Before the rise of blogs and social media a decade ago, fashion weeks happened largely behind closed doors. All of that has changed, of course, and no social media platform has played a more significant role in opening doors than Instagram. Today, models, hair stylists and makeup artists give you backstage access via Instagram Stories, brands stream shows on Live; and fashion editors give their thousands of followers a view from the front row. Instagram dictates how we consume fashion content in a big way. Stories allow Instagram to drive traffic to new heights by shifting away from blurry runway images to videos of the catwalk.
Fashion Brands on Instagram
A strong Instagram presence is a crucial component to any fashion brand that aspires to any significant measure of success, and influencer marketing has become one of the most effective methods of building awareness and driving online sales. The traditional fashion calendar and the wholesale model have become less relevant and seem to have converged to create a new wave of Instagram brands, which use the platform as a primary launchpad. Since brands can now sell their wares and connect with consumers online, Instagram has become one way to bypass many of the skills, schedules, events and other expenses and parameters that were once necessary in getting a line off the ground. Although press appointments and showroom visits are still crucial to help drive traditional buzz around a new product launch, Instagram is a sure way to gain global exposure quickly, and cultivate relationships with a community of potential customers.
Overexposing Your Brand Can Be Damaging
There are some major benefits to being an Instagram brand, like having a direct line to customers to interact and get feedback. But as with any type of business launch, there are also downsides and risks like overexposure. Brands that are just starting out need to strike some kind of balance because overexposure might dilute the prestige of the product later down the line. Another problem is knockoffs – the more visible a brand is on Instagram, the more vulnerable it becomes. One negative to that kind of exposure is that it opened that style up to being copied and flooding the market with poorly made fakes. People talk all the time about how Instagram is ruining this and that, but in reality department stores have ruined everything up for people. People need to understand that in this digital era, things change constantly, so you adjust and you pivot with the change, or you sit there and feel bad for yourself, and complain about it.
Fashion Show are No Longer Exclusive
A fashion show used to be an event that only a select few were privy to - it was a club that thrived on exclusivity. The only people who were privy to what was being showcased were those who attended the show or came across it in the newspaper the next day. But, thanks to the digital revolution, everyone has a front-row seat to shows via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and livestream. Fashion labels have been on various social media platforms, but it’s Instagram with its core strength in visual storytelling that has propelled it into the fashion forefront. The photo-sharing mobile application designed for story telling is considered a perfect fit for fashion which relies heavily on powerful visuals and graphics. With Instagram there’s a greater connection to the customer, and it also enables brands to build a voice and speak more specifically to their audiences.
The Rise of Influencer Fashion
If you see a blogger wearing an outfit you love on Instagram, you can find and purchase the items right from your phone and have them delivered to your door thanks to shoppable applications that integrate with social media. Bloggers have such an impact on the way that consumers shop that retailers reach out to them for content collaborations. Bloggers have been offered the chance to become an ambassador of a brand in which they mix the brand’s options with their own designer style to create one-of-a-kind looks. Some bloggers have even had the chance to create collections of their own. The demand for the fashion opinion of these “fashion influencers” on social media and in the fashion landscape is stronger than ever.
The Result of Accessible Fashion
Consumers are finding themselves with overflowing closets due to fast fashion competing for consumers’ attention and easily shoppable social media posts on Facebook and Instagram. Luckily, another empowering benefit of social media is that it has made it easy for consumers to sell their clothes just like retailers. Social media makes it possible for consumers to easily reach a community of interest and sell their clothes. Many consumers have turned to Instagram to post listings of their second-hand clothing successfully. The web of connections that social media has opened up for consumers helps them buy and sell fashion items easier than ever.