Understanding Fashion Scandals: Social Media, Identity, and Globalisation

By Annamari Vänskä & Olga Gurova

All publicity is good publicity? Perhaps not. In recent years global fashion brands, including Burberry, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana and Prada, have struggled to shake off costly scandals. Campaigns have been called out for cultural appropriation, racism, misogyny, and even flirting with fascism.

Understanding Fashion Scandals is the first book to explore the changing landscape of contemporary fashion through case studies showing how ‘shock value’ lost its currency. The book focuses on the changes since the late-1970s/early 80s, when brands like Calvin Klein and Benetton first used controversy as a promotional tool to build their brand identity, to the contemporary industry where avoiding social media backlash is critical to survival.

Analyzing the tactics brands adopt to avoid or mitigate scandals, Vänskä and Gurova map the fashion industry’s journey towards cultural sustainability.