The fashion industry has been drastically transformed by the influence of social media. Studies have been conducted to investigate how celebrity endorsement affects consumer attitudes and behavior, but none have specifically examined the impact of social media on the fashion world. Platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok are constantly announcing the latest trends for customers to purchase, which accelerates the speed at which fashion trends become fashionable. One common excuse consumers use for not being sustainable with their fashion choices is that it's not accessible.
However, there are influential people in sustainable fashion, such as Venetia La Manna and Aja Barber, who advocate for the slow fashion revolution and other social causes. The production of cotton material requires a high use of water, making the fashion industry the second largest consumer of water. Fast-fashion retailers deliver new garments and accessories to their stores every four or six weeks, sometimes even more frequently. This has caused popular fashion brands to produce clothes at a rapid rate, resulting in clothing trends that are a reintroduction in a new and innovative way rather than a new fashion.
Lasley Steever, marketing director of Ibu, a sustainable fashion brand based in Charleston, South Carolina, blames social media for excessive consumption of fashion. The disposable factor of fast fashion has created more than just extra space to fill in the closet. Price plays a key role in the attractiveness of fast fashion, as it allows a wider demographic group to participate in trends. Unfortunately, this is becoming increasingly detrimental to both consumers' wallets and the environment. In this article, we will explore how social media has impacted the fashion industry in South Carolina. We will discuss how celebrity endorsement affects consumer attitudes and behavior, how fast-fashion retailers are changing the way people shop for clothes, and how sustainable fashion is becoming more accessible.
We will also look at how price plays a role in fast-fashion consumption and how it is damaging both consumers' pockets and the environment.
