Can the Visual Industry of Fashion Fit In the Audio Platform Clubhouse?
Two weeks ago I finally got the invitation to this new social platform buzzing around called Clubhouse. A new social media still in the beta phase that surged during the pandemic. Clubhouse is already a thing in Silicon Valley for some months, but it only started to break that bubble in the last weeks. It is an audio platform that can, for now, only be accessed by invite and on IOS. Clubhouse consists of live audio discussions made in sort of group chats that anyone can host. When joining a chat, you can ask to speak at it, or just stay as a listener Since there aren’t that many people on the platform, people can have access to some very good networking. Clubhouse is the new thing to explore in every industry, including fashion. But how can a visual industry such as fashion fit in an audio-only platform?
Leaving Your Bubble
I guess the first thing that clubhouse brings to the table, not only for fashion but for every industry, is the opportunity to discuss with people that are different from us. We usually hold conversations with people around us that are somehow inserted into our reality and have something in common with us. Clubhouse can bring you out of that bubble. For example, Clubhouse hosted a conversation between Elon Musk and Kanye West. That’s a chat we probably would not have seen outside of this space. Another more down-to-earth example: I saw a very interesting discussion between Russians and Brazilians about how much in common the two countries have. Again, something I would not have experienced if it weren’t for the open environment the app creates. In the fashion industry that is extremely important.
First of all, when creating fashion, you are not always creating something for yourself. Creating something you would use is easy, the challenge of most people that work in this industry is to create something that their target audience uses. Often that audience has nothing to do with you. Clubhouse can be a great space to hear more different audiences, understand them better, exchange experiences and etc. You can look at many of these chats on Clubhouse as focus groups, with people sharing information with you in the most natural way: a casual discussion.
Second, fashion is not usually the most innovative industry. On the contrary, the fashion industry is usually very resistant to change and trying new things. Having discussions and hearing people from other industries may be just the perfect way for the industry to open more to innovation. For example, you end up in a chat with someone from financial technology, with who you would probably not have many interactions at a normal routine, and this person mentions a new practice of their area of expertise that can be applied to the fashion industry. These exchanges between different industries are where many of the great innovative ideas come from. Clubhouse does create this space where you can end up talking to people you normally wouldn’t. It’s all about leaving your comfort zone in a very comfortable way.
Giving Brands a Voice With No Retouches
Ok, people that work in fashion can beneficiate from the platform. But how about fashion brands? For Virgil Abloh, Creative Director of Louis Vuitton Menswear and Off-White, there is a lot that labels can do on the platform. Fashion labels usually communicate with imagery, be that on video, photo, or even illustration formats. Images speak volumes, but sometimes customers just want brands to own up to their opinion and straight-up say it, without filters or edits — and that’s Clubhouse. It’s not a photo or video that was crafted to perfection to send a message, neither is a podcast where you can edit what is being heard. It is live and it can be a great way for brands to both communicate their image in a different format and to connect with their customers in a more informal environment. As Abloh said to Business of Fashion:
“It’s an interesting case study making sure brands have something to say when you can’t escape to creating an image.”
Indeed, you can’t have a social media manager just posting the brand’s content to Clubhouse. It’s a live interaction with people on the platform open to listening. The culture and values of the brand need to be very intrinsic in the company’s culture so that works well. But if brands do manage to create great content on Clubhouse, it can be a great way to expand their image.
You know when you watch an advertisement that never shows the actual product, but at the same time makes the product more appealing because the ad creates a universe aligned with the label? That’s the type of experience fashion brands need to try to create on Clubhouse. They are not showing their products, but they can still sell you an idea, an experience, a story behind what they do. If done right, because pure live audio is so raw and informal, it can feel extremely authentic to the customer.
The App Will Still Grow
For now, Clubhouse managed to create this intimate conversation environment, but the app is only in the beta phase and growing through invite-only. The big question is if Clubhouse will manage to keep this same experience once it is open to the big public. If it does change, the rules of how to communicate fashion in the app will change along.
It’s important to state the app is also not perfect yet. I found it quite messy, it is very hard to find conversations and people you may want to follow. Also, whenever we start following a larger number of people, like in other social media platforms, they will have to rethink the notifications system. Every time someone I follow hosts a conversation, I receive a notification, which is quite annoying. However, since everything is live, if I don’t receive the notification I will miss the discussion. It’s a tricky problem that Clubhouse will still have to figure out.
I believe we can look at Clubhouse as the audio Reddit — a space for discussion, where everyone can tap into and give their opinion. It’s not about entering their profile and seeing their content like Youtube, Instagram, or even podcasts. It’s about meeting people at these chats where you can interact with them. It’s less about the individual creator and more about the group discussion of a certain topic. Fashion never really got Reddit right, but I feel like the industry is more open to crack into Clubhouse.
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