Fashion is continually becoming a synonym of beauty and a symbol of elegance in society. The question of ‘what should I wear today?’ is one that people constantly ask themselves to maintain the best possible public image. Many people, including a great number of millennials, spend countless hours online reviewing the latest fashion trends, the most innovative clothing lines, and the products that will provide attention. In today’s highly connected environment, the best public image is a literal statement and social media has provided access to share in a limitless atmosphere.

Communication Technology as a Game-Changer

Remember 35mm cameras? This technology was displaced by digital cameras. However, smartphone cameras quickly replaced digital cameras. Similarly, the fashion industry has also been revolutionized. In this case, the disruptive change has been a consequence of the combination of technologies: access to the internet and the accompanying improvement in bandwidth, the expanding use of social media, mobile technology, and the improvement in the quality of the cameras and the screen resolution in smartphones. This changes the fashion world by creating a new way to shop and a new way to see fashion trends . The fashion magazine shifted to the online environment. It’s easy for anyone to use the internet and, for example, check the latest brands available at Reign online or other similar online shops. The digital revolution served as a catalyst for a shift in market forces where the power of the buyer increased to the point where direct-to-consumer models have changed the landscape of how businesses reach buyers.

The Influencer and Social Media Model

With the universalization of social media and shared content, the fashion industry has found the perfect mechanism to reach its strategic audience. Using social media personalities with a high number of content, likes, followers, comments, and interactions, these companies and brands silently and inconspicuously promote their brands. The way that these organizations achieve a high level of success using such practices is by identifying the type of followers that influencers have and then categories these by age, sex, and common interests. This way, a brand that develops products for teenagers looks for influencers whose followers meet the criteria of their target audience.

Companies and brands then provide product and financial compensation so that influences use their platforms to create content and publish it within their social networks. Much of the marketing analysis of this type of product promotion is positive, where results suggest that these strategies generate a considerable boost in sales. The success is such that online boutiques, cosmetic retailers, and any business in the realm of fashion can create similar marketing techniques. The ease of shopping through online and social media platforms and the reach that the environments have are hard to replicate in other strategies. Furthermore, the amount of capital required to implement the idea depends on the type of reach. Therefore, businesses can choose influencers that accommodate to the organization’s level of investment capability.

The Use of Virtual Reality

The fashion industry took a page off the gamer script and is beginning to incorporate high-tech tools including the use of Virtual Reality (VR). One example of the implementation of VR in the industry is with Kate Moss and the first perfume ad featuring the technology. Additionally, brands like Tommy Hilfiger have launched the use of virtual reality headsets in brick and mortar stores so that shoppers can experience new collections. However, the idea is to expand the use of technology so that brands do not have to rely on showrooms or brick and mortar stores to showcase selections. Instead, with virtual fashion stores that use software to power the concept, virtual humans that assist with trails, and the internet to provide access, virtual reality is changing the way that the fashion industry accesses larger markets.

The power and reach of the internet have revolutionized our world, and the fashion market is certainly no exception.