The Degrowth Economy. Strategic Path for Clothing Brands´ Future and Empowerment Model for Fashion Consumers?

Master's Thesis from the year 2021 in the subject Business economics - Offline Marketing and Online Marketing, grade: 1, AMD Akademie Mode & Design GmbH (Fresenius University), language: English, abstract: This thesis aims to develop degrowth-oriented business models for fashion brands that could not only bring competitive advantage to these organizations, but also drive the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined by the United Nations in 2015. The outcome of this thesis provides a range of design options and strategies that can be implemented by fashion brands in the degrowth framework, combined within a custom-buildable business model matrix. An empirical research conducted with both qualitative and quantitative data assessed the developed business model matrix based on nine existing fashion organizations. The results showed the existence of three observable business model archetypes presenting strong similarities with the proposed model, however always limited to a very reductive approach of the degrowth economy. The degrowth economy has long been undervalued by businesses, considering prosperity without growth as an impossible match. With the rising pressures imposed by climate change, the new transformative challenges the fashion industry is facing and current shifts in consumers purchasing behaviors, the degrowth economy debate appears as a relevant opportunity to initiate systemic change within the fashion industry. This research highlights the need and relevance for the development of fashion business models using a more holistic approach of the degrowth economy, now given possible thanks to the translation of degrowth concepts and ideas into implementable business strategies. It suggests that fashion brands could get strong competitive advantages by following these recommendations and by acting as pioneers in a field that goes beyond the current understanding of sustainability in the fashion industry.