Fashion is changing. Of course, the nature of fashion is to change and forever evolve, season after season, trend after trend. So perhaps the right time for what is happening in fashion right now is that it is reforming, or being revolutionised. Ever since technology leaked into the world of fashion, the industry has been evolving faster than ever before. Although technology has made significant contributions to the fashion world before, just think of the impact the invention of the sewing machine had.
Perhaps the first step towards this symbiotic relationship between fashion and technology was the invention of online shopping. Fast fashion had already made its mark on the style world, changing consumer behaviour and the attitude towards clothing in general. Whereas before, clothing was something that was treasured, with chains like H&M and Primark making clothing more affordable than ever before, it became something to be worn only for a season and then replaced. People began to shop more, rather than once in August to update their autumn wardrobes and once in April to get ready for the summer, shopping became a year round activity. This placed a demand on the manufacturers to produce more styles faster, giving birth to the term fast fashion.
And then came online shopping and once again the way consumers shopped changed completely. Shopping was easier than ever before, no longer requiring you to even leave your house. People in remote areas that previously could not shop on a regular basis could now shop to their heart’s content. This again upped the demand on fashion retailers.
IMPACT FROM BLOGGING
Blogging had an equally large impact. Rather than leaving fashion editorials in the hands of an exclusive few fashion editors, anybody could join the conversation and become part of the fashion world. People were no longer interested in seeing clothing items on leggy six-foot tall models, they wanted to know what these items looked like on real life people in everyday situations. They wanted to be able to imagine themselves in those clothes and see how you could take a designer piece and make it work for everyday situations. This had a huge impact on fashion marketing. Now partnerships with bloggers and sponsorships form a large part of any successful marketing strategy.
But blogging did more than just change the way fashion is advertised. It opened up the fashion world and offered up the opportunity to become part of it, as long as you have the self-discipline and ambition necessary for a successful blog. If you think you have what it takes to be a fashion blogger, the process of setting one up is surprisingly easy. Pick a name, make sure it is available, and get blogging.
The influence of technology on fashion is opening many new doors and giving way to exciting, innovative trends. Wearables, smart jewellery and 3D printing are only some of this trends this blossoming relationship will give us in the future.