Abstract

This conference paper investigates Instagram’s impact on fashion sustainability, small businesses, and LGBTQ+ representation in the fashion community. It argues that Instagram is influencing the shift towards ethical fashion by facilitating fashion rental companies and sustainable small businesses. It promotes inclusivity by challenging gender norms and providing a platform for LGBTQ+ expression. Influencers play a crucial role in advocating for a sustainable and inclusive online forum for people to communicate and share. The Influence of Instagram extends beyond social networking, driving positive social change, and endorsing ethical consumption and diversity.

 

Introduction

The world of fashion and Instagram go hand in hand, but how much influence do they really have on each other? Instagram as a social networking platform has shifted from being just a means of entertainment, to a vital tool in creating a global space for creative diversity and fashion sustainability. Over the last decade, there has been a massive loss of global biodiversity as a result of unethical fashion distribution and production (Charter, Pam & Black, 2023). The environmental losses are at the hands of not only the distributors, but also the consumers in the fast fashion industry, who are turning a blind eye to the realities behind their buying habits. Instagram provides a home to the small businesses or fashion rental companies that are vital in the movement towards a sustainable fashion industry. Not only is Instagram essential in the production of ethical fashion, but it is a creative outlet that promotes diversity and inclusivity amongst LGBTQ+ communities. Through fashion influencers and networks, queer people are being supported, with gender stereotypes and barriers around clothing being broken down.

 

Fashion Rental Companies

Instagram is a social media platform used to post and share photos between friends, and it has created a newfound sense of community that reaches across the globe. Traditionally, it was an outlet for bloggers to share fashion, beauty, and lifestyle content, and has now seen an increase in people using it as a means for businesses. Fashion rental companies are one of the biggest fashion businesses that use Instagram as their main platform. Rental businesses provide a “cost effective solution for individuals to wear new outfits… on occasions such as birthdays, weddings and parties without the necessity to own them” (Shrivastava, Jain & Kamble et, al, 2021). Not only are they cost effective for consumers, but they reduce the consumption and waste of both high end and fast fashion. Moving towards a fashion industry that is sustainable and ethical will reduce material waste ending up in landfill, as well as carbon dioxide emissions (Arrigo, 2021). Finding something to wear at events like birthdays or weddings can be stressful for young men and women, often resulting in expensive purchases that will never be worn again. Regardless of the consumers intention, renting something is not only fashionable, but it avoids unnecessary purchases of unwanted garments. Fashion trends go in and out weekly, which contributes to both the production of unethical fast fashion and the waste that comes after. It has become the new normal for young women to only wear an outfit once before they move onto something new, resulting in a build-up of unworn clothes that will eventually end up in landfill. Rental businesses eliminate this outcome, as they provide ‘trendy’ clothes that are being re worn, for a cheaper price than what they would be to buy. Second hand clothing is one of the most sustainable ways to buy fashion (Shrivastava, Jain & Kamble et, al, 2021) and it is a great means of influencing younger demographics to be more mindful with how and what they buy. When talking about second hand shopping, young minds usually go to op shops or charity shops which can be deemed “uncool” or not trendy enough. Instagram rental businesses are a way to introduce people to sustainable shopping without feeling like they are sacrificing wearing nicer brands or keeping up with specific trends.

 

Instagram Small Businesses

Instagram has been the home to many small business owners who specialise in ethically made and sustainable garments. Almost half of the world’s population is on social media (Franziska, 2021), which creates space for people to open up businesses for a smaller cost and reach customers they might not have been previously inclined to. Start-up businesses can be expensive for young people, whether it be through rent or product production, but Instagram provides a cheaper shop front that allows them to promote their clothes for practically nothing. It provides a great platform for owners to “advertise, promote and deliver their ideas and products” (Wassan, 2016), whilst also producing clothes with sustainable materials in an ethical environment. The exploitation of human resources in mass production factories is a huge concern for the ethical movement (Shrivastava, Jain & Kamble et, al, 2021), and the increase of handmade garments by small businesses is a great solution to this issue. During COVID-19, many small businesses took a financial hit, which raised awareness and drove more people to move away from big brands and support local and ethical companies. There has been an increase of young women creating at home brands that use sustainable and recycled materials to create unique pieces and share them with the world. Instagram creates communities that allow women to feel safe and supported as both customers and business owners. Pursuing their dream of being a business owner has proven difficult for many women, as there are endless inequalities between men and women in leadership roles. Instagram allows women to start businesses without having to climb the corporate ladder in a heavily male dominated industry. The power of women supporting women is driving the growth of many online fashion labels and how they communicate with their consumers. The tools provided by Instagram create a stable framework for a first-time business owner, and through sharing accounts with friends and family, a brands digital footprint can grow rapidly. With the increase of social media use in the last decade, online shopping has increased dramatically, with many consumers using online platforms to connect, communicate and shop with businesses (Franziska, 2021). This allows a business owner to create real connections with their customers, as there are direct gateways online for them to exchange conversations. This newfound sense of collaboration creates space for businesses to improve and cater better to what their consumers need.

 

Fashion Amongst the Online LGBTQ+ Community

Social media platforms were created to be used as a creative outlet for people to express themselves and their unique identity. Instagram specifically allows the fashion industry to connect with their customers and understand their fashion behaviours and needs (Shrivastava, Jain & Kamble et, al, 2021), which further develops communities. A community that has suffered at the hand of fashion stereotypes is the LGBTQ+ community. Throughout the course of history, fashion has been used to serve as a communication tool to address one’s gender or status (Shreegandha, 2023), however in the last few years there has been a movement towards breaking down these gender stereotypes. Instagram has seen an increase in the promotion of gender-neutral clothing production, as well as queer people feeling safe enough to express themselves through fashion. There will always be room for improvement in society when discussing diversity and the acceptance of the LGBTQ+ movement, as there are years of ideologies and social norms to be broken down. Instagram has been an extremely influential platform in advocating for the rights of the queer community, thus, creating a safer space for people to express themselves. This online advocacy has resulted in designers shifting towards more “gender fluidity” in their collections (Shrivastava, Jain & Kamble et, al, 2021). Clothing items that would traditionally be categorised as “boy” or “girl”, are now being labelled as “unisex”, opening up doors for non-binary or gender fluid people to feel safe and comfortable when shopping for clothes. The ways in which people internalise gender norms and stereotypes are significantly influenced by the information they consume in the media (Shreegandha, 2023), which is why it’s important to have the difficult conversations required to changes these ideologies. Platforms like Instagram are crucial when giving marginalised groups a voice and can be more influential than a regular political approach. Social networking sites are used as a significant promotion platform for the fashion industry (Shrivastava, Jain & Kamble et, al, 2021), however, if used correctly they can be just as powerful in the political and social acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. Through continuing to promote gender fluid fashion and allowing queer people to express their own creativity, Instagram is becoming a vessel for important political and social changes. With these changes, there will be an increase in self-expression and acceptance amongst the fashion community on platforms like Instagram.

 

The Influencer Effect on Fashion

Instagram has become a shopfront for many business owners wanting to sell a product, but it has also become a way for individuals to sell themselves. Instagram influencers are arguably the most successful form of online marketing for fashion labels, using Instagram as a place to post themselves wearing products or garments in their everyday lives. An “influencer” is someone who has “built up a sizeable social network of people following them” (Veirman, Cauberghe & Hudders, 2017), and use collaborations with brands as a form of income. Diversity in the world of influencers is crucial for young men and women, as they serve as role models, influencing potential purchase decisions. The world of Instagram influencers is increasingly becoming female dominated, as a result of exemplifying shifts in postfeminist and neoliberal frameworks of femininity (Chen & Kanai, 2021). Women are more likely to take fashion advice from other women, thus, an increase in female fashion influencers promoting sustainable brands will benefit the movement towards ethical brands. There has also been an increase in queer fashion and beauty influencers on Instagram (Chen & Kanai, 2021), which provides a positive and safe space for young members of the LGBTQ+ community for their own self-expression. Fashion influencers can break down gender stereotypes around clothes through blogging their everyday outfits, and in doing so, create a space for young queer people to also feel confident enough to showcase their creativity. Young people are living in a time of social change and education surrounding gender fluidity; however, fear of judgement or scrutiny is holding them back. Influencers can use their platforms to promote positive and healthy relationships surrounding fashion and how there are no limits. Young people are able to relate to influencers, as unlike mainstream celebrities, their content is more accessible, intimate, and ultimately more believable (Veirman, Cauberghe & Hudders, 2017). They need someone that they can relate to online, as it helps build enough trust to believe in the product or brand that someone is selling. More trust means more sales, which is crucial for brands who are wanting to move towards more inclusive and ethical production.

 

Conclusion

To summarise, Instagram has been an essential tool in the growth of the online fashion community and moving towards a greener planet. Through Instagram based small businesses and rental companies promoting less material waste and more ethical production, sustainable fashion is on the rise and becoming more of a priority for consumers. Less people are buying into fast fashion, and more brands are sourcing recycled materials to reduce their carbon footprint. Creative diversity amongst the queer community has flourished, with gender stereotypes around clothes being broken down every day. Communities are being created through this newfound sense of inclusivity amongst Instagram users, as well as Influencers who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Whilst still being a place for people around the world to post photos and connect with friends and family, Instagram has also become a home to many small businesses and communities that are working to make the world a more creative, diverse, and sustainable planet.

 

 

 

References

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