Abstract
Abstract Phoenix-like the luxury sector renews itself, whether by innovation in design, or in response to social changes and consumer psychographics. It is an intriguing anomaly: enacting sustainability methodologies and practices like ‘slow make’ (production), low waste and careful garment care. But it excludes potential customers due to the price and availability of the product, which could be perceived as opposite to the perceived holistic inclusive tenets underpinning sustainability. International luxury fashion corporations and labels like Kering who own Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Brioni and Prada, have begun to refocus their priorities, and lead change with their published sustainability goals via reports and websites. Inherently luxury references the highest quality fabrication, design, make and service. Yet across the fashion industry, consumers are experiencing unease or cognitive dissonance, fuelled by media reporting ethical dilemmas. In the luxury end of the market understandably the client/customer will desire both the luxury product and the confidence of an ethical supply chain. Logically, with their established resources the luxury sectors’ interpretation of sustainability, responsibility and ethics could offer to their clients the quintessential luxury: peace of mind. In the past the sustainability discourse has been predominately located around fast fashion in middle and lower markets. Whether a recent addition, or a deeply embedded (previously unmarketed) inherent value, the ethical intent of a sustainable supply chain presents a strategic facet of future luxury. This article is a speculative analysis and overview of both the relationship and proximity of luxury and sustainability focusing on ethics. Specifically, applied ethics within the luxury sector (examined in 2016 and 2018) are one of the highly desirable outcomes: the peace of mind of their clients will be discussed. In the light of the Paris Agreement (2015) from COP 21 and the UK Modern Slavery Bill (2015), ethics are no longer only the playing field of the enlightened. It is timely, as there are changes to be mapped and lessons to be applied and methodologies to be modelled and shared. Undoubtedly, there is a potentiality for courageous concepts of ethics within luxury; thus it is vital to speculate and reflect on the future of ethics in the luxury sector.
Published Version
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