Finding Sustainable Strategies for Fashion Communication: lessons from #harrystylescardigan

Matthews, Rachel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3561-6166 (2024) Finding Sustainable Strategies for Fashion Communication: lessons from #harrystylescardigan. In: Digital Fashion Innovation Conference (DFIC) 2024, 2 July 2024 - 4 July 2024, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK. (In Press)

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Abstract

Marketing and communications are failing to support a green transition in fashion. Consumers, who are seeking information on sustainable fashion are confused or mistrustful of messages and content. Despite the urgent need for change, the predominant discourses around garments and their sustainable credentials remain vague and unverifiable or overly technical. Further, information on sustainability often sits disconcertingly alongside content promoting the over-consumption of new fashion products. This research explores ways we can rethink how a fashion product is communicated in order to support understanding and drive sustainable behaviour change toward garment acquisition. It seeks to develop new directions for fashion narratives that can drive a deeper appreciation of garments and their value. The study adopts a socio-material perspective, to examine the social media phenomenon of #harrystylescardigan that occurred during COVID lockdown, focused on a patchwork cardigan designed by JW Anderson and worn by Harry Styles. The theoretical framing recognises fashion as an ‘entanglement of materiality, meaning and social practices’ (Story 2015) interwoven further through technology. The digital content generated for #harrystylescardigan was not intended to promote sustainable fashion; however, data analysis revealed practices of genuine knowledge exchange, consumer empowerment and new levels of cooperation in fashion centred around the cardigan. These findings signal ways we might adapt current fashion marketing narratives to better support sustainability in fashion; this forms the basis for three proposed approaches to communications that encourage behaviour change, whilst progressing customer relationships and brand reputation.