Technology and Fashion: How the Two Are Coming Together in Brand New Ways
The seemingly opposite industries of fashion and tech are actually closely intertwined. Fashion would not be what it is today without the dependence on cutting edge technologies to reach global audiences.
Leveraging the latest tech isn’t just for digital marketing businesses anymore. From small brands selling clothing through social media to fashion empires using Big Data and virtual reality displays, the widespread impact of tech has changed the fashion world forever.
Discover some of the myriad ways fashion has been influenced by tech in recent years and what you can do to adapt your brand to the times.
Mobile Commerce
E-commerce has had a big boon since the onset of mobile commerce capabilities. Online shopping is not just from a home computer anymore; it’s everywhere at all times with the help of a smartphone. According to Big Commerce, a study found that more than half of customers shop on mobile platforms. If they’re not actually placing orders through their phone, then it’s likely they are at least getting ideas from apps like Instagram and Pinterest.
Influencers
Influencer culture has grown to full force in the past ten years, allowing regular people to rise to stardom with the help of Instagram, Youtube, blogs, Snapchat, and TikTok. Influencers have drastically changed the face of fashion, which was once solely represented by models. With the rise of Instagram models and bloggers, the fashion world has moved towards accessibility and diversity as they reach new audiences. According to Business Insider, fashion brands are on track to spend $22 billion on influencer campaigns by 2020.
Influencer culture brings the good and the bad to the fashion industry. To keep up with the demand of posting new content everyday, “high street” or “fast fashion” has become increasingly popular, where clothing is produced on a mass scale and sold at low prices. In efforts to combat this, movements for sustainability and “slow fashion” have been bolstered. As you can see, the ripple effects that technology has on fashion are very widespread.
3D Printing
With new technologies like 3D printing, the ways in which fashion is made are also seeing a dramatic upheaval. Designers can now whip up a creation, from a garment to accessories and print it out themselves in their studio using a 3D printing machine. The finished products are awe-inspiring, futuristic garments and wearables that have created quite a splash on runways in recent years and are only becoming more accessible. Designers like Iris van Herpen and Chanel have used the revolutionary tech to create high fashion in recent years.
Internet of Things (IOT)
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a broad term for any technology that is built into fabric, wearables, and smartphones to communicate information about the wearer. An easy example to understand is the smartwatch, which tracks heart rate, steps taken, calories burned, etc. IoT technology is expanding rapidly and is now being woven into the very fabric of some garments, like Nadi X yoga pants. These incredible leggings monitor your position and send haptic pulses to let you know when to change position and if you’re out of proper alignment.
Technology has changed the fashion industry on every level, from design to production, runway presentation and e-commerce sales. With advancements rolling out all the time, there’s no telling where we’ll be even six months from now. What we do know is this: The future of fashion is tech, so you better get on board with innovation, fast!
