Luxury fashion brands face the challenge of maintaining a particularly delicate balance in the social space: sustaining an aura of exclusivity while simultaneously enhancing accessibility.
Social media allows brands such as DKNY and Tory Burch to reach a wider audience of not only current consumers but also brand adorers and prospective purchasers — those who might not be able to afford the products now but still deeply admire the brand and aspire to purchase in the future.
Many fashion brands are successfully utilizing social media to provide brand loyalists with rich content that enhances and extends the brand experience for both current and future consumers. Twitter and Facebook allow brands to communicate with devoted followers who can amplify the brand’s message through their own networks. Perhaps a credit to its core nature as a highly adaptive and creative field, fashion is paving the way in experimenting with more robust channels and innovative content.
Luxury brands are now leading the way in many aspects of the social space, and their efforts are not going unrecognized.
As we consider social innovation in 2012, it is worth taking a closer look at what fashion brands are doing in this space. This year’s third annual Style Coalition Fashion 2.0 Awards, which perfectly align with not only Social Media Week but also New York Fashion Week, honors the luxury brands who are getting it right in social media.
Forward-thinking brands such as DKNY and Oscar de la Renta are best-in-class examples of community building and innovation and platforms such as Pinterest and Pose (as well as some up-and-coming platforms such as Stylitics) are becoming valuable tools for engaging with brand advocates in new ways.
Social media will continue to evolve as consumers continue to expect more interaction and engagement with their favorite brands and products. The fashion industry is putting its best foot forward in the digital space. As new platforms and strategies continue to flourish, the brands that will be most successful in 2012 are those that are able to carefully select the methods, tools, and platforms that align with their brand voice, message, and consumer base.
Isabella Josefsberg lives in New York City and works in digital advertising. She also writes on social media, tech, and fashion at www.thesocialstiletto.com. You can follow her on Twitter at @IsabellaRachel.