Value Incompatibilities Between CSR and Luxury Fashion Brands: A Marketing Perspective

Are luxury brands somehow exempt from being socially responsible in the eyes of their consumers? As the importance of corporate social responsibility has taken worldwide industries by storm in the previous decade, the emergence of CSR’s incompatibilities with certain business activities has created an interesting and complex juxtaposition between elements of the triple bottom line, namely; people, planet, and profit. More specifically, the contiguity of luxury fashion and corporate social responsibility has sparked the question of whether or not CSR is inherently compatible with every corporate activity. Thus, shifting consumption patterns towards more ethical brands prevails in recent times among consumers, yet it remains murky and unclear whether or not the concept of ethicality can apply to luxury in consumers’ minds who actively try to opt for both, simultaneously. In essence, this thesis aims to identify whether there is a gap or discrepancy in the way CSR initiatives undertaken by luxury vs. non-luxury fashion brands are perceived by European consumers, whether or not it influences their purchasing decisions, and to identify whether luxury is compatible with sustainability and social responsibility for the purpose of marketing activities. Therefore, the main research question is as follows: do value incompatibilities between luxury fashion and corporate social responsibility make CSR inherently invalid, ineffective, or irrelevant for luxury fashion brands and their consumers?