Ethics can be defined as “moral principles [or] rules of conduct.”¹ The industry tends to limit itself to addressing measurable social and environmental impacts, when talking about brands being ethical.^2;3 The word ethics is rarely associated with moral concerns related to design. In fact, for certain brands and houses, creativity is not up for discussion. One exception is cultural appropriation, which has recently become a major issue in the fashion industry.

The duality of fashion – “fulfilling a functional dimension”⁴ through clothing, while at the same time being “a form of visual art”⁵ – has made it difficult to define ethical boundaries in fashion messages. Nevertheless, new ethical frameworks should be established in light of the significant changes in the industry over the last few decades. Indeed, the industry has become highly focused on product consumption and has flooded our society with images.⁶

Fashion is a visual world in a universe driven by images. It is omnipresent in our society, from social networks to advertising, from shows to movies. Actors, rappers, tennis players and CEOs are brand ambassadors, while models have become opinion leaders. At the end of the 20th century, the creation of corporate groups such as LVMH and Kering reinforced this omnipresence. Their activities are highly diversified, ranging from fashion to the production of spirits, event sponsorship, and so on.These groups have also become major global economic and political players, and thus powerful societal actors.The fashion industry is not a separate microcosm that we can ignore – and neither are the actors involved in it. This broad and heterogeneous audience – direct and indirect – must be taken into account by fashion actors. 

The homogenization of trends is another result of the fashion industry that reinforces the need for ethical frameworks. The fashion industry is dominated by a small number of actors. The balance of power – in terms of expression, influence and action – is very unequal compared to other social actors. Certain brand communities are so large that their interest in a particular theme/style/subculture can be shared globally¹. This leads to homogenization of trends⁷ and loss of visibility for other brands, companies and communities⁷. When these mega-brands consider a particular message (reference, trend, practice…) to be over, the global wave of influence is also over. The other actors who make a living from these practices (e.g. upcycling) or the communities that use these codes (e.g. the punk community) are dependent on the influence of these global brands⁸. Because of this undeniable dominance, global brands should take additional ethical considerations into account in their creations and communications.

The commercial aspect of certain brands has overshadowed their artistic side. The free use of references, the free creation of metaphors, the free sending of philosophical messages may be arguable for art, for contemplation, for reflection, but perhaps not for the consumption of goods. In fact, since the rise of capitalism, fashion has become a very commercial business. The new economic landscape has increased competition. Social media has also changed the balance of power in the industry. Consumers are empowered to voice their opinions about a brand and co-create brand culture through the brand community they form. The central power is taken away from the brand itself.⁹ Thus, consumers want to reflect on brand values.¹⁰ As a result, brands have become more than just commercial players. They have evolved into community leaders, societal actors, and sometimes activists through the creation of brand culture.To strengthen this brand culture and to appeal to more powerful consumers, brands are using new marketing techniques. One of them is cause-related marketing (CRM).¹¹ CRM “involves mutually beneficial cooperative efforts between a company and a non-profit organization designed to promote the company’s sales and the NPO’s cause.” ¹¹

There are some ethical limits to cause-related marketing.¹²
First, the vulnerable situation of some or something cannot be profitable for others.¹³ In true philanthropy, a company should benefit no more than the cause it supports. The gains can be direct or indirect (e.g., attracting a potentially buying audience), and financial or non-financial (e.g., brand awareness or positive brand image). Attracting consumers or increasing their loyalty shouldn’t be the only reason for brands to support a cause.
Second, social and environmental issues (supported by CRM) shouldn’t just be used to satisfy a consumer’s or brand’s hedonic need (e.g., guilt relief from doing an impactful activity).¹³ It shouldn’t just be used to create a positive image – of the consumer or the brand itself.¹¹ Indeed, the original cause these brands have taken on needs concrete support. (Ethical thinking is also required of the consumer). 

Although less direct and more difficult to quantify, the potential negative impact of the messages that brands intentionally or unintentionally convey through their designs, brand images and other communications should be considered. Not all messages and references can be viewed through the prism of creativity and art, given the highly commercial nature of the industry and its pervasive presence in society. Leading brands should take additional responsibility for their messages, given the unequal position and power of industry players.

Sources

1. Thomas, S., & Van Kopplen, A. (2005). Fashion Design: the other person, culture and environment. In Include (Vol. 5, pp. 5-8) ↩︎
2. Survey : Consumer sentiment on sustainability in fashion. (2020, 17 juillet). McKinsey & Company. ↩︎
3. Paglia, V.-A. (2020). Fashion, an ethical turning point ? Ipsos.com. Consulté le 19 septembre 2024. ↩︎
4. Miller, S. (2007). Fashion as Art; is Fashion Art? Fashion Theory, 11(1), 25–40. – Fashion as Art; is Fashion Art? (unam.mx) ↩︎
5. Kim, S. B. (1998). Is fashion art?. Fashion Theory, 2(1), 51-71. 1597833731_10917-etarjome English.pdf (e-tarjome.com) ↩︎
6. Monneyron, F. (2021). La Sociologie de la Mode (4e éd., Vol. 3757). Que sais-je ? ↩︎
7. Doshi, D., Goyal, P., & Mulchandani, N. (2021). INEQUALITIES IN GLOBAL FASHION INDUSTRY. International Journal Of Education, Modern Management, Applied Science & Social Science, 03, IJEMMASSS. ↩︎
8. Magazine, A. (2023, 19 octobre). The Relationship Between Poverty and Couture — A-Line Magazine. ↩︎
9. Billard, T. J., & Moran, R. E. (2020). Networked Political Brands : Consumption, Community and Political Expression in Contemporary Brand Culture. Media Culture & Society. ↩︎
10. Power, D., & Hauge, A. (2008). No Man’s Brand—Brands, Institutions, and Fashion. Growth And Change, 39(1), 123‑143. ↩︎
11. Lee, J. Y., & Johnson, K. K. (2019). Cause-related marketing strategy types: assessing their relative effectiveness. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, 23(2), 239-256. Cause-related marketing strategy types: assessing their relative effectiveness (e-tarjome.com) ↩︎
12. Branding in the Age of Social Media. (2016, 9 juin). Harvard Business Review. ↩︎
13. Banet-Weiser, S., & Lapsansky, C. (2008). RED is the New Black : Brand Culture, Consumer Citizenship and Political Possibility. International Journal Of CommuniCation. ↩︎