Sustainability in the Luxury Fashion Supply Chain: Millennials’ Perception

Abstract

The research aims at exploring Millennials’ opinions about sustainability in luxury fashion and its scope is threefold. First, it evaluates the perceived coherence between luxury fashion and sustainability at a conceptual level, assesses the centrality of sustainable principles, and clarifies the role of luxury fashion brands within the green trend. The second purpose adopts a higher level of detail, testing young adults’ awareness and perceived relevance of specific sustainability elements within the luxury fashion industry. Eventually, the study explores the causes of the discrepancy between a pro-environmental attitude and actual sustainable purchasing in luxury fashion, as well as the post-purchase justifications for unsustainability. The topics are explored through focus group discussions involving the Millennials and results include a strong coherence between luxury fashion and sustainability, accompanied by consumers’ challenging expectations from companies. The predominance of social sustainability and the attention to basilar unsustainable practices emerge, together with the relevance of supply chain monitoring. The research also provides an overview of the causal relationships between the barriers that contribute to an attitude-behaviour gap, and an indication of the justifications that facilitates it.JEL codes: M30, M31