Environmental concern has escalated as the climate crisis is an increasingly prevalent issue for the global society. Further catalysed by the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, consumer behaviours are shifting, materialising in greener purchasing behaviour and heightened expectations of environmental brand practices. This phenomenon is affecting consumer attitudes and behaviour towards fashion brands. As such, credible environmental marketing strategies are increasingly central to brand success, influencing brand credibility perception.

This paper focuses on the importance of rethinking the functionality of the fashion retail store and suggests transforming the retail store into a space to educate consumers regarding important societal and cultural issues. Consumption trends and changes in consumer habits reveal that people are continuously looking for brand offers beyond services and products. Consumers are shifting the traditional consumer brands dynamics and societal sustainable brands are gaining momentum where consumers are seeking strong and deep relationships with such brands while discarding others. Despite brands' increased investment in e-commerce platforms and digital technologies, the retail store is still a pivotal space for brands to build and maintain a strong relationship with their customers. However, the traditional functionality of the retail store needs to be reconsidered.