DIGITALISING FASHION: SS17 LFW
This season, we’re proud of what British fashion designers presented to the world of digital. Just like the clothes, we’ve been looking to each season to see what role digital played on the runway.
The common theme this season is that brands are continuing to bridge the gap between consumer and catwalk.
Like most fashion weeks, influencers were present and documented their street style, around the capital. London Fashion Week’s move from Somerset House has helped the general public join the online conversation. Perhaps this is due to the fact that fans no longer have to pretend to pose outside an elaborate Grade I listed building. All that is required is an urban brick wall and tagging yourself at Brewer Street Carpark.
This year, London Fashion Week was more ‘real-time’ than ever before. Even those who don’t normally join the social circle were trying their luck at digital. Newcomers to Snapchats discover channel included print publications, such as Conde Nast and Hearst, further proving the shift in traditional catwalk reporting.
The formats of runways shows are ever changing, you only have to look to digital leader Burberry who no longer conform to the fashion week calendar. This year they set up a fashion and craft space, ‘Maker’s House,’ that continued to bring the collection to life, for a week after the show. As ever, Christopher Bailey made sure each social media platform and purpose were carefully considered. There was a distinct difference in content on Instagram stories and Snapchat. Interestingly both were used to document different parts of the show, whether that was the VIP attendance (Instagram) or behind the scenes make up (Snapchat).
‘This year, London fashion week was more ‘real-time’ than ever before.’
Another aspect challenging the original fashion week model is the ‘see-now buy now’ approach. Fashion marketers are frantically reacting to the instantaneous methods of apps like Deliveroo and Uber. Alice Temperley partnered with app Vero to make buy now possible, in a bid to sell her SS17 collection. Another aspect of shopping the show was enhanced by Chatbots on Facebook which encouraged purchases. Perhaps a better way of entertaining this purchasing trend is to incorporate the new Snapchat glasses, for a blink and buy series.
‘More brands are encouraging customers to shop the show, via apps or Chatbots.’
We also noticed that you don’t necessarily need a great collection to get noticed at fashion week or a big name. In fact, if you’re a risk taker, it’s a digital strategy that can help you get discovered. Those who push boundaries in the digital space are becoming recognised as catwalk innovators. Emerging designer Martine Jarlgaard created a mixed reality experience using Hololens. This is a headset that projects a hologram in front of the wearer and allows them to interact with it by walking around it. All of these immersive tactics landed Jarlgaard a lot of PR for her brand by leveraged her personal profile through digital.
From New York and London, it’s clear that brands need to be aware of the following things; exclusivity doesn’t exist, partner with apps or devices for instant sales, embrace new formats push the boundaries within clothing and tech. Next up, Milan and Paris….
