Fashion trends and social communication systems are shared across the social media platform across the world. Those networks have become a significant tool in the emerging fashion in patterns and designs and a platform for approval and distribution across various global markets. Accordingly, various social groupings prefer different social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter among others. Besides majority of global conversations taking place through social media, the platform has redefined itself as a model of influence in the fashion retail industry.
Justification of the Study
The use of social media technology by luxury brands has continued to increase over the last decade. Mohr (2013) posits that technology encourages customers to interact with various designer brands and provides the opportunity to the manufacturers to analyze, make adjustments, and stimulate their purchase needs. Social media networks have become a one-stop shop for the fashion retail industry. Firstly, the photos posted on Instagram, the 3D simulations or videos hosted on YouTube and Facebook by fashion experts provide consumers with real-time exposure and experience with the emerging designs. Secondly, communication through live chats and social media messaging services influences the design and prices in the global marketplace.
The advent of fashion bloggers has created a significant impact in the fashion industry. They have taken control over the sector by commanding massive following on the social media platforms. For instance, renowned fashion designers and brands like Gucci, Dolce, Alexander, and Gabbana among other products have a significant following on social media (Fuchs, Prandelli, Schreier, & Dahl, 2013). Likewise, fashion magazines like Glamour and Vogue have significantly infiltrated the social media networks with their brands. Geissinger and Laurell (2016) aver that social media perspectives provide an opportunity for new entrants in the industry to market their products to the global audience. According to Einstein (2015), the traditional marketing model in the fashion industry is revolutionized by social media platforms. Indeed, social media networks command a higher population spread across all professions.
Aim of the Study
The study seeks to investigate the influence of social media platform in the fashion retail industry and ascertain the extent to which fashion designers and brand ambassadors involvement on the platform influence the industry.
Objectives of the Study
- To ascertain the extent to which the interactions on social media through sharing of photos for various occasions impacts on the fashion industry.
- To establish the impact of blogging and online marketing towards the general fashion industry.
- To establish how socio-cultural perceptions about social media affect the global fashion industry, especially for corporate and casual designs.
- To ascertain the propensity of the social media networks in influencing the prices of luxury brands, clothing, and apparel in the fashion design market.
- To examine various theoretical perspectives that provide the foundation to support social media marketing in relations to fashion and apparel.
Methodology of the Study
The objective of the study is to examine empirical evidence that would lead to the evaluation of the social media linkages to the fashion retail industry. The study will employ a qualitative approach to gathering both primary and secondary data. The secondary literature will be investigated from professional publications, including books, peer-reviewed journal and lecture notes among other existing scholarly work. Conversely, the primary data will be scheduled on identified population demography through surveys and self-completion questionnaires. The collected data will be reviewed using statistical tools such as SPSS, while the primary outcome will be compared to the secondary literature reviews to ascertain the extent to which the finding supports the aim of the study.
References
Einstein, B. R. (2015). Reading between the lines: The rise of native advertising and the FTC’s inability to regulate it. Brook. J. Corp. Fin. & Com. L., 10, 225-242.
Fuchs, C., Prandelli, E., Schreier, M., & Dahl, D. W. (2013). All that is users might not be gold: How labeling products as user designed backfires in the context of luxury fashion brands. Journal of Marketing, 77(5), 75-91.
Geissinger, A., & Laurell, C. (2016). User engagement in social media–an explorative study of Swedish fashion brands. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 20(2), 177-190.
Mohr, I. (2013). The impact of social media on the fashion industry. Journal of Applied Business and Economics, 15(2), 17-22.