The fashion scandal: Social media, identity and the globalization of fashion in the twenty-first century

During the latter part of the 2010s, many fashion brands – e.g., Gucci, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Dior – have been caught up with scandals and called out for racism, cultural appropriation and other types of insensitivity towards vulnerable groups. This article will unpack, through critical analysis of some of these examples, the changing landscape of the ‘fashion scandal’ in the late-2010s. We understand fashion scandals as the fuel of fashion. They are debated in social media and they are controversial actions, statements or events that cause strong emotional responses. Even though scandal has been proven effective in fashion marketing for decades, and despite it is still frequently used, there might be a change on the way. Our examples suggest that with the rise of social media and its so-called ‘citizen journalism’ the tactics of creating scandals may have lost their lustre and can easily turn against the brand. We will also discuss new tactics that brands have adopted to escape undesired scandals by establishing new roles such as the ‘diversity consultant’.