Not Very Instagrammable: Sustainability in the Digital Communication of Portuguese Designer Fashion Brands
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17231/comsoc.45(2024).5370Keywords:
fashion, sustainability, digital communication, InstagramAbstract
The increasing acknowledgement of the fashion industry’s unsustainability underscores the urgent need to encourage approaches to production that respect the environment and human resources. The attributes commonly associated with designer fashion, such as durability, creativity and aesthetics, offer the potential for designer work to position itself at the forefront of sustainable fashion. For this to happen, this message must reach consumers. Given the indispensability of digital communication in reaching brands’ audiences, it is imperative to understand the prominence given to sustainability issues on the digital platforms of Portuguese designer fashion brands. Analyses of the reflective themes and content shared on Instagram by 47 designers who showcased their collections at “ModaLisboa” or “Portugal Fashion” demonstrated a general lack of interest in promoting the sustainability factor. After categorising and analysing 2,753 posts, the conclusion was that the digital platform predominantly serves to showcase the final product, overlooking information regarding production processes, raw materials, or labour. These themes were only observed in approximately 10% of the total content and were omitted from a significant number of the designers and fashion brands analysed. This research offers substantial contributions. It pioneers an intersection between Portuguese fashion, sustainability, and digital communication, addressing the scarcity of work in this area. Additionally, it recommends effective communication and educational practices to enhance the sustainability of national designer fashion brands.
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