MARKET LEVEL

As this module is based around the idea of life on Mars, UNCOVER ME forecasts from the point of view of 10, 20 years on from now. Therefore, making it a macro trend. As a result of this, I decided to place my trend in a future context, with a distinct focus on accessible fashion, my reasoning for this is a result of what I believe the consumer will expect in terms of change and innovation. Current market levels within the fashion industry consist of common labels such as Fast Fashion, Luxury, Ready to wear etc. However, with the idea in mind of reforming ways of the fashion industry to meet Gen Z’s needs and expectations, it is important to create an industry of which is centred around the generations that will be residing on mars, Gen Z and Gen Alpha need to be the focus as they are the consumers of the future. To clarify, this idea does not discuss accessible luxury, ready to wear etc, the focus is on accessible fashion as a whole as we move on from the idea of placing labels on everything.

For a long time, fashion had a type. Thin, tall, and primarily light-complected. But times are changing. Audiences want to see fashion that’s more inclusive. Open most any fashion magazine today, and while you’ll still see plenty of Kate Moss-era thin models, you’ll also see different races, curvy, short, tall and non-binary representation.

But still, who you probably won’t see too much of are models with adaptive or other special needs. As inclusive as fashion has become, with plus-sized and genderqueer models, these other groups haven’t gotten a corresponding amount of ink or opportunities on the runway. But as some brands and retailers are showing us, that’s also becoming a thing of the past—and we may have Gen Z to thank for that.

As digital-natives and global citizens, Gen Z values inclusivity. As consumers, Zers look to the companies they do business with to reflect the world they see. One that is fluid, authentic and diverse. We see this play out time and again from where Gen Z eats, to the makeup they buy and the influencers they listen to.

Gen Z consumers are speaking out about the lack of inclusivity and accessibility within the fashion industry. For example, European fashion retailer, Brandy Melville cater to a very small market of which is for teens and young adults. However, this market serves an even smaller minority as it only provides a one size category, meaning that a young adult For instance whom may have a slight curvature but presents as slim, may believe that they are not slim because their body doesn’t fit into the criteria of what is considered skinny or should we say what is considered a size small.

To conclude, my vision for the future to be entirely accessible will involve the following, no labels, no size labels, prices that cater to wider audiences and more inclusivity for those with disabilities. My reason being for this is for the purpose of simply delivering the consumer with a future filled with endless possibilities, a future in which they can be whoever they want to be without shame, by disposing of labels, the consumer will feel like they fit in. The idea centres around the trend in how the future will bring about a sense of self love and acceptance for the consumer and the importance of their self-expression, with the reintroduction of the face mask, the consumer will begin to rediscover who they are.