In fashion, one day you’re in, the next day you’re out,

Heidi Klum says, to the competitors of “Project Runway”. Fashion and beauty are areas in which the market has always paid attention to alphas and betas - creators and early adopters - seeking inspiration in that target  to steer the creation of concepts and ideas relevant to their businesses. However, in a market that is traditionally marked by aspirational values in its communication efforts, the emergence of different niches in consumers’ social spheres has created the possibility for each one of us to pursue our own personal concept of beauty and fashion. From the aesthetic oligarchy of the fashion industry, based on the advice provided by a few brilliant minds, emerges a democracy of tastes, where everyone can define and communicate their choices and those of their tribes - everybody can become an influencer. Today’s apparent simplicity to find and get in touch with people who associate themselves with our own niche values leads to a fragmentation of choices, making less relevant a particular image pattern - I can actually follow any image code, as I can, at all times, find people who relate to them. The 80’s have an proper aesthetic,  as the 90’s do - the aesthetics of today are characterized by a fragmentation of a common path and the pursuit of each one’s own beauty (while creating tribes between people who share the same values. I am myself and my network’s circumstance.

From “No Logo” to “My Logo”

There are no more ugly ducklings. If one is ugly, we can just aggregate ourselves into a niche of ugliness in order to fit in, as there are always ways to find individuals that share our beliefs, on and offline. Besides,  the apparent ease with which one masters a subject (by googling it) and the increasing disengagement on everything that involves commitment allow people to jump from tribe to tribe and style to style easily. From the “No Logo” movement of the 90’s, that reflects the counter-cultural McDonaldization, we move to a sphere of “My Logo”, where what matters is the search within and then the matching with others.

Following this patterns, fashion and beauty brands tend to bet on mechanisms based on the customization of its products, offer and facilitating the experiences with their consumers - moving much more into a consumer-oriented business than an innovation oriented one. Inviting them to become fashion curators themselves: in October 2009, U.S. online retailer ModCloth invited its customers to become the buyer of the collections that were put on sale. The initiative, “Be the Buyer” got fans to choose which  dresses, skirts, jackets got to be on sale, according to their tastes - there were 61 designs chosen, and fans that voted  got to buy the clothes earlier that the general public. 

The availability of fashion advisers and tools for product testing become more common, associated with new media platforms. Shiseido launched, in early 2010, a cosmetic mirror in Augmented Reality, allowing consumers to use their new products, experiment looks and provide advice about each one’s skin.

As the consumer becomes increasingly pampered, while brands dispute their attention and faithfullness, they are given increasing empowerment. Branded acts of kindness tend to appear, making the brand look much more of a “butler” in the hands of the consumer. In January 2010, Estee Lauder has offered its customers in Illinois a professional makeup, complete with a photo so they could share it online. The campaign extended to a standard offering for 10 days, and the event was later repeated in other U.S. cities.

By making the experience easier, include the consumers’ tastes in the strategy and providing them with tools and content in order to make them the carrier of the brand’s message, fashion and beauty brands can create better emotional bonds. Helping them tell their personal stories, wrapped around a brand that cares and respects their style. 

( Published in Marketeer Magazine, April 2010)

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