Unmaking Process

The output of the research phase is the system map. The central part of the map explains how Instagram-driven fast fashion consumption work. It not only shows the relationship between the three main stakeholders, but also explains the drivers of the different stakeholder's behaviors as well as the role of Instagram as an online social platform with a unique environment for influencing fashion consumption and its specific functionality. Other areas around the central part present tools of back-end management and advertising for enterprises and influencers, the process of influencer-driven consumption, as well as information about enterprise-influencer collaboration and some of the social actions of enterprises on Instagram, using Vans as an example.

Remaking Process

From the system map we understand that the value chain plays an important role in fashion consumption. Inspired by ERP, we think that the fashion value management should be done at different nodes of fashion consumption, specifically: enterprises, as the upstream of the value chain, i.e., the ones who drive a certain consumption trend, need to self-manage the consumption due to the value influence. Instagram, as a platform driving this fashion consumption, needs to promote the dissemination of sustainable fashion concepts and effectively support the green fashion businesses as well as constrain the fast fashion businesses, which in turn can receive policy support. Finally, since users' consumption behavior is also influenced by the social interactions, which could also be considered to contribute to green consumption.

Also at this stage we have learned that some fast fashion brands such as H&M are now aware of the current and future risks to their business model, namely the shift in consumer value from fast fashion to sustainable fashion and the regulatory policies that have been put in place to address climate change. They will need to change their business model in order to attract consumers and to comply with the policies. Therefore, companies still need to communicate their new brand image and green consumption concepts on social media in order to stand out in the market - which supports the implementation of our proposal that “companies should actively manage the consequences of the dissemination of their consumption values”.

Proposal for Intervention

This mainly includes some features on Instgram:

• The interactions of a business post will translate into potential carbon emissions, leading to reach limitation.

• Companies need to be transparent about their procedures. The parts for sustainability will be presented on Instagram in the form of certificates for consumers to review.

• Instagram will promote green businesses with greater exposure and cheeper advertising while receiving tax breaks.

• Users can track their carbon footprint, fostering a social atmosphere that influences behavior.

Conclusion

When studying the phenomenon of Instagram-driven fashion consumption, we were initially prone to be stuffed with all kinds of information, such as business models, platform features, usage data, etc., which prevented us from finding a clear line to explain the phenomenon for a long time. After we focused on identifying the main Stakeholders and their interactions first, we began to get clearer about the motivations of each party, and based on that, we figured out how Instagram is driving this value consumption.

The limitation of the current study is that we have only investigated the relationship between the enterprises, the influencers, the users and Instagram as a platform, which leads to envisioning our interventions in a way that is easily constrained by the business models included in them, i.e., our program can easily harm business interests, something that the enterprises and Instagram are not very willing to do, despite the fact that we have introduced a policy interventions as well as identifying the need for some businesses to make the green transition.

Therefore, when discussing further research in the future, we can observe more life patterns related to (fashion) consumption in order to think about the possibility of other entry points, such as how people's social environments, both online and offline, influence fashion consumption values, how second-hand stores and flea markets in the city influence people's consumption motivations and behaviors, how specific environments for specific groups, such as the campus for design students, influence fashion values, and how events such as communities/exhibitions/workshops in the city invite people to develop specific values.