Fashion

I think this week would be the prime opportunity for me to finally discuss fashion.  Yes, I think it’s time.

The fashion industry has taken a keen interest in technology and social media over the past couple of years.  Brands continue to embrace integrated marketing as their central principle to follow, in an effort to connect with customers. The rapid growth of social media has definitely shaped the way designers communicate with their shoppers.  Of course, designers and their team implement all elements of the “promotional mix” into their marketing techniques, but what I would like to unravel this week centers around the content that attracts attention.  How have preparation, creation and connection with consumers effect the entire package?

In this first video, Marc Gobe discusses how producers connect with consumers.  He points out that the information distributed on a daily basis in magazines, the internet and television is constantly pushed in our faces. Designers tend to forget to listen to what people want, which in turn makes them afraid of criticism.  I completely agree. The majority of companies dive in too fast, with no plan intact. How could that possibly help structure a brand or formulate a level of trust between consumer and producer? As a result, most buyers are dissatisfied because they are hardly acknowledged but expected to support the brand.  Gobe also suggests that communication is the best research for producers.  In light of this idea, with the advent of the internet, social media provides a unique set of tools to enable people to network and build connections online.  Rachel Roy , a designer, has been proactive in her marketing strategy by daily updating her Facebook page with stats changes, pictures taken throughout her daily routine, new designs etc. Presently, fashion retail sectors have become inspired by the innovative trends transmitted through social media networks.

A Discussion on Social Media

In the next video clip, Donna Karan related the movie industry to the fashion industry in regards to their promotional techniques.  She believes s that designers and their teams distribute too much information, throwing consumers into a “tizzy”.  Despite the intentions of most companies to educate their target audience about their merchandise, Donna thinks that the competition and excessive marketing strategies have gone overboard.  The fashion industry is not what it used to be and it will take years to bring back. We need to go back to a time when a sense of exclusivity existed.

Donna Karan

So how do we find a balance? The developments in the fashion business raise new questions about exclusivity. Have marketing professionals in the fashion realm created a monster with social media sites?

Social media expansion provides a foundation for designers to build upon in numerous ways.  Finally, the producers can interact with their customers on a whole new level.  Many companies are moving past print media and instead implement an interactive element to their marketing tactics. I welcome this idea, but I don’t think that we should lose sight of the core meaning of fashion means to each individual. Fostering consumer engagement is imperative to succeed in today’s evolving fashion industry.

Fashion's Night Out garnered tons of media attention this year.  For iPhone users gallivanting around NYC on September 10^th, they were able to utilize a fun new app. The official app for Fashion’s Night Out, LUSTR, was a helpful tool to navigate around the city that never sleeps.  The app gave people access to event information, search for events and post where a person is located at that given moment to Facebook or Twitter.  In addition to that, the application also gave a list of sales and fabulous deals in nearby areas. Check it out. http://mashable.com/2010/09/10/fashions-night-out/