Blog 2 – Creative Practice Reflection
Throughout the process of the Better Lives programme, we as students have been asked to delve beyond the norm and assess the Sustainability, Diversity, and Social Responsibility elements within the fashion industry. Before the programme, as a fashion lover and student, I have found myself slightly ignoring or overlooking these three elements and instead just sharing the love of a particular brand, for the designer or the garments. However, Better Lives highlights the importance of how consumers and brands should not be blind sighting these and so teaches us how to rethink our approach in fashion.
As a Fashion Public Relations and Communications student, the key aspect of our role within the industry, is being able to respond to crises in an increasingly transparent culture, as we are the receivers and communicators of positioning, launching and promoting brands to global audiences. By attending the Better Lives lectures, I have been able to adapt my approach, by taking into the consideration of how I can use my new learning of Sustainability, Diversity and Social Responsibility aspects into my future work process in the PR and Communications world.
Diversity is a consistent factor of PR, though I will now assure that I have truly been well representative of the social and cultural aspects of my work, ensuring that my work practice reflects full diversity and inclusivity through for example age, gender, or class.
Sustainability already played a large role in my creative practice; however, Better Lives has taught me to truly question before accepting to work with a brand, how sustainable they are, and how they as a brand contribute to ensuring the longevity of a more environmentally friendly world. This being through packaging, fabric choice, or carbon footprint, as well as the ethical considerations such as the standards of labour for employees.
Out of the three elements, Social Responsibility was the one I was more intrigued to learn about, as I think it is something brands should become more concerned about and aware of. Due to consumers becoming increasingly more conscious of the brand and products that they are buying from, than ever before. Better Lives has taught me to be more aware of whether a brand is being socially responsible, through the way they respond and adapt their work process to new conscious consumer demands, in a progressively well-informed global world.
The key learning outcome that I will be taking away from the Better Lives programme, is to definitely be more open-minded and confident to question and assess the brands I wish to work with in the future, on their Diversity, Substantiality, and Social Responsibility qualities. As I think it is incredibly important to consider these elements, throughout my whole working career in the fashion industry. Confidently confirming, I have played my part in changing the negativity that comes from the industry, making the globe a better place, through fashion. By not doing so, it could ultimately reflect the wrong impression of myself to others.