Ellie Kirkman

The primary inspiration behind my final year Fashion Marketing Realisation project was the lack of digitisation in the outlet fashion business model, prohibiting businesses from interacting with consumers during national lockdowns throughout the Coronavirus pandemic. Even prior to the pandemic, retail began to migrate further into the realms of e-commerce, meaning brands needed to become more flexible with their sales strategy and provide experiences which fuel desire to visit the store.

During the pandemic, many consumers were out of employment for significant periods of time, heavily reducing the amount of disposable income they have to spend; outlet retail is the perfect solution to this. Additionally, target consumers of outlet retailers are becoming more aware of slow fashion movements and living more sustainable lifestyles. Most consumers are unaware that outlet shopping supports the shift to sustainable lifestyles by reducing the amount of dead stock textile sent to landfill.