Sustainable concept in fashion retail: A systematic literature review

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasize the importance of integrating environmental, social, and economic sustainability into business strategies and operations to generate a positive impact on society. In the context of branding and marketing, this means developing authentic narratives that promote sustainable practices, enhance the brand's reputation, and foster a deeper connection with consumers who are increasingly attentive to ethical responsibility and transparency. Alignment with the SDGs becomes a competitive advantage in market positioning. Luxury is no longer confined to the privileged few. It is increasingly being democratized, redefined through shifts in consumer values, technological innovation, and socio-cultural change. Contemporary luxury embraces experiences over possessions, sustainability over excess, and personalization over standardization. This evolution challenges traditional notions of status and exclusivity, prompting brands to navigate a complex landscape where authenticity, ethical production, and emotional resonance become as important as heritage and craftsmanship. Socio-cultural dynamics, the evolution of consumption, and the growing attention to sustainability and personal experience are redefining the traditional codes of luxury, making it more accessible, experiential, and value-based. In recent years, a flow of research has developed focused on the role of social media platforms in redefining the experience of luxury, influencing brands, offers, and consumer perceptions through dynamics such as co‑creation in communities, key word (eWOM), perceptions of exclusivity, and purchasing impulse phenomena ﹘ mechanisms explored by studies such as Godey et al. (2016), Schivinski et al. (2024), and Chen et al. (2025). Despite the growing focus on sustainability in business strategies, the academic literature highlights a significant gap in understanding how social sustainability influences consumer perceptions, purchasing decisions, and loyalty. Most studies focus on environmental initiatives, leaving social implications in the background, often treated marginally or integrated into generic theoretical frameworks. This fragmentation limits the possibility of developing specific conceptual models and operational tools for sustainable marketing and branding. Therefore, there is a need to delve deeper into how businesses can incorporate social sustainability into their brand strategies, evaluating its impact on both competitive positioning and long-term relationships with consumers. This gap makes it difficult to extract meaningful information and develop a cohesive understanding of the industry. To fill this gap, the paper systematically synthesizes available literature on the brand's social sustainability domain and consumer behavior by examining 250 papers published between 2020 and 2025. The systematic thematic analysis uncovers five key themes: sustainable fashion, luxury fashion, retail fashion, fast fashion, and online fashion. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the social sustainability of the brand in the luxury fashion sector and guides future research, ultimately promoting responsible, ethical, and inclusive business practices in this sector.