Hello dear readers!
Thank you for your patience! Today’s post will place the spotlight on the online presence and online appeal of fast fashion companies.
The fashion industry is highly competitive. Just as quickly as trends change, brands have to constantly find new ways to market their products in order to maintain high demand in an era where the consumer has other infinite options to choose from. Online platforms are the most consumer-friendly, allowing us to compare prices and read product reviews instantly. Social media is no longer just for socialising, as shown by the Facebook marketplace, or the Instagram store function which allows potential customers to see the prices of items displayed in a photo. The ease of sharing posts and pins on Pinterest of clothes we like with our friends has become the new “word-of-mouth” that inspires trends.
Companies like Missguided and Fashion Nova capitalise on social media influencers to market their clothing and gain visibility. Such influencers are dominantly on Instagram. They have a large following, are good looking, and have nice figures. It makes sense that such companies would want their clothes to be seen on conventionally (sometimes unrealistically, due to Photoshop) attractive people, as this in turn makes their clothes seem more appealing. Influencers also cater to a more diverse audience, and are seen as more “real” and “attainable” compared to the dated wafer-thin high fashion models on runways. They promote an ideal, lavish lifestyle that many young girls aspire towards and want to emulate. By outsourcing their marketing to influencers, brands are reaching out to their followers, thus increasing social media outreach. This strategy is highly appealing to fast fashion brands as their clothes are being modelled without actually having the conventional fashion show (which is typically reserved for high fashion brands, but that’s besides the point).
Fashion bloggers and influencers rely mostly on fast fashion to enable them to create new outfits every time without breaking the bank. Many of them are also sponsored by such companies, allowing them to receive free clothes that they will often wear once just for an Instagram post! You will never catch these influencers posting an outfit twice. The idea of never recycling an outfit is implied, putting pressure on girls to wear something new every time. This sustains the demand for fast fashion as there is a demographic who is willing and able to purchase these clothes.
What Kim Kardashian wore vs what Fashion Nova released days later (Source)
This group of online fast fashion companies are appealing as they always stay on trend. They produce clothing similar to that worn by stylish celebrities like the Kardashians, producing imitation clothes at rapid speeds and very low prices. People who admire these celebrities’ styles now have an avenue to purchase clothes similar to theirs, at a fraction of the price. Furthermore, the speed at which new products are released mean that customers can wear these clothes while they are still trending.
I hope this post helped provided some insight into what marketing strategies fast fashion companies have used in order to sustain demand and remain relevant by subtly influencing their target audience! Maybe you’ll think twice before buying that dress just because it looks good on someone else. See you soon!
♡, Qystina
Sources:
Nguyen, T. (2020). Fast fashion, explained. Vox. Retrieved September 10, 2020, from https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2020/2/3/21080364/fast-fashion-h-and-m-zara
Rolak, A. (2017). Will fast fashion ever be ethical? Medium. Retrieved September 10, 2020, from https://medium.com/@arolak98/will-fast-fashion-ever-be-ethical-7e897c8b20ae