commmunity. My intention is to create a space within this campaign where they feel accepted as, in my opinion, there has been too much focus on small sizing, and most of the sellers I see on Depop have models that are size XS/S which is understandable as small budgets don’t allow the opportunity to hire models in other sizes. All in all, I am aware that my campaign won’t solve this issue, but I am primarily focusing on building awareness and a community that find comfort in knowing that they aren’t the only individuals who find that second hand is not size inclusive. However, rather than just me stating the obvious of second hand not being size inclusive, the action I will take will be to actually make an effort and go on the hunt to find clothes in larger sizes and if that means scouring the charity shops, then that is exactly what I will do.
The title for this campaign of which is a reinterpretation of ‘made to order’ now appears to be the solution for the final campaign after researching the made to order approach as a more sustainable solution for moving away from overproduction. Sourced for your size means that rather than forecasting or perhaps hoping that the sizes I sell will fit the customer, I intend to source the clothes for the shoot based on the models size, as for this campaign, the sizing comes first when sourcing the clothes for the shoot. Therefore, I intend to ask the models that will be in the shoot what size trousers they wear for instance, and I will then find trousers in their size in the charity shops.
As mentioned in my research, I think this is the best possible solution as I have found that since I began reselling, I tend to be left with stock that doesn’t sell due to less demand. Sizing is never really the problem when it comes to having left over stock that doesn’t sell, however, it makes more sense for the shoot to source for the model as they are the focus for this campaign. As I am a sustainable brand, overproduction is not something of which I want for my business and so, for this campaign, I will ensure that I get the models measurements right to match it to the clothes I source, to avoid the process of having to return the item or to avoid sourcing too much or more than is needed. If there is one thing consumers should pay attention to, it’s that you don’t necessarily need a different outfit for every day, just as I don’t need more than what I plan to source for the shoot.
In summary, The purpose of this social media campaign is to promote my efforts as a second hand seller of how I am being inclusive and so, customers will see this and will be more inclined to visit my shop. From researching Stella Mccartney, I have taken forwards the transparency aspect to inform my campaign, I specifically looked into how Stella Mccartney is transparent with her sustainability efforts and how she emphasizes planet before profit within everything she does. With regards to myself being transparent with my campaign, I have chosen to produce a social media campaign that will be revealed via my business instagram account - @freyajanevintage as I think social media is the best form of communication and it enables me the opportunity to reveal this transparency as customers will actually be able to see what I am doing rather than me just explaining it.
I intend to reveal my campaign through Instagram as I find that it is the most engaging social media platform for reaching a specific audience. I have been operating on TikTok predominantly as that is how I bring in traffic and how I advertise previews of stock drops. However for this campaign, I want it to be engaging and rather than reaching random audiences on TikTok, I want this instagram account to be one in which consumers of second hand can engage with. By adding Instagram Stories to your campaigns, you give your audience a playful and unfiltered peek into your world. Your followers will pay you the highest compliment: They’ll become customers. (Instagram Business team, 2019). I intend for this campaign to be a process in which I am at the stage of research and planning at the moment and then after Christmas, I will work on producing previews or behind the scenes footage of the campaign via Instagram Stories to keep the audience on their toes, and to prolong the advertising as long as possible so that I can reach a larger audience over time. Therefore, Instagram Stories will be used to preview the campaign by revealing minimum details and in that time I will be looking to build my audience, and then the launch of the actual campaign will be portrayed via Instagram posts where I hope to have already built my audience. Although TikTok is good for reaching new audiences and promoting businesses, I still see it as an app that has the sole purpose of entertaining users, whereas, Instagram is a solid platform that has the advantage of targeting a specific audience and being more engaging for businesses and that is more what I am looking for.
For the photoshoot of the campaign, I will have various roles including creative director, photographer and stylist. The reason why I will be partaking in more than one role is because this campaign is for my brand that I have been building alongside this course, and I know that I work well within these roles as I have experience in them from running my business, as I have to do everything myself as an independent.
As the photographer, I will be taking the photos of the shoot aswell as capturing content for socials and behind the scenes footage for the campaign trailer. As the creative director, I will be directing the photoshoot through my vision for what I want the outcome to look like, I will also be selecting the final images and I will be in charge of contacting models and sourcing the clothes that the model will wear in the shoot. As the stylist, I will be styling the clothes that I have sourced on the model, I will also create a moodboard prior to the shoot of images of the clothes I will have sourced, styled together to portray my vision of how I want the final look to look like.
With the campaign being centred around size inclusivity, I wanted to include some primary imagery that I took from ID Magazine to portray how this campaign is all about acceptance no matter what size or shape you are. I believe that everyone deserves the chance to be sustainable and shop second hand even if their size doesn’t correspond to the common sizes seen on resale platforms.
‘Beauty is beyond shape, as art is beyond frame.’ I interpret this in a way that says no matter what size you are, I will source for your size to ensure that everyone is included in this community. This is one way in how I am being size inclusive because I am going out of my way to source for sizes that aren’t seen on resale platforms enough.
Generation Alpha are looking for diverse and inclusive brands and they’re also looking for brands to be transparent with this which is part of the reason why I decided a social media campaign would be good for reaching this generation of consumers. My aim is for the consumer to feel accepted and welcome into shopping second hand no matter what size they are.
JANUARY - FEBRUARY
After Christmas, I plan on using this time to think about the campaign and start putting my ideas from this book into practice. This timeframe will be used to start thinking about the campaign and everything I need to do, such as making visionary boards of what I will need for the photoshoot and sourcing what I need for the photoshoot etc.
FEBRUARY - MARCH
This time will be dedicated to putting the process in motion and to start thinking about contacting potential models for the shoot. I will start to create multiple visionary boards, and this will help to showcase my vision for what I want the final shoot to look like. It is also my intention to start posting any content of the process/journey of putting the campaign together such as styling mockups, using a mannequin. This will be seen on the instagram account - @freyajanevintage. I will also source whatever is needed for the shoot such as the clothes. Paying attention to the sizing, I will ask the models for the shoot what size they wear in trousers for instance and the measurments, to ensure that I am staying in line with the ‘sourced for your size’ concept.
MARCH - APRIL
Within this time, I will begin to shoot the campaign, I will bring along visionary boards and whatever else is needed such as the outfits. With the help of styling moodboards and mockups that I will have created in the month prior to this, I will follow that for when I style the outfits on the model. As the creative director, I will be responsible for everything when producing the campaign which is why this timeline is helpful for enabling me to manage my time and be organized and ready for the shoot.
APRIL - MAY
I intend to utilize this time by finalizing the campaign. I will do this by collecting all of the imges from the shoot and editing them, once I finish the editing, I will select the best of and I will begin putting them together in a lookbook. Aswell as this, I will also print the images that I want to show in the final exhibition and think about how I want to present this.
To support my FMP, as I move throughout this year, I have branded myself and now I am developing my own brand since finding out what market level I sit at. For this, I have developed a virtual portfolio of the best of my work from 2nd year, 3rd year and placement work. This is to support my FMP as it showcases my skills and how they have developed throughout my time on this course, it also acts as a professional portfolio. As I move into industry, this is what I will show to the employer as it showcases the best of my work and also includes the links to my socials.
For the portfolio, I decided that a website would be the best idea for displaying this as it is more professional in a way that it makes it look more branded, in the sense that I have incorporated a logo of my brand name to make it more neat and professional.
The reason why I have created a seperate brand name for the portfolio is because I see myself as a brand, seperate to the brand that I am building. Not only that but I want to keep them seperate as Freya Jane Creative is my portfolio to showcase all of my university work and any skills or experience I have. Whereas, Freya Jane Vintage is an actual business venture and so, I want to keep that name relevant to my brand.
To summarize my journey to the final campaign idea, I thought I would put together a collage of final primary imagery related to the campaign. This collage acts as a visionary board for the final campaign just like I will create another visionary board of what I want the final shoot to look like. Although this imagery is not what I want the final outcome to look like right now, I thought it would be necessary to create mockups of what it may look like.
I have created these mockups so that my audience can see why. For example, as you can see in this collage, I created a mockup with a mannequin and some of my vintage stock against a plain background with the text ‘ALL BODY SHAPES AND SIZES’ to emphasize, that the plan is to capture the final imagery against a plain white background to focus all attention on the model, and to reveal hints through these slogans that this campaign is centred around inclusivity. Creating this imagery that reveals hints is ultimately my intention for this campaign, as this is my way of being transparent, for example, ‘SIZING MADE FOR A CHILD’ is a hint that second hand fashion is not size inclusive. ‘WHAT ABOUT MY SIZE’ indicates that second hand fashion is a market that doesn’t cater to all sizes. The picture of a mini skirt with the measuring tape is relevant as I find that as a seller, I am having to take all measurements for each item of stock because customers have an awareness that the sizing is generally very small with vintage second hand.
To conclude, as mentioned previously, I will be curating this campaign with the intention of building awareness around the lack of size inclusivity. For the photoshoot, I will source what I need for the shoot based on the models size, including their measurements. Then, I will create a social media campaign to showcase the final imagery as a way of reaching Generation Alpha - my target consumer. This generation are looking to buy into diverse, inclusive and sustainable brands of which are also transparent with this, and that is what I have strived for throughout this journey. As mentioned before, I have the sustainability aspect nailed down and so, I just need the inclusivity aspect, and the transaprency will come as I commence the social media campaign, where I will post behind the scenes footage so that my audience will be able to see that I am putting into practice what I have talked about throughout this research.
