Communicating sustainability: the Iberian challenge for authorial fashion brands

Purpose Given the potential for authorial fashion to lead the way in the field of sustainable fashion and digital platforms to be a powerful tool for spreading sustainable messages, this study seeks to explore the emphasis given to sustainability in the digital communication of Portuguese and Spanish’s authorial fashion. Design/methodology/approach A thematic analysis of all the posts published on the feeds of the 63 designers who presented their collections at the Madrid and Lisbon fashion weeks in September/October 2022 (Spring/Summer 2023) or February/March 2023 (Fall/Winter 2023/2024) editions was carried out. The information was collected over a six-month period between the two fashion weeks. This study is based on the categories identified in the reflexive thematic analysis developed by Testa et al . (2020). After adapting the categories to our analysis, 14 emerging themes were identified as observation criteria. Findings A total of 4,699 posts were examined. The analysis reveals a general lack of interest in mentioning sustainability – a subject evident in just around 6% of the content – as well as a high emphasis on the visual aspect of the fashion product. Several similarities between the Portuguese and Spanish markets were observed. Originality/value This study is important since there are few cross-cultural studies in the field of fashion between the two countries, particularly on sustainable fashion. Furthermore, it establishes a structure that is easily replicable in various markets and geographical areas.