Fashion promotion platforms have a new face and it is called social media. Today, the masses have found relatable digital idols compared to distant silver screen stars. One viral post on Instagram from these influencers is enough to propel a new fashion movement.
A simple picture of a dress is enough to break the internet and launch your business into the spotlight within a few hours. Remember the dress that took over the internet? Is it blue and black, or white and gold?
Video Credit: YouTube ABC News
The store website received a 2,000% increase in website traffic, and this viral dress was sold out by midday. The person who owned the dress was even invited to a talk show with Ellen DeGeneres!
Video Credits: YouTube-Ellen DeGeneres
Gucci reports that nearly 50% of all their sales come from millennials 35 years or younger, and 98% of all luxury brand sales happen online.
More than half of the world’s population uses social media. A recent study by Datareportal shows that 62.6% of 8,118,835,999 human beings on Earth are on social media!
When such a large group of potential buyers use social media, social media influencers have transformed into indispensable tools for fashion promotion. Influencers are the key to creating social media trends that can help sales in fast fashion, luxury brands, sustainable fashion, and much more!
This blog will provide you with exciting insights into the importance of social media influencers in fashion promotions.
What are social media influencers?
Social media influencers are people who have established themselves as trustworthy sources of information on the internet. These are people who have large groups of followers, fanbases, and subscribers on various social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter.
Credit: @shebuildsrobots Instagram
Look at this social media influencer who is an engineer. She created an AI-powered snake dress that she calls the Medusa Dress.
Social media influencers can be anyone, from celebrities, professionals, and artists to regular students and homemakers.
The role of social media influencers in promoting sustainable fashion
Sustainability has become a major concern with fast fashion and single-use clothing. Waste goes to landfills and the ocean, threatening the ecosystem and biological life around it. Human rights violations are also a problem with fast fashion brands that use cheap labour from underdeveloped countries. Social media influencers have taken a stand for sustainability through their various platforms, notably Instagram.
Anisha Kalsi
Anisha loves to show how clothing can be styled in multiple ways. She documents her clothing throughout her many travels and life events and shows how reusing your clothes can be fresh and lively. No single-use clothing can be found on her page!
Venetia La Manna
Venetia is the founder of the Remember Who Made Them movement, a sustainability initiative that encourages people to be more mindful of the brands they buy from.
Aja Barber
Aja is a sustainable fashion influencer who, through her simple yet profound posts, helps people grasp the pressing issues of fast fashion and how they affect our world. Aja is the author of Consumed, a book that sheds light on the impacts of fast fashion and consumerism and how we can instil change on a large scale.
How influencers are reshaping the fashion industry
Beeple, a digital artist, made global headlines when he sold his NFT for billions. He is now regarded as one of the most important digital artists alive, with brands like Louis Vuitton collaborating with him and producing fashion wear featuring his work.
This is how powerful influencers can be when it comes to how they shape fashion and the fashion industry.
Beeple, aka Mike Winkelmann, is a digital artist and social media influencer known for his surreal and political artwork. He amassed a huge following on his social media handles, notably Instagram, way before his massive NFT sale.
Given his rise to fame and widespread sphere of influence, Louis Vuitton is all set to now launch a video game featuring NFTs by Mike Winkelmann.
Social media influencers changing the face of fashion promotion
Social media influencers are powerful in the digital age, as the right influencer can help promote your fashion brand and even upscale your sales.
Take Nancy Tyagi, an Indian fashion influencer on Instagram with 2.7 million followers to date.
Nancy hails from a poverty-stricken background and is a self-taught fashion designer. She re-makes costumes and famous outfits worn by celebrities and designed by top fashion designers from scratch and documents the whole process in her Instagram reels.
With a steady climb in popularity and fame, Nancy Tyagi was invited to feature in the Cannes Film Festival 2024. Tyagi wore outfits that she created for herself from scratch and got immense media attention for her work.
Major Indian fashion jewellery brand, Caratlane has how featured Nancy Tyagi in their advertisement.
Tyagi has turned into a role model for many young men and women hoping to fuel their passion for fashion and make it big in the limelight.
Tyagi’s face on Caratlane’s advertisements has not just brought Nacy recognition as a social media influencer to be reckoned with but also pushed the brand into the spotlight.
The world of fashion promotion can be yours to take with the right knowledge and skill set. If you would like to educate yourself in fashion media and promotion, consider LCCA’s BA (Hons) in Fashion Media and Promotion.
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FAQ's
How do social media influencers impact the fashion industry?
Imagine your favourite fashion icon on Instagram. They're rocking a new outfit, and suddenly everyone wants that look. cThat's the power of social media influencers. They can set trends and make certain styles super popular by promoting them to their followers. Brands use influencer marketing to partner with these influencers to advertise clothes, just like a more relatable commercial.
What platforms are most used by fashion influencers?
Think Instagram again! With its focus on photos and videos, it's perfect for showcasing outfits. But YouTube is also big, with influencers creating hauls (showing off new purchases) and tutorials. Tik Tok is on the rise too, with short, trendy fashion video clips.
How do fashion brands choose the right influencers to work with?
It's not just about follower count. Brands look for influencers whose style aligns with their brand image. For example, a sporty brand might choose an influencer known for streetwear. They also consider the influencer's audience—are they in the right age group and interested in fashion?
How do brands measure the success of influencer marketing campaigns?
Numbers talk! Brands track things like website clicks (from influencer posts) and sales after a campaign. They might also look at social media engagement—likes, comments, and shares show how much people reacted to the influencer's promotion.
What makes an influencer successful in fashion promotion?
Being trendy helps, but the best influencers are genuine. They create content that feels authentic and relatable, making people trust their recommendations. They also know how to use social media trends to their advantage, keeping their audience engaged. So, the next time you see a cool outfit on social media, remember the power of influencer marketing in today's fashion world!
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