By: Ben Davies, Account Director
This week, Pretty Little Thing, one of the UK’s leading fast fashion retailers, has made headlines for a poorly executed rebrand. And it has come as a shock to many; not the negative headlines - they’re relatively common - but the rebrand itself. Shock was certainly my first response; mainly because it was only at this point that I realised how effective its branding had been. I’d become so accustomed to seeing the baby pink parcels, adorned with flying unicorns, arriving at my house (addressed to my partner, not me), that I’d almost become immune to it. Yet, if you’d asked me - someone who has never purchased anything from the retailer in their life - which package was a PLT one, I would be able to point it out in an instant.
The organisation has a long history of issues stemming from its fast fashion roots. Its faced significant criticism around poor working conditions, low pay, environmental impact, and everything associated with the fast fashion operation that has plagued the retail industry over the past few years. However, its visual branding has always been effective. So if it’s not broken, why fix it? Well… because the brand itself is broken. The retailer epitomises the fast fashion world so much that it needs to make a change. And PLT, however poorly it might be going, aims to do that. One of the most effective ways to start that change comes from the visual element, creating a ‘then vs now’ marker. Yesterday’s PLT brand was a fast fashion enemy of the retail world. Today’s PLT strives to deliver quality, ‘quiet luxury’ products, distancing itself from its former practices.
The fallout from PLT’s sudden change is fascinating from a comms point of view. Firstly, from the aesthetics of it all - ditching the baby pink and unicorns for ‘quiet luxury’ - a ‘legacy in progress’, aiming to ‘redefine accessible luxury for a new generation’. The brand is sort of saying the right thing as it seeks to transition away from fast fashion, but its immediate actions have caused outrage. In a world where people are looking for an excuse to get angry, Pretty Little Thing has handed its customers a good one…
Actions speak louder
"We are leaving ‘fast fashion’ as we currently know it behind and discouraging wearing items just once. We want to give our customer styles that she can wear again and again, that can be styled in several different ways,” claims Umar Kamani, PLT Co-Founder.
Kamani acknowledges the brand’s historical issues, and puts a stake in the ground for what the future should be: more sustainable, long-lasting clothing. Fantastic.
However, in the days following the announcement and launch of PLT’s new product range, not much seems to have changed. To quote the poetic words of my frustrated partner - who, much like many other PLT customers, welcomes the idea of ditching fast fashion for a more sustainable product range - “It’s the same s**t, just a different colour.”
So far, the rebrand is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to evolve with modern fashion tastes, disguising a move towards moody, beige colouring as a transition to quiet luxury with the ‘It Girl’ aesthetic. Throw in a bit of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) messaging and PLT has itself a rebrand. One that has gone down like a lead balloon.
Are we being harsh?
On the face of it, the new products all look the same as the old products, and many expect the quality to follow suit.
Visit the PLT website and you’re greeted with a faux luxury design. The first page of products matches: moody ‘It Girl’ colours and backdrops, completed by a fancy-looking photoshoot for each item. But as soon as you scroll beyond its new range, you’re greeted with the same old tat that PLT has been shipping for years.
Of course, there will be millions of older items currently stored that the brand somehow has to shift. Logistically, this all makes sense. Stock, regardless of what it is, needs to be sold - and the margins in retail are tight enough as it is. PLT won’t write-off millions of pounds worth of product just to prove they are now a ‘quiet luxury’ brand. The problem is that customers don’t necessarily understand the operational side of the rebrand, and they won’t want to know. As far as they are concerned, they are being lied to. Hence the outrage.
Don’t jump to conclusions
There is one redeeming factor about this rebrand: the price point. The new range products are noticeably more expensive than older stock. The starting price for dresses, for example, in PLT’s latest launch sits around the £30 mark, with standard prices looking to be somewhere between £40 and £55. Previously, you could pick one up for £15, and with certain promotions, even cheaper.
The cynic in me suggests that the cost of living might be playing a small role here, and that this change is a guise to hike up prices while shifting with previously mentioned fashion trends. But this could genuinely be the start of something new for Pretty Little Thing. The retailer is just about saying the right things, for now, and as conscious consumerism continues to impact how retail brands operate, the move away from fast fashion is a much-needed breath of fresh air for the organisation.
Time will tell
The key lies in consistency and transparency. PLT has received a significant amount of backlash in the days following the rebrand. While few organisations today manage to successfully rebrand without receiving an onslaught of abuse, PLT customers can be forgiven for their outrage this time around.
If the brand is serious about becoming more sustainable and providing high-quality clothing, its communication must be transparent. Whether demonstrating the specific steps being taken to create a more sustainable supply chain and better quality products, or setting goals and targets for key milestones that show tangible operational changes, PLT must communicate effectively if it is to win the trust of its customer base. Without that trust, there are no customers, and without customers, there is no business.
This PLT rebrand has started poorly, but it could prove to be a significant move within the fast fashion industry. Long-term, this could reap significant benefits, and with any luck it will encourage other fast fashion brands to reconsider their own practices.
The key to this becoming a successful rebrand lies in Pretty Little Thing’s ability to not only follow through on its promise, but to effectively demonstrate it to the world. This can only be achieved with clear and consistent communication.