Aritzia was founded in 1984 by CEO Brian Hill. Privately owned, it is a Vancouver-based women’s clothing boutique for the dynamic and stylish. Artizia’s customer segment is upper class women who can afford to pay higher prices for their clothing. In the recent decade, the company has become extremely popular amongst young people, opening stores all over North America. Sustainability is not a major component of its value proposition, but with a recent announcement, I believe the company can use sustainable practices as a point of difference in comparison to other high-end fashion retailers.
I believe that Aritzia has been very successful in creating a brand that resonates well with its customers. Sally Parrott, Senior Director of Marketing, explains in a BC Business interview that Aritzia’s brand truths are about style and quality design. CEO Brian Hill explains that their value proposition is simple: They “offer beautifully designed clothes that are on-trend, high quality, and of good value.”
As a consumer, I feel they have achieved what they have outlined in their value proposition, but feel that there is a lack of attention to environmental needs. Aritzia has targeted a customer segment that is catered to the elite: high prices and well-known brand names. In my opinion, sales associates embody Aritzia’s brand values and are able to build a customer relationship with each customer as they are extremely attentive and are willing to find something that suits each woman’s needs and wants. However, it is likely that Aritzia’s consumer market does not care about sustainable practices, despite having a employees fully embody the organizational culture.
I believe Aritzia has created a brand that does many jobs for its customers. Some gains include shopping for different occasions among different brands, convenience of sales associates, personal shopping, and positive social consequences (ie. well recognized, higher-end brand). The downside of owning a high-end fashion store is that sustainability often gets overlooked.
However, companies are evolving as consumers become more aware of how companies use their resources and in the way they manage their materials. This in turn, influences where people shop. I believe people on the West Coast, especially Vancouver, are becoming more conscious of sustainability and ethically sourced products. Aritzia, along with a few other well recognized companies in the fashion industry, have recently committed “to source clothing fiber that doesn’t come via conversion of old-growth and high conservation value forests” (Mongabay News). I think this announcement, with perspective to Aritzia, will enhance their value proposition and draw in a new customer segment that would otherwise not shop at Aritzia due to unknown ethical practices. This sustainable decision will give the company a competitive advantage over other elite fashion retailers as I believe that sustainability will soon become a deciding factor on where customers spend their money.
Photo Source: http://www.refinery29.com/canadian-super-boutique-aritzia-to-set-up-shop-in-soho
Web Source: http://www.bcbusiness.ca/people/qa-with-aritzias-sally-parrott