How has coronavirus furthered fashion’s relationship with social causes?

COVID-19 has seen retailers rise up to support those vulnerable to the virus and show solidarity to essential workers. We break down fashion’s connection to social causes and how retailers are supporting charities and striving to make a difference in the face of the pandemic.

There is a long history of fashion brands showing support for social causes, spotlighted over the past few years with brands pivoting to appear ‘woke’ to younger consumers. In 2019, it was reported nine in ten Gen-Z consumers believe companies have a responsibility to be transparent with environmental and social issues, making it even more crucial for fashion businesses to give back authentically. Defining cultural moments, such as the #MeToo movement, have seen fashion brands use their platforms to draw attention to such issues, as well as leverage advertising and merchandise to help people band together during turbulent times.

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Caring is cool but authenticity is cooler

At the start of the year, StockX donated all proceeds from sales of sneakers, trading cards and merchandise associated with athlete Kobe Bryant to the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation in honor of him and his daughter Gianna. In February, retailers such as boohoo and In The Style emblazoned the words ‘be kind’ on T-shirts in support of the passing of UK TV Presenter Caroline Flack.

Charity merchandise can often wield high demand, becoming unassuming cult products. As the bushfires in Australia intensified, streetwear brand NOAH launched koala graphic tees available in two colors with proceeds of sales to WIRES, Australia’s largest wildlife rescue organization. In less than three days, the T-shirts sold out despite not shipping to customers for 2 to 3 weeks.

Supportive partnerships appear alluring with the exclusivity of charity merchandise combined with the younger generation’s perception of ‘caring is cool’. However, brands need to toe the line and remain sensitive to the cause as customers do not respond well to gimmicks – no matter how well-intentioned.

In light of the recent charitable efforts in support of COVID-19, Reese Witherspoon’s brand Draper Jones received backlash after promoting free dresses for teachers. It did not specify giveaways were drawn from a raffle and upset customers for being unable to meet demand. Fashion Nova also faced criticism after a tone-deaf tweet suggested customers spend their government-provided stimulus package at the fast fashion retailer.

Athleta Us Email — Athleta US Email
08 Mar 2020

Communications YoY

Mentions of ‘charity’ or iterations of between January 1st to April 30th 3are up 186% in the US and 243% in the UK YoY.

In March, the spike in mentions around charitable donations also links to International Women’s Day, an event the fashion industry is becoming more active in supporting each year. The first mentions of philanthropic efforts to support COVID-19 in these markets appeared on March 12th when KOIO announced it would donate 5% of all revenues to the Red Cross to support healthcare services across the US and Italy.

As the region most affected after China, support for Italy flooded into retailers’ communications. Sergio Rossi donated 100% of online sales to support the fight against COVID-19 and Coccinelle launched the fundraising campaign ‘Coccinelle ci mette il cuore’ to help overcome the spread in the Lombardy region. As the virus became more widespread globally, retailers turned their attention to support their local markets, making charitable communications a mainstay across consumer inboxes.

While COVID-19 is front of mind for consumers and retailers alike, its essential businesses continue to advocate for the organizations they supported pre-pandemic, especially if it’s linked to their overall brand values. Sustainability and environmental commitments can’t afford to take a back seat, while nonprofits will benefit from retailers’ support during a time of crisis. Generosity from brands will not go unnoticed.

Astrid Miyu UK Email 12 May 2020
Dolce & Gabbana Email

Showing support during COVID-19

Food charities

Feeding America: A US nonprofit nationwide network of more than 200 food banks that feed more than 46 million people through food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other community-based agencies.

No Kid Hungry: A nonprofit working to solve hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world.

The Trussell Trust: A NGO and charity working to end the need for food banks in the UK. It supports a network of over 1,200 food bank centers.