RePResentation in the Fashion Industry — GVSU PRSSA – Grand Valley State University Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America

The Basics

Authenticity and inclusivity. Those are two key characteristics that public relations professionals strive to maintain in the brand they reside. Public relations is everywhere, in any industry and organization. This works in favor of aspiring professionals as this gives them a wide range of opportunities, and more specifically, a chance to work in an industry that aligns with their passions. Whether it be sports, entertainment, food, fashion, or any other industry, the ultimate goal is to be authentic. It is also essential to make sure your company is admired and utilized by consumers and to do this, they have to understand their public. They should acknowledge the consumers’ interests, and what makes them different from each other. Most industries have an array of audiences and it is the PR professional's job to ensure they reach as many of them as they can.

A Look into the Fashion Industry

The fashion industry is one of the most diverse areas of work. With endless designers and styles, there is something for everyone. This also implies a bigger range of consumers, people who are looking for a way to express themselves through clothing. From a brand standpoint, this requires representing all body types and depicting models in advertisements that are not the societal standard. This allows people to relate to the brand’s “real” models. The brand’s representation allows consumers everywhere to feel like they are being included. A perfect example of a brand that completely changed the game was American Eagle’s #AerieREAL campaign. For this campaign, Aerie stopped editing their models' photos and started including people of differing body shapes and sizes, breaking down the barriers of what consumers were used to. This switch to authenticity and inclusivity allowed people everywhere to see a representation of real beauty and how retouching is unnecessary because everybody is real and sexy. This launch not only summoned immense amounts of love from consumers but sales as well; their sales grew 20 percent in the 2015 fiscal year. This case is proof of how crucial brand authenticity is to consumers. In 2022, consumers are over wanting to shop from brands that only feature one type of photoshopped model, in only one size, in only one race. Inclusivity, realness, and representation are necessary to make the buyers feel recognized and appreciated. Other amazing brands that have embraced this ideology are ASOS, Target, and Modcloth. They have all grown successfully and have become fan favorites as people cheer them on for staying committed to body positivity, inclusivity, and authenticity.

Keep it Real

Whether you see yourself falling into PR somewhere in the fashion industry or not, the importance of authenticity and inclusivity remains. The brands mentioned in this blog all have diverse people within them and are oftentimes overlooked, as times change it is important to give attention to the differences and celebrate them. No matter what brand you end up working for, fight to ensure all consumers are heard and represented. Don’t fake your authenticity and prove your truth with action. This direction of public relations will be sure to bring you and your company an abundance of success and satisfaction.

About Elise

Elise Rapeyko is a soon-to-be senior this winter and is majoring in Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Psychology. She joined GrandPR and GVPRSSA this fall semester and is currently finishing up an internship for OneCampaign.