A Search for Identity

Over the past year, conversations around authenticity and transparency in the fashion industry have loomed large. Market research suggests that Millenial and Gen Z consumers want more from brands than just a product, they want to be part of something bigger. A lot has been said about the need to create brand experiences, but this is something even more, connected to a larger search for identity in an increasingly individualistic society. Fashion has always been first and foremost about group identity (fitting in and not fitting in), rather than about personal expression per se. And clothes have always been imbued with cultural meaning and significance, including signals of power and beauty. But now, it seems that the conversation is more about the brand rather than the clothes themselves. This led Doug Stephens to pen his recent Business of Fashion article “In Brands We Trust: Why Companies are the New Communities” stating:

“The decline of religion and eroded faith in the state has created a societal vacuum for courageous brands to fill.”

Provocative reading for sure! I imagine this conversation has already extended from social media meme to board room debate, as companies compete to stay in business in an increasingly unsettled market. But is this just an opportunity for fashion brands? Are there are other social shifts underway that are taking the place of traditional communities and providing a sense of identity?

This question underlies our recent shift from a traditional marketing agency to an organization that focuses on finding ways to create and share knowledge with company shareholders and customers at large. Instead of a project-based agency, focused on a particular task at hand, we wanted to be part of facilitating the bigger conversation. And by doing so, we wanted to give voice to brands and consumers in ways that haven’t been fully realized. After all, communities require communication that gives voice to all of it’s constituents.

Fashion Consort now offers an array of customized services, from podcasts to panel discussions, that are equally educational and entertaining. For more information on all of the services we now offer, please click here.