Facebook, Instagram, TikTok: social platforms have profoundly transformed the fashion industry, giving brands and designers alike new ways of connecting directly with their audience. Here is how that revolution has changed the way we discover, consume and live fashion.
How have social networks revolutionised fashion?
Social networks have allowed brands and designers to bypass traditional communication channels in order to connect directly with their audience. Here are the main facets of that revolution.
The rise of fashion influencers
A new generation of influencers has emerged, sharing styles, tips and recommendations on social platforms. Brands now work with them to reach their audience in a more authentic and organic way, and they have played a key role in promoting new trends and emerging labels.
A more democratic fashion
Social networks allow everyone to share their personal style with the whole world. This diversity of expression has called the traditional norms of fashion into question, pushing brands and designers to offer more inclusive collections.
The rise of online commerce
Brands now promote their products directly on the networks, with attractive visuals and built-in shopping features that make it possible to buy without leaving the app — a seamless shopping experience that has changed consumer habits.
The power of the image
Essentially visual platforms, social networks allow brands to tell a story through image and video. Seeing a garment worn in a real-life context makes the purchasing decision tangibly easier for consumers.
The building of online communities
Communities have formed around brands and designers: consumers there discuss the latest trends, share styling tips and support one another. That sense of belonging strengthens loyalty towards brands.
Style or fashion: where does the real trend lie?
This democratisation through social networks has also brought an essential distinction back into the light, one set out in our article Fashion vs Style: the differences that change everything: following a trend and asserting a personal style are not the same thing, even when both feed on the same platforms.
