Client Project: AG Consulting Group
A guide to reimagine gender-neutral inclusivity in retail and fashion industry by passing the mic to consumersAs gender expression becomes an increasingly visible part of individual identities, the demand for "gender neutral" clothing - or clothing outside of the traditional male/ female binary categories - is growing. Younger consumers are more interested in spending with companies with mission-aligned values.
Working with AG Group and Eidos, we designed an interactive playbook to help close the gap between how consumers, retailers and brands understand “gender-neutral” clothing.
Read it in full or download here.
Design strategist
Visual designer
AG Group
Eidos
TEAM
Ankita Diwan
Ifeade Adedokun
Shivani Toshniwal
03. 2024 - 05. 2024
Figma
Adobe Photoshop
Background
3 in 10
have already purchased a fashion item outside their gender identit.
Nearly 1 in 2
female fashion shoppers shop in the men’s department, including 20% equally as much in the men & ladies’ department.
7 in 10
are looking to purchase more gender-fluid clothing items in the future.
Our client and their challenge:
Is there a way for retailers to signal to consumers that they match their values and their demand for clothing outside of the traditional gender binary? And is there a way to use this "signal" to encourage retailers to be more proactive in this space? This is the question for us to explore.
We worked with AG Group - a consulting agency that support brands and business growth, and Eidos - LGBTQ+ health initiative serving as a connector and think tank for developing real-world application, to explore ways to turn inclusivity into action.
But wait...
What does “gender-neutral clothing” really means for Gen-Z?
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Research & Deep Dive
To understand the problem better and keep an open mind while diving deep into the problem space, we started the research by asking Gen-Z consumers their definition of “gender-neutral clothing”. Meanwhile, we created a thread on Reddit to reach more audiences.
We also talked to stakeholders from three of the main driving forces to understand their initial need and wants when it comes to inclusivity in fashion and retail.
Three Key Insights:
Consumers are NOT looking for the term “gender neutral clothing’ when they shop. They want options that don’t limit them and foster self-expression - whatever that is！
Retailers see the problem of inclusivity as a big task thats hard to solve vs. consumers need smaller changes to existing systems.
Consumer needs are increase in offerings, styling and sizes, and they don’t care too much adding clothing categorization beyond ‘no categorization’ or ‘introducing third category’
There’s a huge gap between what retailers think consumers want & what consumers actually want.
HMW
Empower retailers to signal to people that they match their values and the demand for clothing outside of the traditional gender binary?
HMW
Empower retailers to signal to people that they match their values and the demand for clothing outside of the traditional gender binary?
Brainstorming and Co-Design
We identified 6 impact areas for inclusive changes with co-designers
Inclusive Sizing
Sizing options and charts catering to diverse body types and needs; Ex: ranging from 2xs - 6xl and better optimized size guides
Supportive Staff
Retail staff trained in inclusive terminology and unbiased views on gender expression
Avoiding Tokenism
Not incorporating pride symbolism superficially for profits. Continual availability of diverse fashion options for all
Relatability & Representation
Diversity in gender expression, body types via selecting influencers and models that relate to the user problems
Authentic Story & Values
Foster a sense of belonging, respect and acceptance through inclusive brand story and focus on open artistic expression
Non-Rigid Categorization
Designing and presenting clothing without adhering to traditional gender categories such as "male" or "female