Why a clothing drop might just be the boost for your non-fashion brand needs

British fashion designer and couturier Alexander McQueen once said that it's a new era of fashion where there are no rules, and quick-thinking brands have certainly learnt to embrace the motto with more non-fashion brands beginning to take a gander at it. 

Food brands such as KFC ushered in the Lunar New Year this year with a pair of specially designed 'HuatWear' shorts while corporations such as Mandai Wildlife Group recently stomped into the fashion space with its all-new 200-piece apparel collection earlier this month.  While fashion pieces by non-fashion brands are not new, going back even by a decade when Italian luxury fashion house Moschino shocked fashion-lovers and consumers alike with a collaboration with fast-food brand McDonald's in 2014, it is certainly seeing a reemergence in 2024. 

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According to Rebecca Nadilo, managing director of Iris, the move into fashion is an effective way for brands to branch into new channels.

Fashion is just another channel or other way for brands to add meaning to or be part of their customers lives.

Fashion partnerships allows brands to get closer to culture whilst opening the opportunity to create something that people want, she added. "Plus, there's incredibly equity that can come from two brands partnering together - even for some of the least suspecting brands," said Nadilo. 

In addition, limited-edition fashion pieces can strengthen a brand and strengthen its relationship with consumers, simply by banking on exclusivity. "Limited edition drops play beautifully on scarcity - the less there is, the more people want it," added Nadilo. "As a result, for those customers who do want to get their brands on a new drop, they feel special and 'seen' by that brand." 

This is a tactic that Nadilo considers useful and is one that is perhaps under-utilised. This could be because consumers these days are becoming more mindful of their purchases, with consumers showing a preference for brands and items that are sustainably made. 

Venturing into fashion sustainably

Amongst luxury customers in the Asia Pacific, 92% said that they would stop buying, buy less or reconsider buying from brands that do not care about sustainability. Meanwhile, 27% said they would stop buying from these brands altogether. This is according to a 2023 study by luxury and sustainable packaging specialist Delta Global on luxury consumers across Hong Kong, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and mainland China. 

Even though various sustainability and ethical practices have been raised as major concerns within the fashion industry, many brands still venture into this space due to its potential growth and want to be seen as a trendsetter, said Stella Wong, founder of Brand Soul Malaysia. 

Adding on, brands that intend to jump into fashion must do so with care. This includes adopting sustainable methodologies in dealing with environmental problems and observing ethical standards in order to address social issues.

"Brands looking to enter the fashion industry responsibly must prioritise eco-friendly materials, integrate ESG into their business practices, and embrace transparency at work," said Wong adding:

Sustainability enables brands to maintain brand equity without compromising consumer trust, aligning with their values.

True enough, Delta Global also revealed that consumers look favourably on brands that prioritise environmental sustainability, with more than two-thirds saying they would buy more from these brands. 

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