Nowadays, sustainability and circularity have become interchangeable buzzwords which has created confusion in determining which brands are and aren’t greenwashing. In the fourth season of Retail Revolution, author and educator, Sass Brown added, “Sustainability and circularity are so grossly misunderstood and misused now... There's a real loss of the complexity and the diversity and the real meaning of the issue.”

In every industry, diversity and inclusion bring different people, talents, experiences, and ideas together in order to create the best possible products and services. However, demographic trends in retail and the fashion industry suggest that it’s not as diverse as we may think, or want it to be. In 2018, total US employment was 155.76 million, and all of fashion and retail employment accounted for 1.5% of that, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. White people account for more than 72% of employees in clothing, shoe, jewelry, and leather goods stores, and women account for more than 64% of total retail employees. Meanwhile, Latinx employee statistics range from 18-26% (depending on clothing, shoe, or jewelry retail), African Americans or Black employees range from 9-14%, and Asian employees are roughly between 4 to 7%.

Retail can be a difficult topic to teach in schools, because not only is experience a large aspect of retail, but many aspects of retail that are taught can be considered essentially theoretical. Retail encompasses so many different things - management, mathematics, finance, visual merchandising, buying, and so much more. However, what is often forgotten in fashion education is the actual management of retail, which plays a critical role as it is very strategic. As a result, undergraduate and graduate programs can have a difficult time getting in the weeds of retail - especially when you throw a pandemic in the mix.

The pandemic has tested the longevity of many fashion brands and retailers. Here’s several ways in which fashion brands, big or small, luxury or mass, can become more resilient.

Accept and implement new technology

Adopt to a new kind of economy

Become transparent about the value of luxury products

A frequent phrase in the media is that brick-and-mortar is dying, however that is far from the truth. Brick and mortar is not dead, and there are many reasons why this is not the case. According to Joshua Williams, Director of the Fashion Management MPS program at Parsons, “the biggest change in fashion retail is that e-commerce is driving innovation in brick and mortar. It’s allowed retailers a much more expansive vision--and toolset--to engage customers. While brick and mortar still accounts for the bulk of final sales, a complex customer journey back and forth across all digital and physical channels is informing that sale. And the more unified that experience is, the more likely customers will return.”