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Drivers of Consumption Fatigue

Digital Overload: Constant exposure to marketing, social media, and short-form content.

Choice Overload: The paradox of too many options leading to decision fatigue.

Sustainability Awareness: Consumers rejecting excessive materialism for ethical and environmental reasons.

Economic Pressures: Rising costs leading to more mindful spending.

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Anti-consumerism is a socio-economic movement that critiques excessive consumption and advocates for more mindful, ethical, and sustainable alternatives to traditional consumer culture. It challenges the idea that personal happiness and societal progress are tied to material possessions, instead promoting values such as minimalism, conscious consumption, and environmental responsibility.

Key Aspects of Anti-Consumerism:

Minimalism & Intentional Living: Rejecting unnecessary purchases and prioritizing meaningful, high-quality goods.

Sustainability & Ethical Consumption: Supporting eco-friendly, fair-trade, and secondhand markets over fast fashion and mass production.

Digital Detox & Content Consumption: Reducing engagement with aggressive marketing, social media, and impulsive online shopping.

DIY & Self-Sufficiency: Growing interest in making, repairing, and repurposing items instead of buying new ones.

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2023 vs 2024

Global Fragility - Fragmented Future

Regional Realities - Climate Urgency

Two-Track Spending - Vacation Mode

Fluid Fashion - The new Face of Influence

Formalwear reinvented - Outdoors reinvented

DTC Reckoning - Gen AI’s creative crossroad

Tackling Greenwashing - Fast Fashion’s power plays

Future-proofiing manufacturing - All eyes on brand

Digital marketing reloaded - Sustainability Rules

Organisation Overhaul - Bullwhip Snaps Back

China is the biggest fashion country right now. LVMH, Nike, Inditex, and Kering are in top 5. The major concern was geopolitical instability and inflation.

Countries or regions they believe will be the most promising in the year ahead compared to 2023 in the survey conducted in September:

Middle East 51%

India 39%

Asia Pacific 34%

North America 8%

China 3%

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people interact with the world differently. by designing for the widest range of people, you benefit everyone.

It is a process in which a product, service or environment is designed to be usable for as many people as possible, particularly groups who are historically underserved

abilities, genders, languages, culture

how do we look at society

the medical model says ‘’this person can’t do this task because they have a condition’’

the social model flips this and says, this person can’t do this task because of the way society has built their surrounding environment

inclusive design opens up your brand to the largest audience possible. rather than only being acceptable by one segment of the population, it is usable by as many people as possible.

none > situational (heavy bags) > temporary (broken arm)  > permanent (one arm)

authentic language: feels natural and less corporate, true to the company’s core values,

retail experience: a physical retail experience is a luxury, create touchpoints where people can experence belonging,

emotional connection, brand culture

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LUXURY MARKET AND OVERALL INDUSTRY OUTLOOK - group A

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LUXURY MARKET AND OVERALL INDUSTRY OUTLOOK - group A

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DOWNFALL OF THE MARKET

PEOPLE FEEL OVERWHELMED

LUXURY USED TO BE BETTER (QUALITY, EXCLUSIVITY

IT'S HARD TO BE UNIQUE

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The exhaustion and disengagement caused by excessive exposure to consumer products, digital content, and advertising.

Why it matters now: Increasing overstimulation, sustainability concerns, and shifts in consumer behavior.

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Nearshoring (INDUSTRY CHALLENGES - sustainability) because it's easier for the market and also production, and transportation expenses are lower. With shipping costs becoming the biggest cost driver, 71% of fashion companies are planning to increase their nearshoring share by 2025. (according to McKinsey).

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Differentiation instead of sustainability

Volume rather than price

Growth in Asia, but mostly India and Japan

Nearshoring

Non luxury is growing worldwide, except from US

Consumption fatigue

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1. Trade Reconfigured

2. Countries on growth engines: India, Korea, Japan

3. Dupe market has increased massively

4. Back to physical store

5. Attention to broader target, all generations

6. Marketplaces disrupted

7. Sportsweear showdown

8. Inventory excellence

9. the sustainability collective

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the question is ''what aspects of the global ecoonomy do you expect will be the greatest risks to growth in the fashion industry in 2025?

1. Consumption fatigue (people is getting tired of consuming)

2. Geopolitical instability

3. Economic volatility

4. Inflation (it dropped compared to previous years but it remains a risk still)

5. Supply chain disruptions

Sustainability is not in this list> why?

Poeple is prioritising value instead of quality

There is less money and not everybody can afford it.

Focus on differentiation in 2025

Volume, ratehr than price, to drive modest growth in 2025

Localisation: 50% go-to-marekt model and value proposition, primarly trhough pricing, fulfilment channels and assortment.

65% also plan to alter their assortments to include various options across price points to appeal to a wide range of consumers to gain market share.

Reduced focus on corst improvements.

Sustainability takes a backseat.

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Compared to 2024:

LVMH is still the top,

Inditex has took the 2nd place, replacing Nike, which is now at the third place.

Nike has lost because now its competitors and challenger brands are replacing the sportswear market.

TJK has took Richemont's place.

Fast retailing (Uniqlo) is now above the Kering group.

Luxury is going down

In Europe slighlty increase +1,2% for non-luxury growth drivers, while for luxury is for international customers. Only 59% of sales are from Chinese tourists in Europe.

In US is positive for both luxury and non luxury growth drivers. There's more ultra-rich individuals who will increase luxury sales.

In China non luxury will do better than luxury. sales have been significantly low and a lot of bankrupcies have been experienced. Domestic growth for China is extrimely low.

Volume, rather than price, to drive modest growth in 2025

the number of executives expected to increase prices dropped 17%, compareed to the prior year.

example:

unit at 200£

£2.000+105= £2.200

if you keep the price the same, you need to sell 12 items to make 2.200, so

£200*12= £2.200

£220*10=£2.200

this means in order to ...sell more, don't increase the price

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Sustainability takes a backseat, but instead the biggest opportunity is DIFFERENTIATION through localisation, pricing, assortment 

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Sustainability takes a backseat, but instead the biggest opportunity is DIFFERENTIATION through localisation, pricing, assortment 

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focus on specific consumers for specific market. based on the country itself and consumer behaviour.

China > there is the firewall, you don't have access to google. they have their own because of the government's control. This means that you can do anything on WeChat. When brands start working with china, they realise that they don't trust websites and Chinese people like to buy from the same place to collect points as well. They do everything digital and on one platform. AliBaba offers everything such as stores that have their profile where they can sell. all luxury brands have a website under ''Tmall luxury pavilion''.

On WeChat, ''miniprograms'' are a type of store where you can buy directly there.

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Global trade is shifting as major economies diversify and source from countries with more political alignment (friend-sharing)

This will accelerate in the fashion industry in 2025 due to rising costs, evolving trade policies and sustainability targets.

Fashion brands will likely double down on diversifying their sourcing footrpint in Asia and lay the foundations for

nearshoring.

Global trade

Trade barriers and supply disruptions have increased 5x since 2015, with around 3000 trade restrictions imposed in 2023.

US apparel and textile imports are diversifying away from China at the fastest rate since 2010, down 6% in 2023 vs 2019.

The share of apparel manufacturing foreign direct investment into nearshoring regions has increased by 20% in the US and 8% in the EU in the last five years.

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Rising sourcing costs, tariffs and sustainability targets my accelerate sourcing diversification

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Rising sourcing costs, tariffs and sustainability targets my accelerate sourcing diversification

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Increasing lavour costs in China (Vietnam is half from China)

165% increase in Asia-to-US east coast route container rates on Feb 05, 2024 compared to two months prior

Shipping prices across trade routes in the Middle East have increased 5x from December 2023 to Februrart 2024

EU imposed import duties on goods under 150 euros from China

Pakistan has half the emissions factor in fabric production than China due to a lower share of coal-based energy production

The share of imports to Europe and the US from nearshoring countries has remained flat since 2019.

This is due to local suppliers' limited manufacturing capacity and capabilities, with lower labour productivity, meaning total landed cost remains higher than other regions - despite competitive labour rates, lower shipping costs and tariff advantages.

This is likely to change because:

Capacity and capability building through investments and government incentives

Cost-competitiveness through and increase in productivity and speed to market

Latin America: a key nearshoring hub for the US, as Turkey for Europe

65% of US fashion companies increased sourcing from USMCA members in 2023, especially Mexico - up from 40% in 2020.

add the rest

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Chinese government doesn't like ''luxury''> communist party

more opportunities for QUIET LUXURY brands to sell in China instead of Loud.

People tend to buy less

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Will ‘luxury shaming’ in China threaten industry bounceback? | Jing Daily

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A clampdown on ‘money worship’ across China’s social media may influence brand marketing, but will it impact business?

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China's economic deceleration, changing consumer preserences and the return of international travel are making growth in the country highly challenging.

India will be a focus, particularly for high-street players

Japan's luxury boom is expected to continue into 2025, fuelled by strong international and domestic spread.

China's economy is now worth $18 trillion.

Market leaders such as Uniqlo have recenltry cited challenges in China, such as lower consumer appetitie and a need for more....

India is expected to become the fourth largest economy in 2025, growing 7% yearly.

and third by 2027. fascia d'età molto piu bassa> this is why fashion customers are increasingly trend-focused. People under 35 make up 66% of india's population.

India had the highest percentage of apparel products that failed quality standards in 2023.

The indian government has invested around 2.5$ billion in Production-Linked-incentives and reforms to quality control orders, while foreign investment has increased 3x since 2019.

gaisho and Japan

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Minimalist & Intentional Consumption: Growth of "buy less, buy better" trends.

Slow Media Consumption: Consumers opting for long-form content over endless scrolling.

Subscription Burnout: Fatigue from managing multiple digital services.

Retail Apathy: Decreasing excitement around new product launches.

Cultural & Economic Drivers:

Climate Crisis & Sustainability Awareness

Economic Instability & Recession Fears

Rise of the Sharing & Circular Economy

Mental Well-being & Burnout from Hyper-Consumerism

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The Human Side of Sales

In-store sales growth of 1 to 2% on average across key markets in 2025.

Today, 70 % of retail sales are digitally influenced, BUT, in-store sales are increasing while online ones are decreasing. Why? Because of brand loyalty and better customer service.

It drives customer satisfaction, which has been demonstrated very important after a survey that shows that in 2022, more than 75% of buyers were keen on buying again after a positive purchase experience.

Retail is quite underestimated as a job, that pays very low.

Retail workers are 1.2x more likely to leave their jobs than the average US employee.

Flagships in Paris reported operating with staff shortages of 20% in 2024.

LVMH recruited 22,000 new workers by the end of 2025, nearly 2/3 of whom will be sales associates.

Lack of engagement from the staff

Lack of training

Unavailability of staff

They need to invest more in training, the more you invest the more workers enjoy the job and become loyal.

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In 2023, sportswear grew faster than the broader fashion market in key regions, 2 to 3% in China, 5 to 6% in the US and 2 to 3% in Europe.

Fast-growing challenger brands are now expected to account for 57% of the sportswear segment’s economic profit, nearly tripling since 2020.

DELIVERING VISIBLE INNOVATION:

Challenger brands have reimagined running footwear with visible innovations that provide performance and recognisable differentiation.

TARGETING SPECIALISED CATEGORIES:

Lululemon addressed the athleticwear gap for women. Arc’teryx and Salomon focused on outdoor sport communities with marketing that enticed casual sneaker customers.

TAPPING INTO CULTURAL MARKETING:

New Balance and Alo Yoga tapped high profile celebrities such as Jack Harlow and Kendall Jenner.

Challengers conveyed greater authenticity with communities:

Hoka engaged in running clubs and partnered with cultural platforms such as Hypebeast and End.

In 2025, sportswear is expected to grow faster than fashion overall.

Key growth drivers:

1. The increasingly blurred boundary between fashion and activewear

• Two in three Millennial and Gen-Z customers wear athleisure multiple times per week.

2. The prioritisation of health and wellbeing across age groups

• 56% of Gen-Z customers consider fitness a high priority, and older generations are becoming more active globally.

3. Growing access to sports content and events

• The global sports tourism sector is expected to grow by 18% by 2030.

Diversification is a common growth tactic and a core of the incumbent and challenger brands.

In choosing how to diversify, balance catering to sports that give them access to the largest customer bases (high participation rate) with those that drive the most cultural credibility (high number of fans

following the sport).

Material and product innovations are crucial for brand credibility in sports categories.
Fewer breakthrough innovations have emerged recently, with patent grants dropping 55% between the fourth quarter
of 2021 and 2023.
Nike is the most active in terms of patents, filing the most patents (182) in the global sports industry in 2023.

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Baudrillard, J. (1970). The Consumer Society: Myths and Structures

Schor, J. B. (1998). The Overspent American: Why We Want What We Don't Need

Klein, N. (2000). No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies

Black, I. R., & Cherrier, H. (2010). "Anti-consumption as part of living a sustainable lifestyle." Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 9(6), 437-453.

McGarry, D. (2022). "The Rise of Anti-Consumerism: How Young Consumers Are Rejecting Materialism." Harvard Business Review.

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This article discusses how popular influencers, including Emma Chamberlain, are embracing minimalism by decluttering their wardrobes. Chamberlain donated 95% of her clothes, highlighting a move away from the pressure to constantly showcase new outfits online. This trend reflects a broader shift towards "deinfluencing," where influencers advocate for simpler lifestyles and question excessive consumerism in the fashion industry.

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Emma Chamberlain Isn’t the Only Influencer Cleaning Out Her Closet

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Is anti-consumerism the latest trend? YouTubers are emptying their closets of anything trendy and telling their followers to do the same.

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This interview with the creators of the Netflix documentary Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy explores the extensive waste resulting from consumerism. The film highlights alarming statistics, such as over 15 million discarded clothes arriving in Ghana weekly and 13 million phones thrown out globally per day. It delves into how companies foster a cycle of buying through persuasive advertising and intentionally short-lived products, aiming to inspire change by enabling consumers and employees to challenge the system.

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The Makers of Netflix’s Buy Now on Consumerism

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Nic Stacey and Flora Bagenal discuss their documentary and how to fight our shopping addiction.

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This piece examines the rise of "de-influencing," a social media trend where individuals encourage reduced consumption. De-influencers urge people not to buy certain products, often advocating for environmental sustainability or pointing out product inefficacy. Despite its popularity, with the hashtag #deinfluencing amassing over a billion views on TikTok, the movement faces challenges against the vast and growing influencer economy.

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The internet is a bit like physics: for every trend, there's an opposing backlash. Influencers, for example, are increasingly balanced out by a de-influencing trend. What is de-influencing? It's not about telling people to ignore everything you say. It's about trying to counteract the trends and habits that influencers-who now extend beyond the pouting-model stereotype into every corner of online life-tend to encourage.

This mostly comes down to buying stuff, or not. Influencers tell us to buy stuff, from swimwear to skincare to scented candles, with varying degrees of subtlety. Sometimes their posts read as full-blown ads; sometimes the content feels casual and authentic, with only a tiny #ad disclaimer lurking in the caption. De-influencers, by contrast, tell us not to buy stuff, whether that's for environmental reasons-a force driving much of the de-influencing trend-or just became they think certain products don't work. Given how much of the internet thrives on people slagging off things, or each other, it's not that shocking that de-influencing has become a strong, steady social media trend: #deinfluencing has more than a billion views from more than 42,000 posts on TikTok.

These include users commentating on someone else's kitchen restock, criticizing the utility and environmental impact of each product; going through the makeup they recently bought and criticizing it all in turn; or outlining the principles of "underconsumption core" (there's always a "-core" in there somewhere), which include wearing trainers until they're falling apart and squeezing every drop out of cosmetics. But the influencer economy is currently worth about $250 billion, and the bank Goldman Sachs predicts it will grow to nearly half a trillion dollars by 2027. Compared to those numbers, the de-influencing trend is a handheld fan pointed at a hurricane.

Symeon Brown, a Channel 4 reporter and author of Get Rich or Lie Trying: Ambition and Deceit in the New Influencer Economy, points to how there are all kinds of counter-cultural movements, including de-influencing and Black Lives Matter, which "try and use the infrastructure of social media to propel their platforms." However, because social media sites follow the logic of big business-TikTok has an in-built shop, for example-trends that counteract it will always hit a ceiling. Twitter was held up as a democratizing force a decade ago, he says, particularly for its role in organizing protests against authoritarian governments during the 2011 Arab Spring. But now, "it's owned by Elon Musk, and you have some voices being suppressed." De-influencing and protesting on social media, Brown says, "is never going to be a progressive or radical act."

You can see that contradiction in the de-influencers themselves. Though some, like Diana Wiebe (@depressiondotgov on TikTok), just spend their time talking about the dangers of consumerism, others use the opportunity to build their own brands too. Christina Mychaskiw has TikTok and Instagram accounts in which she promotes a "minimalist-ish" lifestyle, involving "intentional spending", decluttering, and repairing the clothes you already own-one video is titled "you don't need to buy that, you're just bored." But she also links to her newsletter and podcast, and has a journal about her philosophy she encourages her followers to buy. Her crusades against waste and consumerism are admirable, but the model she follows is very much that of a regular influencer.

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Meet the De-Influencers, Who've Built a Brand on Buying Nothing

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They're the inevitable result of our complex, guilty relationship with social media: TikTok stars using the platform to argue against consumerism.

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This article analyzes the evolution of Black Friday, highlighting its shift towards online shopping and extended sales periods. It discusses the declining quality of products and the impact of consumerism on the environment and labor. The piece emphasizes how the scarcity mindset and constant sales create a cycle of overconsumption, exacerbated by "haul culture" on social media, promoting mass consumption and normalization of low prices harmful to workers and the planet. It underscores the importance of conscious consumer choices to break this cycle.

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What you should buy — and absolutely not buy — during this annual consumer ritual.

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The Consumer Society: Myths and Structures (1970) by Baudrillard, J.

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The Consumer Society: Myths and Structures (1970) by Baudrillard, J.

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critical analysis of how consumerism shapes modern society and individual behavior. His perspective on consumer behavior in relation to consumerism can be summarized as follows:

1. Consumption as a System of Signs

Baudrillard argues that people do not consume objects for their utility but for their symbolic value.

Products are consumed because of the meaning they convey (e.g., luxury brands signaling status, organic food signaling health-consciousness).

Consumerism is not about needs but about social differentiation—we buy things to define our place in society.

2. The Illusion of Choice and Freedom

He critiques the idea that consumerism provides freedom by offering a variety of choices.

In reality, these choices are pre-structured by the market, limiting true individuality.

The consumer is trapped in a cycle of purchasing to maintain social status.

3. The Fetishization of Objects

Similar to Karl Marx’s concept of commodity fetishism, Baudrillard suggests that objects are imbued with artificial significance.

Brands manipulate desires, making people emotionally attached to products beyond their practical use.

Example: The latest smartphone is desired not because of its function but because it represents technological progress and social relevance.

4. Consumption as a Form of Social Control

Governments and corporations use consumerism to maintain order by keeping people focused on material acquisition.

Constant consumption prevents individuals from questioning the system or engaging in radical change.

The promise of happiness through consumption keeps society functioning within a capitalist structure.

5. The Hyperreality of Consumer Culture

Baudrillard introduces the idea of "hyperreality," where media and advertising create a world of illusions.

People desire experiences that are simulated rather than real (e.g., Instagram influencers portraying a perfect life).

Consumer behavior is shaped by this manufactured reality, leading to false needs rather than genuine desires.

Conclusion: The Consumer as a Passive Participant

Baudrillard’s key argument is that consumers believe they are making independent choices, but in reality, their desires are engineered by society. The system of consumerism sustains itself through media, advertising, and social structures that continuously create new desires and anxieties to keep people consuming.

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Trump's tariffs will slam fashion sourcing regions

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Trump's tariffs will slam fashion sourcing regions

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On April 2, Trump targeted countries he says have unfair trade barriers of US goods.

Declaring that foreign trade practices have created a “national emergency,” the president unveiled a baseline 10% levy on all international imports, plus what he described as additional “kind” and “discounted” tariff rates that will increase but not match the rates other countries apply to American imports.

The levies will hit U.S. industries from agriculture to manufacturing to fashion.

Cambodia 49%

China

Switzerland 31%

Thailand

EU 20%

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Trump to impose 10% base tariff on international imports, higher levies on some nations • Rhode Island Current

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This story was updated at 6:55 p.m. EDT. WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump rolled out sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs Wednesday on trading partners and allies across the globe. Declaring that foreign trade practices have created a “national emergency,” the president unveiled a baseline 10% levy on all international imports, plus what he described as additional “kind” […]

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Paul-Elder (1977) Critical Thinking Framework

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Paul-Elder (1977) Critical Thinking Framework

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1. Name the trend

2. Define the trend and its emergence

3. Which macro-level drivers are influencing this trend? (economic, consumer behaviour, technology, climate, etc.)

4. What are the potential consumer needs or pain points related to this trend?

5. How is the industry responding to this trend?

6. Which new product features or solutions could cater to this trend?

7. What are the key challenges for implementing these features or solutions and their wider adoption?

8. Based on existing data, and consumer insights what is the potential evolution of the trend in the next 10 years?

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how AI and digital tools are transforming fashion through customization and made-to-order production models, with sustainability and consumer experience at the core.

Key Insights:

Made-to-order fashion is gaining traction as a sustainable alternative to mass production. Brands produce garments only after orders are placed, reducing overproduction and minimizing waste—by up to 30%.

Customization is central, allowing consumers to tailor garments to their preferences in size, style, and detail. This shift is supported by digital tools, such as data-driven design and AI-enhanced co-creation platforms, which enhance the customer experience and reduce returns.

The article features the brand Garment by, which uses a three-part framework—PIECES, PEOPLE, and PROCESS—to create optimized, purpose-driven wardrobes. Their design process includes consumer feedback and testing before garments are added to their capsule collections, reflecting a commitment to longevity and relevance.

The made-to-order supply chain includes stages like user input, sustainable material sourcing, precision production, and direct delivery—often resulting in better fit and higher quality.

Measurable Benefits:

40% increase in customer satisfaction from personalized products

50% longer garment lifespan

25% lower carbon footprint

20% savings on production/storage costs

35% boost in customer loyalty and retention

Conclusion:

This trend reflects a broader shift toward AI-enabled, demand-driven fashion, where consumer preferences guide design and production. It not only supports sustainable practices but also reshapes the fashion experience to be more meaningful, efficient, and personal.

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2025 Sustainable Fashion Trends: The Rise of Made-to-Order | TWENTYFAIRSEVEN

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Explore the rise of made-to-order fashion and its impact on sustainability in 2025. Learn how brands like Garment by are leading this trend.

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The rise of virtual concerts

Hybrid performance models

Music’s evolving cultural and technological role

The broader rise of virtual concerts and hybrid live-streaming models, as reported by Music Industry Weekly (2025), further cements the role of digital platforms in reshaping how music and fashion interact. These performances are no longer just auditory; they are visual, participatory, and increasingly fashion-forward—blurring the boundaries between real-world and virtual style.

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The State of the Music Industry in 2025: What Creators Should Know - Music Industry Weekly

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The music industry in 2025 is undergoing significant transformations driven by technological advancements, evolving consumer behaviors, and innovative business models. For artists, producers, and songwriters, staying informed about these trends is crucial for navigating the current landscape and leveraging new opportunities. 1. Evolution of Streaming Revenue Models Streaming continues to dominate music consumption, but the […]

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This campaign was designed to confront the environmental impact of consumerism and encourage more mindful purchasing behaviors. The ad detailed the environmental costs associated with producing one of their jackets, such as the significant water usage and carbon emissions involved, highlighting the broader ecological consequences of manufacturing and consumption.

This initiative aligned with Patagonia's longstanding commitment to sustainability and its efforts to promote anti-consumerism. The company has consistently encouraged customers to consider the necessity of their purchases, emphasizing the importance of buying only what is needed and opting for durable, high-quality items that have a lesser environmental footprint. Patagonia has also implemented programs focused on repairing and recycling products to extend their lifespan and reduce waste.

Interestingly, despite the campaign's message discouraging unnecessary purchases, Patagonia experienced a significant increase in sales following the ad's release. This outcome suggests that the company's transparent and authentic approach to addressing environmental issues resonated with consumers, potentially strengthening their brand loyalty and attracting customers who value sustainability.

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The Patagonia “Don’t Buy This Jacket” Black Friday campaign was a stand against the consumerism and overconsumption that rears its head every holiday season.

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Miller examines the symbiotic relationship between popular music and fashion since the 1950s, highlighting how musicians influence identity, taste, and consumption. The book delves into themes such as gender, sexuality, aging, youth, ethnicity, body image, consumer culture, and fandom, illustrating how both performers and fans use fashion to express musical affiliations.

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The relationship between popular music and fashion has been a culturally significant one since the 1950s, and this book explores how music and musicians play a key role in the shaping of identity, taste and consumption.

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Guy Morrow's book, Music Artist Managers

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Guy Morrow's book, Music Artist Managers

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Remuneration and Retention in the Popular Music Business (2024), primarily focuses on the roles, challenges, and compensation structures of music artist managers, particularly within the Australian music industry. The work delves into issues such as flat remuneration despite increasing responsibilities, the evolving scope of managerial duties, and the sustainability of management careers in the contemporary music landscape.

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To what extent is it possible to do good work in music artist management? Drawing upon original research, this shortform book explores and evaluates motivation, remuneration and equity stakes within the music industries.The author ponders the apparent managerial exodus from the music industries and whether this brain drain could be addressed by providing better remuneration via equity. Based on evidence from Australia, the book illuminates how pay in this sector has remained flat despite increasing responsibility.Emphasising the quality of the subjective experience of music artist managers, this concise book provides readers with new insights into the important role managers play in the music business. The result is a book that will be useful reading for academics and reflective practitioners.

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provides a decade-by-decade overview of how music icons and genres have shaped fashion from the early 2000s to the 2020s. It highlights how popular music acts not just as a soundtrack to cultural change but as a visual and stylistic blueprint for entire generations.

Summary of Key Points:

2000–2002: Street Style and the Rise of Hip-Hop Influence
Early 2000s fashion was bold and heavily influenced by hip-hop and pop stars like Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, and Jay-Z. Fashion trends like low-rise jeans, crop tops, bedazzled accessories, oversized jerseys, and fuzzy hats mirrored the flashy, confident aesthetics of the music industry. Music videos helped cement these looks in the public imagination.

2003–2005: Velour, Denim, and the Casual Luxe Era
Hip-hop and R&B further dominated both music and fashion. Artists like Alicia Keys and Kanye West popularized graphic tees, velour tracksuits, oversized sunglasses, and cargo pants—a blend of street-smart, comfortable, and celebrity-inspired fashion.

2006–2009: The Pop-Punk Wave and Edgy Aesthetics
This period saw the emergence of pop-punk and alternative styles. Avril Lavigne, Rihanna, and Flo Rida helped mainstream Converse sneakers, studded belts, black jeans, and “boots with the fur.” Fashion reflected a mix of rebellion, individuality, and commercial success, with emo, punk, and urban influences merging in music videos and public appearances.

2010–2014: Hyper-Stylized Pop Icons and the Hipster Boom
This era was defined by flamboyant pop personalities like Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, and Katy Perry, whose fashion was often theatrical and expressive. Gaga’s infamous meat dress, Nicki’s neon palette, and the Tumblr-driven “hipster” aesthetic (think flannels, combat boots, skater skirts) defined this visual era.

2015–2019: Streetwear, Hype Culture, and Global Influence
Hip-hop and R&B fully shaped the mainstream look during this time. Streetwear became luxury fashion, with artists like Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar leading sneaker collaborations and high-end graphic designs. Meanwhile, K-pop groups like BTS and BLACKPINK introduced futuristic, pastel, and gender-fluid styles, influencing global teen fashion.

2020–2024: Post-Pandemic Style and Gender Fluidity
Recent years reflect a shift toward personal expression, inclusivity, and gender-neutral fashion, driven by artists like Harry Styles, Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat, and Post Malone. Fashion became more intimate, nostalgic, and experimental. Styles from past decades were reimagined through a modern lens, blending retro and futuristic elements.

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How popular music has influenced fashion trends of the 21st century

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By Claire LovinskiFrom the 70s punk scene to 90s grunge, it is no secret that different music genres can have an impact on fashion and personal style. Music and fashion are entities that are influential on each other and reflective of their time period. Over the past two and a half decades we have seen music genres like hip-hop, pop and R&B drive fashion trends. These trends define eras and outline how we express ourselves through music and clothing. Let’s take a deep dive into the relationship

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The relationship between music and fashion is deeply intertwined, with each influencing and reflecting the other across various eras and genres. Musicians often serve as fashion icons, setting trends that resonate with their audiences and beyond. Conversely, fashion designers frequently draw inspiration from musical movements, leading to collaborations that define cultural moments.​

Key Themes Likely Explored:

1. Historical Synergy:

Exploration of how different music genres have historically influenced fashion trends. For instance, the punk movement's rebellious ethos was mirrored in its distinctive fashion statements, such as ripped clothing and leather jackets.​

2. Iconic Collaborations:

Discussion on notable partnerships between musicians and fashion designers, highlighting how these collaborations have led to the creation of iconic styles and trends.​

3. Cultural Impact:

Analysis of how music-driven fashion trends reflect and shape societal attitudes, serving as a form of self-expression and identity for various communities.​

4. Contemporary Scene:

Examination of current trends where the fusion of music and fashion continues to evolve, with artists launching their own fashion lines and fashion shows incorporating live musical performances.​

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The Intersection of Music and Fashion | Exploring Trends & Icons

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The article “Transforming Fashion and Retail with Music: A Guide for Leaders” from Brandtrack explores how music not only influences fashion styles but also deeply impacts consumer behavior and brand identity in retail environments.

Key Points:

Music Shapes Cultural Identity and Style

Music is portrayed as more than entertainment—it's a cultural force that shapes how people express themselves, particularly through fashion.

Movements like punk, hip-hop, and rave culture are highlighted as examples where music directly influenced what people wore. Fashion becomes a visible expression of musical taste and cultural alignment.

Music's Impact on Consumer Behavior

The tempo and genre of music in stores can significantly affect how consumers shop. For example, slow music encourages browsing and thoughtful purchasing, while fast music triggers urgency and impulse buying.

Music influences perceived product value—classical music can create a luxury atmosphere, while pop or hip-hop might evoke a more casual, street-style vibe.

Emotional Branding Through Music

Music evokes nostalgia and emotional connections, which brands can use to create more memorable and loyal customer experiences.

Example: Taylor Swift’s album re-releases are cited as a masterclass in nostalgia marketing, tapping into emotional memory to reignite fan loyalty.

Music as a Strategic Retail Tool

Music is not just background noise—it’s a strategic branding tool. Companies like Brandtrack help businesses use curated music to shape brand perception and atmosphere.

This practice, known as auditory branding, strengthens brand identity and enhances the customer journey in fashion spaces.

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Transforming Fashion and Retail with Music: A Guide for Leaders

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Music has always been a significant cultural force, shaping not only our tastes but also our behaviors, including how we dress. Over the decades, music has inspired various music-driven fashion trends—consider the leather jackets of 1950s rockers or the neon colors that defined 1990s ravers. These styles seem to be directly influenced by the music of their time, but is this influence real, or is it just a coincidence?

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In this video, fashion analyst Bliss Foster explores the profound and evolving connection between the music and fashion industries. He examines how musical genres and movements have historically influenced fashion trends and vice versa.Foster delves into specific examples where artists' styles have shaped fashion aesthetics and discusses the symbiotic relationship that allows both industries to inspire and elevate each other.​

Key Points Likely Discussed:

Historical Intersections: An exploration of how various music genres, such as punk, hip-hop, and rock, have given rise to distinct fashion trends.​

Artist Influence: Insights into how iconic musicians have not only influenced fashion through their personal styles but also through collaborations with designers and brands.​

Cultural Impact: Discussion on how music-driven fashion trends reflect broader cultural and societal shifts.​

Contemporary Scene: Analysis of current trends where the fusion of music and fashion continues to shape modern aesthetics.​

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Fashion's Intense Relationship With Music

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It discusses how fashion is moving away from fleeting micro-trends and shifting toward deeper, more culturally rooted “vibes”—aesthetic worlds shaped by mood, emotion, and cultural movements like music.

What it says about music and culture in fashion:

The article highlights "Brat Summer" as a defining moment where music, fashion, and attitude fused into a full cultural lifestyle. It wasn’t just about clothes—it was about embodying a feeling, mood, and ethos inspired by music and digital subcultures.

These new “vibes” are not product-driven like micro-trends, but culturally expressive and immersive. They emerge from behaviours, music, politics, and social context, rather than simply from influencers or fashion brands.

Fashion journalist Ashantéa Austin explains that a vibe “encompasses everything from behaviours and music to food and hobbies,” indicating how music is central to defining the emotional tone of these new fashion movements.

The article argues that real-life culture, particularly music, now shapes personal style more than algorithmic aesthetics. Fashion becomes about living a mood, not just wearing a trend.

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Micro-trends are dead. Long live the vibe

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As micro-trend fatigue sets in, brands will need to align with cultural moods in ways that feel authentic. Here are the vibes that will define 2025.

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The consumers of today are not the consumers of yesterday and they are not the consumers of tomorrow. In a world where the only constant is constant change, being able to balance the needs of today with the demands of tomorrow is a careful balancing act that anyone who cares about the future survival of their brand must juggle. Future shock Future Shock refers to the social and emotional paralysis induced by the “shattering stress and disorientation” at the magnitude and velocity of the changes we are experiencing.

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If you think you know consumer behavior, think again. Middle-income consumers are feeling the squeeze and worrying about inflation but aren't holding back on splurges. Rather than sticking to tight budgets in retirement, aging consumers are splurging too. Speaking of older shoppers, it turns out that the brand loyalty they've long been known for is a thing of the past. And young consumers in Asia and the Middle East are more likely than those in Western markets to switch to higher-priced brands.

These are just some of the large-scale shifts taking place in the global consumer landscape. Consumers have continued to defy expectations and behave in atypical ways, keeping consumer goods manufacturers and retailers on their toes. More than ever, companies that cultivate a detailed, up-to-date understanding of today's and tomorrow's consumers-who they are, what they want, and where and how they shop-will be best positioned to succeed.

In this article, we draw on our ConsumerWise research to delve into nine trends shaping the global consumer sector and four imperatives to help consumer businesses move from "now" to "next."

Nine trends defining the global consumer market

To forecast where the global consumer landscape is heading, we surveyed more than 15,000 consumers in 18 markets that together make up 90 percent of global GDP. Their answers revealed surprising nuances about demographic groups, seemingly contradictory consumer behaviors, and categories poised for growth.

Four imperatives to win the consumer of the future

In light of these nine forward-looking themes, what should consumer companies do? The most successful ones will be those that act on four imperatives:

Build microtargeting capabilities

Rather than putting consumers in predefined-and often outdated-boxes, companies should focus on microtargeting to build a richer understanding of consumer preferences. This involves taking a "smart reach" approach, whereby consumer businesses use their consumer data to target specific microsegments of consumers who may demonstrate particular shopping behaviors or preferences. Generative AI can help consumer businesses reach these microsegments at scale by increasing creative output and automating marketing outreach. Through microtargeting, companies can engage high-potential consumer groups-for example, younger people in emerging markets or wealthy aging individuals-and provide personalized experiences that build brand love and loyalty and propel future purchases.

Invest in wellness

A rise in both consumer interest and purchasing power presents tremendous opportunities in the $1.8 trillion global-consumer-wellness space. Consumer goods leaders have a chance to reevaluate their product development road maps and consider whether they have more opportunities to introduce personalized-wellness products to priority consumer groups. Consumers across the globe want data- and science-backed health and wellness solutions. Best-in-class companies should evaluate opportunities to lean into these offerings and other wellness growth areas (such as women's health and healthy aging).

Propel the social-digital experience

Companies should take steps to engage with consumers on social media and other digital platforms. This involves identifying the right channels and platforms, creating attractive content, and tailoring strategies to meet evolving consumer needs. This is especially important as industry lines blur (for example, as consumer companies enter the healthcare space and vice versa) and as ecosystems (networks or partnerships that cut across different industries) become more important.

We see innovative, international companies testing new approaches to social commerce to connect with consumers on a local level. Some are mobilizing local key opinion leaders to precisely target consumers and create viral digital campaigns that resonate with them. Social media and private chats through platforms such as WeChat help to continually engage consumers.

Offer premium products where they matter

Offering premium products in relevant categories can help improve brand loyalty. Consumer brands should identify which categories are ripe for this, such as experiential travel-where splurge activity is common even across middle-income and aging consumers. Conversely, some categories are more suitable for value plays based on trade-down behavior or frequent brand exploration. Integrating loyalty and pricing strategies, instituting pricing tiers, and tailoring product assortments at the local and channel levels are ways that consumer businesses can provide value to consumers, while also managing economic pressures.

In this consumer landscape-one in which standards, complexity, and stakes are all higher-leaders should understand the new nuances that define who the "next" shoppers are, what they care about, and how they shop. These insights, which should then inform strategic category and channel investments, can lead to long-term, profitable growth and sustained competitive advantage.

The authors wish to thank Cait Pearson, Heather Gouinlock, and Keir Sullivan for their contributions to this article.

This article was edited by Alexandra Mondalek, an editor in the New York office.

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State of the Consumer 2024: What's now and what's next

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Amid massive shifts in the consumer landscape, companies can't afford to rely on yesterday's consumer insights. Here are nine trends that merit close attention.

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The UNIQLO UK article outlines their in-store embroidery customisation service, which allows customers to add a personalised touch to select garments at specific UK locations.

Key Details:

Available Locations: The service is offered only at select stores in London (Regent Street, Covent Garden, Oxford Street, Battersea), Edinburgh Princes Street, and Manchester.

Eligible Items: Customers can customise select UNIQLO items. Innerwear, certain outerwear, hats, and room shoes are excluded.

Customisation Options: Customers can choose from a set of pre-made designs or submit their own drawings.

Timeframe: Same-day service is possible, but subject to demand.

Service Scope: Available for both new and previously purchased UNIQLO garments.

Limitations: Customised items cannot be returned or exchanged. The service is not available online.

UNIQLO’s embroidery service is a physical, in-store offering that reflects the brand’s entry into customisation and personalisation, allowing customers to enhance their clothing with unique, creative details—although the lack of online integration currently limits accessibility.

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Give your outfits a uniquely personal touch with our in-store embroidery service.

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This article offers a comprehensive analysis of how digital identity, gaming, and avatar-based self-expression are transforming fashion. It highlights the growing consumer demand for digital assets—like wearable NFTs, skins, and avatar outfits—and how this trend is shaping the future of customisation in fashion.

Key Insights:

Digital Identity Is Valued:
Around 70% of U.S. consumers (Gen Z to Gen X) rate their digital identity as important. 65% value digital ownership, and 50% are interested in purchasing a digital asset—ranging from digital fashion to NFTs—within the next 12 months.

Fashion Brands Are Already Responding:
Brands like Balenciaga, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, and emerging platforms like DressX and The Fabricant are experimenting with avatar skins, digital collections, and NFTs across platforms like Fortnite, Roblox, and League of Legends.

AI and Metaverse Potential:
The report outlines how customisable digital fashion will play a key role in self-expression in the metaverse, allowing consumers to build virtual wardrobes that reflect their tastes in real time—often informed by AI-driven styling tools and blockchain-backed ownership.

Strategic Guidance:
BoF offers a “playbook” for brands, advising them on how to start experimenting with digital assets—starting with gaming collaborations or digital-only capsule drops—before scaling toward full metaverse integration.

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Last week, Facebook announced its rebranding to Meta and committed billions of dollars to building the metaverse, an immersive future state of the internet that would be a natural environment for digital assets like digital fashion or avatars. In the past two months, leading fashion and gaming companies like Balenciaga and Fortnite and Vans and Roblox have announced collaborations that span digital fashion collections and physical activations. And throughout 2021, sales of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) dramatically rose to $10.7 billion in the third quarter from $1.3 billion in the second quarter.

Companies around the world are grappling with the existential implications of this evolution. Digital assets have existed for years, but engagement now seems to be at an inflection point, especially as NFTs - which prove authenticity and ownership and drive scarcity - could increase the utility and value of digital assets.

Are we at the precipice of a new digital frontier? Or are we facing a frenzy of hype, amplified by time spent at home during the pandemic?

BoF Insights believes companies in fashion and retail would be well-advised to understand the shifts taking place, in particular in consumer behaviour and purchase motivations. For an industry slow to adapt to platform shifts like e-commerce, some fashion companies are already taking note, with brands from mass to luxury experimenting with collaborations and activations and digital-first entrants rapidly emerging.

The Opportunity in Digital Fashion and Avatars is the second in-depth report published by BoF Insights, a recently launched data and analysis think tank from The Business of Fashion arming business leaders with proprietary and data-driven research to navigate the fast-changing global fashion industry.

The new report from BoF Insights reveals that:

approximately 70 percent of US general consumers (Gen-Z to Gen-X) rate their digital identity as important

65 percent rate digital ownership as important

50 percent are interested in purchasing a digital asset in the next 12 months - whether a digital skin or other item in gaming, digital fashion, digital avatar and/or an NFT.

Interest in purchasing a digital asset in the next 12 months is even higher among US high-net-worth individuals, according to BoF Insights research involving both a LuxuryOpinions® panel assembled by Altiant and a Global Virtual Fashion Panel drawn from the communities of DressX and The Fabricant:

In the report, BoF Insights offers its perspective on the staying power of digital assets, what consumers believe about digital identity and ownership, what motivates consumers to purchase different digital assets, and how companies should engage over the short, medium and long term.

Why this report is a must-have:

It offers a comprehensive overview of digital assets in fashion - including items in gaming, fashion, avatars and NFTs - which deepens the knowledge of current or would-be industry participants.

It identifies the underlying technological and social shifts driving interest in digital assets while examining the durability of these shifts.

It analyses in-depth consumer insights that measure the familiarity with, perceptions of and behaviours associated with digital assets broadly and digital fashion and avatars specifically.

It provides a playbook that outlines how brands can tactically develop their digital asset strategies, including where and how to experiment within these new environments.

The report is based on proprietary research inputs, including:

30 interviews with founders, chief executives, other senior executives and investors across the following domains:

Gaming

Digital-first brands, retailers and marketplaces

Physical-first fashion and luxury companies

Four proprietary surveys:

Demographically balanced US General Consumer survey of Gen-Z to Gen-X, facilitated by Altiant on behalf of BoF

Altiant LuxuryOpinions® panel of US high-net-worth individuals (each with a minimum of $1 million in investable assets) conducted on behalf of BoF

Global Virtual Fashion panel fielded by BoF across the communities of DressX and The Fabricant

Senior executive survey of BoF's global community of fashion professionals

Companies and collaborations covered in the report include Altava, The Aura Blockchain Consortium, Auroboros, Balenciaga, Betaworks Ventures, Boson Protocol, Burberry, Digitalax, The Dematerialised, DressX, Epic Games (Fortnite), The Fabricant, Genies, Gucci, The Hundreds, Improbable, Louis Vuitton, Mythical Games (Blankos Block Party), OpenSea, Palm NFT Studio, Poplar Studio, Ralph Lauren, Retail Prophet, Riot Games (League of Legends), RTFKT, Roblox, Straiqr.ai, Substance, Truesy, Vans and Wanna.

For enquiries and/or support, please email insights@businessoffashion.com.

Related Articles: The Metaverse Will Radically Change Retail Unpacking Fashion's Latest Wave of NFT Sales The Limits of Virtual Fashion

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BoF Insights | The Opportunity in Digital Fashion and Avatars Report

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Read the latest BoF Insights report to get BoF's perspective on the rise of the metaverse and the future of digital assets, plus a playbook for how to develop a data-driven strategy.

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it explores how generative AI is reshaping the fashion industry, from design and marketing to personalisation and retail operations.

1. Generative AI as a Creative and Operational Tool

Generative AI enables fashion brands to co-create designs, generate 3D models, and test variations at scale, using inputs like sketches, mood boards, and consumer data. Designers can collaborate with AI to explore more creative options quickly and affordably, while maintaining a brand’s aesthetic identity.

2. Hyperpersonalisation at Scale

AI can personalise garments and shopping experiences based on individual preferences. For instance, eyewear can be tailored to facial topography, and online try-ons can reflect a consumer’s actual dimensions and taste. This creates more emotionally engaging and relevant products.

3. Customer Journey Enhancement

AI powers tailored virtual product try-ons, intelligent assistants, and multilingual chatbots, making the shopping journey smoother and more personalised—both online and in physical stores.

4. Marketing and Content Creation

Generative AI can rapidly produce personalised marketing materials, predict trends from unstructured data (like social sentiment), and even generate campaign visuals, video content, and avatars—enhancing storytelling while reducing outsourcing and production costs.

5. Product Development Acceleration

Instead of waiting for traditional forecasting, brands can now test design ideas faster, using AI to analyse real-time data across platforms. This leads to smaller, more targeted product drops with reduced waste.

6. Real-World Examples

In December 2022, designers in Hong Kong presented AI-generated collections using platforms like Cala, Fashable, and Designovel—demonstrating that AI-assisted design is not theoretical but already in practice.

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As this season's fashion weeks wrap up in London, Milan, New York, and Paris, brands are working to produce and sell the designs they've just showcased on runways-and they're starting next season's collections. In the future, it's entirely possible that those designs will blend the prowess of a creative director with the power of generative artificial intelligence (AI), helping to bring clothes and accessories to market faster, selling them more efficiently, and improving the customer experience.

By now, you've likely heard of OpenAI's ChatGPT, the AI chatbot that became an overnight sensation and sparked a digital race to build and release competitors. ChatGPT is only one consumer-friendly example of generative AI, a technology comprising algorithms that can be used to create new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos. Rather than simply identifying and classifying information, generative AI creates new information by leveraging foundation models, which are deep learning models that can handle multiple complex tasks at the same time. Examples include GPT-3.5 and DALL-E. (For more on generative AI and machine learning, see " What is generative AI?" and " Generative AI is here: How tools like ChatGPT could change your business.")

While the fashion industry has experimented with basic AI and other frontier technologies-the metaverse, nonfungible tokens (NFTs), digital IDs, and augmented or virtual reality come to mind-it has so far had little experience with generative AI. True, this nascent technology became broadly available only recently and is still rife with worrisome kinks and bugs, but all indications are that it could improve at lightning speed and become a game changer in many aspects of business. In the next three to five years, generative AI could add $150 billion, conservatively, and up to $275 billion to the apparel, fashion, and luxury sectors' operating profits, according to McKinsey analysis. From codesigning to speeding content development processes, generative AI creates new space for creativity. It can input all forms of "unstructured" data-raw text, images, and video-and output new forms of media, ranging from fully-written scripts to 3-D designs and realistic virtual models for video campaigns.

These are still early days, but some clear use cases for generative AI in fashion have already emerged. (Many of these use cases also apply to the adjacent beauty and luxury sectors.) Within product innovation, marketing, and sales and customer experience in particular, the technology can have significant outcomes and may be more feasible to implement in the short term compared with other areas in the fashion value chain. In this article, we outline some of the most promising use cases and offer steps executives can take to get started, as well as risks to keep in mind when doing so.

In our view, generative AI is not just automation-it's about augmentation and acceleration. That means giving fashion professionals and creatives the technological tools to do certain tasks dramatically faster, freeing them up to spend more of their time doing things that only humans can do. It also means creating systems to serve customers better. Here's where to begin.

Understanding the use cases

Generative AI has the potential to affect the entire fashion ecosystem. Fashion companies can use the technology to help create better-selling designs, reduce marketing costs, hyperpersonalize customer communications, and speed up processes. It may also reshape supply chain and logistics, store operations, and organization and support functions (see sidebar, "Generative AI use cases in fashion").

Product development and innovation

Instead of relying on trend reports and market analysis alone to inform designs for next season's collection, both mass-market fashion retailers and luxury brands' creative directors can use generative AI to analyze in real time various types of unstructured data. Generative AI can, for example, quickly aggregate and perform sentiment analysis from videos on social media or model trends from multiple sources of consumer data.

Creative directors and their teams could input sketches and desired details-such as fabrics, color palettes, and patterns-into a platform powered by generative AI that automatically creates an array of designs, thus allowing designers to play with an enormous variety of styles and looks. A team might then design new items based on these outputs, putting a fashion house's signature touch on each of the looks. This opens the door to creating innovative, limited-edition product drops that may also be collaborations between two brands. Products such as eyeglasses could be designed for individuals by using facial-recognition technology powered by generative AI to scan facial topography and adjust for a customer's size and style preferences.

This scenario became reality in December 2022, when a group of Hong Kong-based fashion designers from the Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence in Design (AiDLab) held a fashion show featuring generative-AI-supported designs. Using tools from tech companies such as Cala, Designovel, and Fashable, fashion designers are already tapping into the power of generative AI to spark new ideas, try myriad design variations without having to produce expensive samples, and vastly accelerate their processes. (For beauty businesses, generative AI also provides an opportunity for brands to identify new product formulations, potentially helping to reduce lab testing costs.)

Marketing

Marketing executives and agencies can use generative AI to brainstorm campaign strategies, product campaign content, and even virtual avatars for every marketing channel-and do it fast.

Striking marketing gold can often be a numbers game. Consider TikTok: there's no single winning formula for going viral on the platform. Instead, the more you produce, the higher your chances are of becoming a trending topic and boosting brand awareness and sales. Prompting a generative-AI-powered video platform to create short-form videos for TikTok or other social-media platforms can help save time and costs associated with pumping out social-media content. Generative AI can recognize patterns and trends in viral content and create new content that also follows specifications from the marketer.

These exercises can help in-house marketing teams manage their workloads while reducing their reliance on outsourcing work to creative agencies. Marketers will want to be careful with this approach, however: trying to reach consumers by replicating what other brands have done can counteract the unique identity and value proposition that a brand spends years building.

Generative AI could also be applied to personalized customer communications. Companies that excel at personalization increase revenues by 40 percent compared with companies that don't leverage personalization, according to McKinsey research.

Several start-ups-CopyAI, Jasper AI, and Writesonic, to name just a few-are helping pioneer personalized marketing at scale through generative AI. Using these tools, a marketer's daily tasks might start to look like this: they could choose the type of content they want to create, whether it's an email, a long-form blog post, or something else; add a prompt describing what they are looking for; and include the targeted audience and other parameters, such as tone, that help create marketing communications that are in line with the brand. The AI tool then offers several options from which the marketer can choose.

These tools are most helpful when applied to lower-funnel marketing channels (those that are mostly used to encourage sales conversions) as opposed to more prestigious brand-building communications. Marketers are still required to prompt and edit the work.

Sales and consumer experience

Today's generative-AI-powered chats, which use stronger natural-language processing to better understand and interact with humans, are already a measurable improvement over existing AI chats. That said, there isn't (yet) a foolproof generative-AI chatbot for businesses-current chatbots and other text-generating tools still occasionally make errors that could cause serious customer service disasters. Eventually, though, this technology could help customer support agents outsource complex inquiries-for example, using chatbots to help provide personalized responses in numerous languages.

Today, there are services that assign a generative AI "representative" to a brand to handle customer service queries across email, chat, text, and a brand's own platforms. These services help to reduce customer service wait times and improve response times.

Generative-AI agents can also serve luxury brands, particularly when it comes to "clienteling," a retail strategy whereby sales associates develop long-term relationships with a brand's highest-spending customers to encourage purchases and improve brand loyalty. (High-end brands can hit a sales conversion rate of 60 to 70 percent in luxury boutiques, through appointment-only shopping, for example.) That process has remained somewhat analog and manual, relying on brands' sales associates to reach out to customers through a variety of messaging platforms or texts, and is limited to only when those associates are working. Generative-AI-powered tools can keep the conversation going or make styling recommendations after a shopper leaves the store, coach sales associates on how to engage with customers, personalize communications for specific customers, and analyze consumer profiles and online real-time interaction.

In July 2022, apparel retailer Stitch Fix said it was experimenting with GPT-3 and DALL-E 2, the text-to-image AI generator, to boost sales and improve customer satisfaction with better styling services. These generative models are being tested to help stylists quickly and accurately interpret reams of customer feedback and curate products that customers would be likelier to purchase. For example, the AI tool could analyze all of a customer's feedback, which could include hundreds of text comments, email requests, product ratings, and online posts. If a customer regularly comments on, say, the "great fit" and "fun color" of a certain style of pants, DALL-E could generate images of similar pants that the customer would likely want to purchase. The stylist could then find similar items in Stitch Fix's inventory and recommend them to that customer.

Virtual try-ons are yet another example of how generative AI can improve sales and consumer experience. Paris-based Veesual enables virtual try-on integration for e-commerce fashion brands, meaning customers can choose their model and pick clothes to try on.

How to get started

As exciting as generative-AI technology might be, companies will still want to tread cautiously before entrusting any of their core tasks entirely to generative AI. But neglecting to explore the possibilities that this technology offers could be just as risky, given the pace at which it is evolving and the explosive growth of the user base. Executives can start thinking now about how their businesses could use generative AI. There are a few steps leaders can take to begin.

Make value your North Star

Fashion leaders should outline where generative AI can offer the greatest value to their business. Start by noting which areas-creative design, merchandising, runway campaigns, or clienteling-could benefit the most from generative AI. Leaders can then prioritize the generative AI use cases they should pursue based on the level of impact the use cases may have on their business. Some measures of impact include improving customer satisfaction scores and reducing customer service wait times.

Once the value is identified, use cases should also be prioritized according to how feasible they are to implement; determining how seamlessly generative AI can be used will depend on things like a team's technical skills. Afterward, teams should build a short-term road map to test and validate these use cases. At the same time, they can also consider what long-term goals might include, such as how to build a generative-design platform that can be updated and used by designers for every season.

It may be tempting to have a bit of fun with generative AI, but harnessing its power will take extra diligence. Fashion executives must be intentional in building tools that can deliver value rather than experiment with existing tools indiscriminately.

Know risks and plan to mitigate them

In a previous article, we listed some of the risks of using generative AI. One is that the legal parameters around generative AI's use are still being ironed out. Designers are sometimes criticized for creating derivative works and copycat designs. Determining who owns the intellectual property and creative rights to AI-generated works, which could be based on multimodal data sources such as other designers' past collections, will be decided on a case-by-case basis until there is a strong legal precedent. (Although it doesn't involve generative AI, the high-profile battle between Hermès and artist Mason Rothschild surrounding MetaBirkin NFTs, in which a judge ruled that the NFTs infringed on Hermès's trademark, shows how fashion brands can become embroiled in legal conundrums when new technologies emerge.)

Another risk is bias and fairness in generative-AI systems, particularly around biased data sets, which may present reputational challenges for brands that rely on the technology. For example, if an image-generating tool produces an advertising campaign with inappropriate or offensive images that are then shared globally, a brand's reputation could be hurt. And pointing fingers at the company AI in an attempt at damage control may do little to calm consumer ire.

There is also the risk that employees who use generative AI are not fully aware of its shortcomings and may fail to check for errors introduced by the technology. In this case, businesses must regularly train employees and provide them with the resources they need to understand how to use the technology.

While risks are unavoidable, executives can mitigate their potential impact by establishing a process to address risk, ethics, and quality assurance.

Upskill your current workforce

Generative-AI tools could add value to a host of different areas of a business, so it will be important to educate and train employees-including designers, marketers, sales associates, and customer service representatives-on the use of the technology.

Some businesses have already introduced AI-focused training. Levi Strauss, for one, launched a machine learning boot camp in 2021 to train nontech employees on how to use machine learning in the company's design process. Employees who complete the program create new AI tools that are relevant to their work. One of Levi's goals with the program is to increase the diversity of employees who have tech knowledge so that the company can uncover problems that employees who come from traditional technology backgrounds might otherwise miss. The program also helps teams with different specializations-such as design teams and engineering teams-communicate better and find common ground. Furthermore, Levi's has found that the program helps improves employee retention.

With an AI-savvy workforce, collaboration will take on a new meaning. Leaders should consider: How do we define responsibilities and operate collectively between technical and nontechnical roles? Design and software engineering teams can set up weekly leadership meetings to strategize quarterly road maps and working sessions among teams. Design leads can share their needs for certain insights and tools (a tool that generates design variations from a sketch, perhaps), while engineering teams deliver those tools.

Partner with the right tech support

Fashion businesses will no doubt have to invest in their workforce when it comes to leveraging generative AI, but they won't have to build out applications or foundation models themselves. Instead, fashion leaders can partner with generative-AI businesses and experts to move quickly. A fashion executive might partner with a business (such as Microsoft or OpenAI) that provides new technology or a partner that provides support capabilities (such as cloud computing or APIs).

While the potential use cases for generative AI are coming to light quickly, the future of this technology in the apparel and luxury industries is still being stitched together. But experimenting with new tools today means opening infinite possibilities tomorrow.

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Generative AI: Unlocking the future of fashion

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While still nascent, generative AI has the potential to help fashion businesses become more productive, get to market faster, and serve customers better.

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Revolutionizing Fashion: a generative ai approach to personalized apparel design and custom fitting

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Revolutionizing Fashion: a generative ai approach to personalized apparel design and custom fitting

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This paper proposes a mobile application prototype that uses generative AI, computer vision, and 3D modelling to offer a fully personalised clothing design and fitting experience. It combines technical innovation with user-centric design, aiming to make bespoke fashion accessible, scalable, and efficient.

1. AI-Powered Body Scanning
The app uses a smartphone camera and machine learning algorithms to capture a user’s body shape and measurements in real time. This allows for accurate, custom fit without the need for in-person tailoring or fitting sessions.

2. Generative Design Tools
Users can input preferences (e.g., occasion, style, colour, mood) and the AI generates unique, made-to-measure outfit designs. The system blends user input with trained fashion datasets to generate looks that are both personal and stylish.

3. Real-Time 3D Try-On
The app provides a virtual try-on interface, displaying how each garment would look and fit on the user’s actual body shape, using responsive 3D avatars. This feature reduces uncertainty, enhances the shopping experience, and helps users make confident decisions.

4. Seamless Production Integration
Once a user selects a design, the app can automatically generate technical specifications and size data to be sent to production, supporting an on-demand or made-to-order model.

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The Vogue Business article “Generative AI Hits a Fashion Acceleration Point” highlights how generative AI has evolved from a trend into a real operational tool reshaping fashion retail. It emphasizes the shift from experimentation in 2024 to measurable business results in 2025, particularly in personalisation, customer experience, and inventory optimisation.

Key Insights:

1. Generative AI Moves Beyond Hype

Retailers are now using AI not just to experiment, but to drive revenue and engagement. Brands are increasingly turning customer behaviour and purchase data into actionable insights—especially to target Gen Z, who adopt trends faster than previous generations.

2. Hyper-Personalised Marketing

Brands like Victoria’s Secret have used AI to tailor marketing emails based on individual preferences, leading to significant increases in conversion rates and revenue per message. Instead of mass messaging, customers now receive content curated for their age group, past purchases, and style.

3. Search and Shopping Experience

Swarovski has implemented “searchandise,” combining AI-powered search and merchandising. This system uses e-commerce and in-store data to customise recommendations and streamline the customer journey, contributing to a rise in sales and satisfaction.

4. AI-Powered Customer Support

Companies like Saks and Caleres are using AI assistants to improve customer service response times and make online shopping more seamless. These tools handle repetitive queries, freeing up human agents for more complex support needs—enhancing both efficiency and luxury service standards.

5. Global Race for AI Superiority

The article also discusses the international race in AI development. While U.S. retailers are making large investments, open-source models like China’s DeepSeek-R1 could change the playing field by offering scalable, cost-efficient alternatives—impacting how brands source and deploy AI.

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Generative AI hits a fashion acceleration point

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The buzzy tech has moved beyond its 2024 hype cycle into real-world implementation. We spoke to retailers who are seeing results.

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This article presents real-world examples of how major fashion brands are integrating AI into design, production, and customer experience to enhance personalisation, efficiency, and responsiveness. These detailed case studies support your third trend on AI for Customisation by showing how AI is already shaping fashion at scale.

1. Stitch Fix – Personalised Styling at Scale

Combines AI-driven data analysis with human stylists to offer fully customised clothing boxes.

Uses extensive client data (preferences, feedback, body shape) to continually refine AI recommendations.

Scales personalisation effectively, allowing mass-custom delivery of highly individual fashion solutions.

2. The North Face – Conversational AI for Functional Fashion

Implements a virtual shopping assistant using natural language processing.

Suggests outdoor gear and apparel based on personal activity, weather, and lifestyle inputs.

Enhances user engagement and loyalty by offering tailored suggestions and improving inventory precision.

3. ZARA – AI-Powered Trend Forecasting and Supply Chain

Uses real-time sales and customer feedback data to inform design decisions.

AI helps forecast trends and optimise production, ensuring the right products reach the right markets quickly.

Supports ZARA’s rapid design-to-store turnaround, while maintaining relevance with consumer preferences.

4. Tommy Hilfiger – Digital Design Integration

Partners with tech firms to integrate AI into the creative process, allowing designers to explore more ideas faster.

AI tools are used to simulate how different fabrics, patterns, or cuts will appear and function, reducing sample waste.

5. Adidas – Custom Footwear and Sustainability

Uses 3D printing and AI modelling to develop footwear tailored to an individual’s foot shape and performance needs.

Enhances customisation through data gathered from customer movement and usage patterns.

Supports sustainable production by reducing unnecessary material use.

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AI in Fashion Design: 5 Case Studies [2025]

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the styling and fashion industry with remarkable speed, opening up unparalleled opportunities for innovation in design,