Armani, Fendi, Vera Wang, Manolo Blahnik… Labels sprinkled across runways all around the world. Labels hung through closets of the rich and famous. Labels that make the average woman (or man!) sigh over her/his mid-average pay and dreaded credit limit.

Fashion is an integral part of our lives, the industry valued at US$1.7 trillion and employing 75 million people worldwide[1]. Harvard Business grads Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss looked at this reality[2], and as business undergrads do, saw the silver of opportunity for a great business venture. What if, you could economize the fashion industry, take away the niche, and provide designer fashion to the masses, at rent?

This business plan stuck a chord for me, back to Dell’s virtual Integration Strategy[3].  Though Dell essentially dealt with strategic supply chain management, both companies eliminate middlemen; Reeling in revenue by handing over products directly to customers – No retail outlets, no firsthand production. Though this rental system makes for a smart business plan, the fashion industry seemed like an inappropriate platform to implement it in. High Fashion depends, at least partly, on its exclusivity: You want what you can’t have. I’d questioned how the Enterprise managed to collect sponsors and bring in its supply.

With some research, I’d evidenced that though exclusive niche marketing is essential for high end brands, this setup works as an “experiential marketing engine”[4], essentially widening a designer’s customer base.

Overall, a hugely successful business plan that satisfies the fashion famine in the everyday world!

Community Fair trade, non-toxic, green initiative, USDA organic; Tags commonly heard on large conglomerates, summarizing what?

Ethics. Corporate Social Responsibility. But why? From a Business standpoint, ethical culture harvests brand loyalty. These labels stamped on the back of a the Body shop soap bar lets me, as a consumer, know that by Buying this particular Shea butter soap, I’ve helped a woman in Mbanayili village, Africa pay her family’s welfare funds. Yes, the soap is considerably more expensive than your average joe drugstore soap bar, but I’m helping mankind. I am!

My point is this: ‘Ethical, socially responsible’ companies – such as Body shop or The Gap – manage to target the niche upper-middle households and cultivate brand loyalty through advocating good corporate culture. But do ethical practices stop with these labels?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2320868/Thin-beautiful-customers-ONLY-How-Abercrombie–Fitch-doesnt-want-larger-people-shopping-stores.html

The above article made a pretty big début this summer, with Abercrombie and Fitch CEO Mr. Jeffries candidly voicing discrimination against plus sized consumers and employers. Earlier criticism addressed his negligence of minorities, again, for the same reason that to him, he risks becoming “totally vanilla” by targeting all consumers. His brand, to him, targets your typical ‘All American beauty’, aka, White and Size Zero. Period. I don’t know about you, but there’s something dangerously wrong with that outlook.

The fact to consider here is that ethical business practices don’t just extend to being accountable for your tangible resources, or honest trade.  We, as professionals in the 21^st century, are ethical by representing our brand as one with integrity, poise, and acceptance. That’s an ethical business in my books.

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References:

• Support Community Fair Trade | The Body Shop (http://www.thebodyshop.ca/en/values/CommunityFairTrade.aspx)
• The man behind Abercrombie & Fitch By BENOIT DENIZET-LEWIS (http://www.salon.com/2006/01/24/jeffries/)
• 12 Ethical Principles for Business Executives by Michael Josephson (http://josephsoninstitute.org/business/blog/2010/12/12-ethical-principles-for-business-executives/)
•  ‘Thin and beautiful’ customers ONLY: How Abercrombie & Fitch doesn’t want ‘larger people’ shopping in its stores By DAILY MAIL REPORTER (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2320868/Thin-beautiful-customers-ONLY-How-Abercrombie–Fitch-doesnt-want-larger-people-shopping-stores.html)
• Picture Reference: Abercrombie and Fitch Logo (http://www.lhs204.stellpflug.com/Period%204/Jessica%20Ojeda/abercombie%20&%20fitch.html)

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