SOCIAL MEDIA AS A CATALYST IN MAKING INCLUSIVE FASHION INDUSTRY

Abstract

The fashion business has long promoted an ideal size, colour, gender, and shape. The desire to be more inclusive has been a topic of discussion for some time, but it has recently acquired traction due to the growth of social media, the expansion of the global market, and evolving cultural norms. The goal of inclusion is to embrace everyone, regardless of their size, ethnicity, gender, or other characteristics. It is about making different identities feel appreciated, valued, and welcomed in a particular environment. Despite the fact that the main goal of fashion is to serve as a medium for expression and representation, these continual limitations have had the opposite impact. As the years have gone by, social media's influence over the fashion industry has only grown. Social media is the most practical and affordable mode of communication for the ever-changing fashion industry. This study aims to analyse how social media has acted as a catalyst in making the fashion industry more inclusive. Generation Z is the most ethically, racially, and ethnically diverse generation and was born between 1996 and 2012. They are Claimed to be the most welcoming and open-minded generation so far. The primary consumer study has been conducted using a random sampling method to examine how social media has helped fashion become more inclusive from GenZ’s perspective. Additionally, the survey's findings indicate that social media has a significant impact on the fashion business and that Generation Z expects inclusive and realistic models in the campaigns in order to participate in the market.

KEYWORDS: Inclusivity, social media, fashion industry, self-expression, social media, Generation Z

Full text

BOOK OF PROCEEDINGS
INDIA@100;
BUILDING ‘ATMANIRBHAR’ BHARAT
FROM FARM TO FASHION TO FUTURE
INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE 2023
23 - 24 February 2023
Organized By
National Institute of Fashion Technology
Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Ministry of Textiles, Government of India

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Social Media as a Catalyst in Making Inclusive Fashion Industry
Saniya Bagga
Research Student, B. Design
GLS Institute of Design
GLS University
Ahmedabad, India
saniyabagga23@gmail.com
Aditya Mehta
Assistant Professor
GLS Institute of Design
GLS University
Ahmedabad, India
adityam93224@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
The fashion business has long promoted an ideal size, colour, gender, and shape. The desire to be more inclusive
has been a topic of discussion for some time, but it has recently acquired traction due to the growth of social
media, the expansion of the global market, and evolving cultural norms. The goal of inclusion is to embrace
everyone, regardless of their size, ethnicity, gender, or other characteristics. It is about making different
identities feel appreciated, valued, and welcomed in a particular environment. Despite the fact that the main goal
of fashion is to serve as a medium for expression and representation, these continual limitations have had the
opposite impact. As the years have gone by, social media's influence over the fashion industry has only grown.
Social media is the most practical and affordable mode of communication for the ever-changing fashion
industry. This study aims to analyse how social media has acted as a catalyst in making the fashion industry
more inclusive. Generation Z is the most ethically, racially, and ethnically diverse generation and was born
between 1996 and 2012. They are Claimed to be the most welcoming and open -minded generation so far. The
primary consumer study has been conducted using a random sampling method to examine how social media has
helped fashion become more inclusive from GenZ’s perspective. Additionally, the survey's findings indicate that
social media has a significant impact on the fashion business and that Generation Z expects inclusive and
realistic models in the campaigns in order to participate in the market.
Keywords: Inclusivity, social media, fashion industry, self-expression, social media, Generation Z
Introduction
The world has become a global community, and the use of information technology has
fundamentally transformed how people communicate and conduct business. The introduction
of social media has completely changed how the world operates and brought individuals from
all over the world together. There is no denying social media's influence on the fashion
business. Fashion is embracing social media, which has allowed it to become a phenomenon
that is in the spotlight. The introduction aims to provide readers a better understanding of the
inclusiveness phenomena and its expanding significance in the fashion business. Before
exploring how inclusion has become more prevalent in the industry with the aid of social
media, the paper will present an understanding of inclusion. Models with a particular physical
type, gender and colour have traditionally been highlighted in traditional fashion media.
Customers have been impacted by this strategy, which has resulted in low self-esteem and
poor self-talk. More different body types, genders and races can now be pushed in the fashion

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business thanks to social media influencers and fashion blogging. Through social media and
marketing campaigns, some firms have worked to spread the message of inclusivity.
Inclusivity
The fashion industry has not historically been extremely varied; only a specific sort of model
was included in magazines and fashion editorials, reflecting common societal ideals about
what types of bodies should be cherished and adored. It's something of an irony to say that
inclusivity in clothing should be considered a fundamental human right. The objective of
inclusion is to include everyone, regardless of race, gender, ability, health, or other need.
People have always used fashion as a means of understanding and expressing our individual
sense of style. Fashion publications and catwalks have long promoted a "perfect" size, colour,
and shape. Although there have always been consumers who didn't conform to that standard.
Binary genders have always divided the fashion world. But as the discourse about
inclusiveness has grown, so too has the desire for acceptance and recognition of genders
other than the binary. Due to changes in cultural and societal perceptions, this sparked a
transformation in the sector and increased genderfluid conversations. Consumers and a new
generation asked that the reality of race, gender, body size, handicap, and inequity be
acknowledged. Previously, these truths were seen as diversions from the elegant ideal
presented by luxury companies.
Objective of the Study
The purpose of this study is to ascertain social media's contribution to the proliferation of
inclusivity in the fashion sector. It intends to examine the significant role that social media
has played in fostering inclusivity in the fashion industry and the encouragement of self-
expression.
Literature Review
Impact of Social Media on Fashion Industry
(Nawaz Ahmad, 2015) Fashion is one sector that is thought to be ideally and inherently suited
for social media. The social networking websites and other online platforms that allow the
fashion industry to engage with their clients using the most recent social networking
technologies are referred to as social media in the context of the fashion industry. Social
media is being used by the fashion industry to research trends and forecast consumer
behaviour. Its adoption of social media has made it possible for it to become well-known as a

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phenomenon. Not only that, but the fashion blogging community now plays a crucial role in
the sector. They are respected as thought leaders and are a voice in the business. Because
blogging is unquestionably influencing, altering, and reinventing the media industry and its
operation, it is currently the prevalent tendency for the fashion industry to embrace it. Social
media, which has risen significantly over the past several years, has made the fashion
industry more and easier accessible to the general population.
(Rodgers, 2021) The notions of exclusivity and access have been braided together during the
past ten or so years as a result of the introduction and eventual universality of social media.
The so-called democratisation of fashion was sparked by the explosive growth of social
networks like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, which support user-generated
content and participatory culture. The platform's ability to homogenise content is
demonstrated by the instantly recognisable "Instagram aesthetic," which may offer the
appearance of collectivity when it's actually just monotony.
(Saha, 2021) Because people's tastes in clothing vary so frequently, the fashion business is a
deeply ingrained retail sector. This industry was the latest to integrate technology as part of
its corporate strategy because, in essence, all of its work is labour-intensive. By paying
attention to each customer's specific preferences, this workforce assists the company in
meeting customer needs. However, with the rise of social media, they no longer only rely on
human labour. Social media marketing has been a big success for the clothing industry's
marketing. The business promotes its brand on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube using
creative commercials and celebrity endorsements.
(Mohr, 2013) Because of the internet, fashion is prevalent everywhere. Customers have
virtually infinite online room for self-expression thanks to "blogs." Personal webpages are
referred to as blogs. There are millions of fashion blogs globally, which are updated
frequently with new fashion trends, unlike fashion-focused periodicals and television
programmes. The blog's potent individual, personal, widespread, and elitist point of view is
what makes it so effective. Readers have the chance to express their thoughts and take
fashion critics on thanks to its entertaining experience. Popular bloggers are seen by brands
as the new journalists and influencers.

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Influence of Instagram
(Ahmed, 2019) No other medium has defined visual culture, and particularly fashion, with
such visceral grandeur. "When I see designers using curvier or differently-abled models, or
working with 'unconventional' beauty, I think the beautiful thing about Instagram is that the
community of 800 million people screams: 'Why should there be a definition of
conventional?'" says Eva Chen. Even fashion publications have been entirely disrupted by
Instagram and its Young Turks. Maybe you're the minority if you're reading this on paper.
Today, editorial pieces and magazine covers are fractured and put on Instagram, giving
readers the sense that they have viewed the entire issue before ever holding a real copy. Any
subtleties that could have been detected in the pages' arrangement vanish in an instant.
(Harding, 2019) Instagram could be able to help in some ways because it is a hub for user-
generated material. The social media platform not only serves as a launching pad for lesser
brands, who can be propelled into the spotlight with the help of one A-gonzo lister's post, but
its very nature also fosters wider conversations about inclusiveness. Models are now being
cast on Instagram (follow our favourite curvy influencers here), and hashtags like
"#representationmatters" and "#celebratediversity" are growing in popularity—there have
been 500,000 posts with these hashtags as of writing. "Nowadays diversity means so many
different things to different people," explains Eva, Head of Fashion Partnerships in
Instagram. "We’ve got ethnic and racial diversity but we also have body, size diversity,
different ability diversity and now we’ve got age diversity as well."
" One of the greatest things about Instagram is that it’s broken down a lot of barriers and
allowed people to learn about a lot of the different opportunities with the fashion industry."
Inclusivity on Social Media
(Goodman, The importance of inclusivity and representation on social media, 2022) The
necessity of inclusivity on social media is rising, especially as people become more socially
aware as a whole. This is probably due to the increased visibility that the digital sphere gives,
enabling the enhanced voices of previously marginalised groups. Social media is a forum for
everyone, thus its user base is highly diverse. This is true regardless of ethnicity, sexual
orientation, gender, religion, or physical impairment. As marketers enter this market, they
need to be aware of this in order to avoid coming out as insensitive and instead make sure
that their social media material is inclusive.

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(Rose, 2021) Numerous LGBT+ and plus-size influencers use social media as a platform to
communicate messages with the goals of educating the public, eradicating stigma, and
showcasing diverse individuals. This is a positive development. Hopefully, their fan bases
will expand with time. enabling them to communicate with more individuals at the same pace
as the typical influencer. People can interact globally through social media, making them feel
less isolated in their challenges. With creators partaking in trends and posting unedited
pictures of themselves wearing various fashion trends, this is clear on the new social media
network TikTok. eliminating stigma by embracing various body forms and talking openly
about mental health. This entire process is a positive step.
Inclusivity In Fashion Industry
(Hazra, The Future of Fashion: Inclusivity!, 2021) Due to fashion's uniformity of beauty,
diversity and inclusivity have long been seen as distant ideals. By favouring models of a
certain type in terms of their body shape, colour, age, and ethnicity, the fashion industry has
historically prevented itself from becoming more tolerant. The purpose of fashion is to be a
means of expression and representation, yet these ongoing limitations have had the opposite
effect. One of the first black models, Naomi Campbell, started appearing on the covers of all
major fashion publications and in high-end brand advertisements in the 1990s, which
highlighted the necessity for introducing inclusivity in fashion. “Rihanna once said that
fashion is a defence mechanism and the words have stuck with me ever since. Today, fashion
for me is a means to embrace who I am and say it out loud to the world. I look at it as a
form of art that has no gender and has all the colours in it.” Says Boddhisatva Ghosh,
a former androgynous model who is now a full-time lawyer-artist, says. Fashion cannot be
inclusive without recognising gender fluidity.
(Patel, 2022) The topic of fashion is truly universal and all-encompassing. Everyone, tall or
short, Black or white and any age ranges may wear fashion. Fashion may become the largest
sum of a person's components, a voice for expression in situations where words are simply
insufficient. Fashion is so much more than just clothing for those who feel they can let it in.
A topic that is understood and used by many people all around the world is fashion. The
effect and transformation in the fashion industry have been enormous. The philosophy of
quality, integrity, and originality in fashion is unique. The way you dress, who you dress
with, when you dress, and what you wear are all aspects of your individuality and personal
expression.

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(Kaniki, 2021) The binary genders have historically divided the world of fashion. However,
the need for acceptance and recognition of genders other than the binary has grown along
with the expansion of the conversation about inclusiveness. As a result of alterations in
cultural and societal perspectives, this sparked a revolution in the sector and increased
gender-fluid debates. Consumers are becoming less constrained in their clothing selections
and are not deterred by the gender label on the apparel when they buy in any retail category.
Similar to the need to acknowledge body size, the industry must likewise do so in order to
address the growing need for inclusive gender options.
(Hazra, The Future of Fashion: Inclusivity!, 2021) This apparent difference has primarily
occurred in the last five years as a result of an increase in the representation of models from
diverse backgrounds in the advertising campaigns of some high-end businesses. In addition to
this, models who were plus-size, transgender, elderly, and even non-binary graced the
runways throughout fashion weeks. For ready-to-wear brands, curvy clothing and inclusive
sizing became hugely popular.
Role of Social Media In Making Inclusive Fashion Industry
(Hazra, The Future of Fashion: Inclusivity!, 2021) Over the years, the fashion business has
undergone significant development. The desire to be more inclusive has been a topic of
discussion for some time, but it has recently acquired traction due to the growth of social
media, the expansion of the global market, and evolving cultural norms. “I want to see more
people that look like the men and women I come across in the street. It is detrimental to
young women to not see someone who looks like them because the reality is, we’re all
different.”, says Tess Holiday, renowned plus-size model. On a related note, maybe, brands
today strive to appeal to a wider audience and are less constrained by limitations on size,
shapes, patterns, utility, or even gender.
(Goodman, The importance of inclusivity and representation on social media, 2022)In an
effort to craft a message that everybody can relate to, many digital marketers and content
providers prefer to produce more generic social media material. Making certain that every
group is accurately represented, however, is a piece of the puzzle that is sometimes
overlooked. It is crucial to provide diverse marketing materials with representation from all

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demographic groups because doing so can help you reach a wider audience and raise brand
awareness. By doing this, you help your audience relate to and access your brand. Because it
again gives your audience the impression that they can identify with your messaging,
inclusive social media content humanises your brand. They can relate to your brand more as a
result. 76% of Gen Zers, according to Campaign, think it's critical for brands to promote
diversity and inclusion. Compared to the 46% of Baby Boomers and the 72% of millennials,
this is a sizable margin. Furthermore, 51% of Gen Zers want to see a wider variety of images
used in branding.
Methodology
Finding out how social media has contributed to the fashion business being more inclusive is
the goal of this study. The basic research methods of analysis, induction, deduction, and
questioning were applied to the attainment of the objective. In order to establish a theoretical
framework for the topic, the research is based on data from journals, periodicals, and
publications. To gather information and better understand the current generations point of
views, an online survey was conducted. Qualitative and quantitative data collection are the
two ways the researchers plan to use to gather information. A survey of about 76 individuals
between the ages of 18 and 26 was conducted. The survey of 22 questions was answered and
filled online by 76 respondents. 53.9% of the respondents belonged to the age group of 18-21
years, and most of them were females (fig 1,2). Majority of the respondents invest more than
3 hours on social media. The analysis and findings are backed up with primary research,
which will reveal current generation perceptions on the impact of social media in making the
fashion industry more inclusive. There's a question of whether they are more likely to
purchase an item if a model in the campaign is more realistic and inclusive, as well as if
they’ve ever wished to see more inclusive models on runways and billboards?
Results and Analysis
Findings
This study aims to evaluate how social media highlights the value of inclusion in the fashion
industry. This study showed how crucial consumers believe it is for them to see more realistic
campaign imagery, as well as how social media has helped.

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What is your Gender?
Figure 1. Characteristics (Gender) of the respondents
Age Group?
Figure 2. Characteristics (Age Range) of respondents

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How much time do you spend on social media in a day?
Figure. 3 Time spent on social media
Which social media platform do you use the most?
Figure 4. Consumption of social media
In reference to time consumed by people on social media platforms in a day, 65.8 percent
said they spend 1-3 hours, 25 percent said they spend more than 3 hours, 9.2 percent said they
spend less than an hour. (Fig: 3,4)

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What type of content do you prefer watching?
Figure 5. Type of content they consume
Figure 6. Types of topics they are interested in
In context of the content people prefer watching, 86.8 percent prefer reels, 67.1 percent
prefer photos, 69.7 percent prefer fashion and beauty content, 65.8 percent prefers lifestyle,

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57.9 percent prefer travel, 35.5 percent prefer DIY content, and the rest percent prefer other
types of content. (fig:5,6)
Have you ever wished to see more inclusive models on runways and billboards?
Figure 7. Respondents perception
Do you believe that the fashion industry had created”ideal” beauty standards?
Figure 8. Respondents opinions on beauty standards

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Have you ever felt pressured to fit into a culturally set "ideal" look?
Figure. 9 Respondents opinions on fitting in
Do you think social media has an influence on the fashion industry?
Figure. 10 Influence of social media on fashion industry according to
the respondents
Have inclusive influencers on social media made you feel more confident about yourself?

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Figure. 11 Impact of influencers
21.1% of respondents highly believe that the influencers on social media has made them feel
more confident about themselves, 32.9% also agree to this statement and the rest have varied
opinions. More and more people have started to express themselves freely on social media
after being inspired by the influencers who they can resonate with.
Do you feel social media platforms help fight discrimination based on gender, age, colour,
size etc?
Figure. 12 Impact of social media
How important is the representation of all types of model's on a brand's profile for you?

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Figure. 13 Respondents views on importance of representation
Are you more likely to purchase an item if a model in the campaign is more realistic and
inclusive?
Figure. 14 Respondents purchase preference
When asked about the purchasing behaviour based on the representation of models, majority
of respondents said they are more likely to purchase a product if a model in the campaign is
more realistic and inclusive (76.3%), the rest (23.7%) refused to the preference. (Fig: 14)
Finally, the data analysis results show that the majority of Generation Z respondents consume
fashion and beauty content on social media, and they place a high value on content that is
honest and realistic in order to connect with it and ultimately drive purchases. To become a

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customer, customers need to see genuine individuals on brand profiles. And social media,
acting as the catalyst, is assisting in the development of a more diverse and inclusive fashion
business that is open to all.
Discussion and Recommendations
The goal of the study was to see how social media is playing a role in making fashion
industry more inclusive and what are the current generations views on it. We may derive the
following findings and recommendations after analysing the data.
Fashion industry had culturally set an ‘ideal’ beauty standards which made the people feel
insecure about their bodies, genders and how they look. But the boom of social media has
helped deconstruct the ideal standards and embraced the realistic and more inclusive people
being the face of today’s fashion.
There is a huge market opportunity for inclusive fashion. When firms acknowledge that all
customers, regardless of size, gender, races, etc are interested in high-quality fashion and then
make it available to them, they may build a huge following of devoted followers. However,
there is still a long way to go. The good news is that fashion inclusivity is receiving much
more attention than ever before. Inclusivity in fashion is not a fad thanks to the new wave of
changemakers who tenaciously speak up for what they believe in as well as firms striving to
quickly adapt to the shifting perceptions. It will remain. Furthermore, inclusion in fashion
would soon be the industry's future if it is led in the right path at the current rate.
Limitations
When assessing the paper's conclusions, the following limitations should be taken into
consideration. It should be taken into account that web-based surveys only allow users of the
social media site where the poll was uploaded to participate as respondents, which results in
fewer participation. The main drawback was that there wasn't much organised data about
social media's contribution to the increase of inclusivity in the fashion business, and since
social media's role in promoting inclusivity has only lately been more prominent, little
research had been done in this area. This preliminary study recommends that more research
be done to improve our understanding of the interaction between social media, inclusivity in
the fashion industry, and effect on customers, even though the relatively low findings make it
challenging to draw meaningful conclusions. This initial research calls for continued study to
further our understanding of this phenomenon because of the significant influence social

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media has in shaping the attitudes of professionals as well as the influence they have on
consumers' perspectives.
Conclusion
According to the data gathered, Gen Z consumes data and information at a faster rate than
any other generation, which is why it's essential to provide material that's both engaging and
relevant to them. The digital natives view authenticity as the most important factor when
deciding whom to follow, what to enjoy, or where to find new things. The Generation Z
generation seeks out authentic and realistic experiences. Generation Z is increasingly
rejecting conventional beauty standards and preferring to express themselves freely and
creatively rather than keeping their opinions hidden.
The article concentrated on how social media contributed to the rise of inclusivity in the
fashion business, and based on the aforementioned findings, it is clear that social media is
powerful and influential on a global scale. Social media has aided in the dismantling of social
norms in all facets of fashion, regardless of size, gender, colour, race, or any other aspect.
Brands have been forced by social media to abandon their antiquated beauty standards and
embrace inclusivity. A type of self-expression, one might perhaps say armour, is fashion.
People need to relate to what is being presented by the fashion industry since fashion is for
everyone and anyone. Instagram in particular has made a significant contribution to everyone
feeling included on social media. In recent years, we have seen a transformation as evidenced
by the presence of people of all shapes, sizes, genders, colours, ages, and ethnicities on
billboards, runways, and in other public places. We can thank social media a great deal for it.
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