The benevolent future of fashion

A framework for business partnerships with a social purpose

Abstract

Consumers are increasingly buying from brands they believe in, and, therefore, fashion businesses increasingly need to align their operations with their customers’ values. With this in mind, this paper reports on a research project aimed at demonstrating ways in which the fashion system can begin to benefit society, consumers and businesses more. Recommendations are distilled from desk research and primary data collected through a consumer survey and interviews with fashion industry experts. The findings from the research reveal how collaborations can be used as a multidimensional tool and expose the tangible advantages of communicating ethics and engaging audiences by aligning with consumers’ desires. The research findings were used to inform the development of a framework which paves the way for a more socially conscious fashion industry by providing businesses with a checklist to follow to create partnerships and projects with a social purpose. To conclude, this paper advocates for how the fashion industry should begin to create more positive social impact and lays the foundations for further research on the benevolent future of fashion.