Keywords: Responsible Fashion Business, Sustainable Innovation, E-Commerce

Abstract

The fashion retail landscape is continually evolving with convenience becoming the primary focus for many consumers. This preference has been realised with the growth of internet shopping and advancements in personal devices providing a greater level of accessibility and ease of purchase. As shopping becomes ever simpler and versatile, consumers are losing a sense of value in the products they buy, with impulsive purchases resulting in short-term ownership and premature disposal.

Online shopping has often been accused of causing ‘the death of the high street’, where in reality it has facilitated increased accessibility to a range of responsible fashion products. However opposing this convenience is the emergence of the ultra-fast fashion market sector, readily known for its negative environmental and social impact and facilitated by B2C (business-to-consumer) sales. Furthermore, the global pandemic has acted as a catalyst in the growth of e-commerce, exacerbated through necessity rather than preference.

This paper explores the radical changes required by fashion retailers to sustain their business in a post-COVID world. Often referred to as ‘a chance to rewrite the fashion system’, it is timely to consider how sustainability can become a foundational value in the rebuilding of fashion retail. The 3P model, often referred to in the context of corporate social responsibility, positions people and planet alongside profit, emphasising the need for a shift towards responsible business. Developing a transformative and resilient fashion system suitable for society post-pandemic requires a systems-thinking and collaborative approach, positioning sustainability at the forefront of the ‘new normal’.