If you read my fashion blog you must know how much I love “The Fashion Show” (although it can’t be compared to “Project Runway”). I obviously read the post-show commentary, especially this by the known fashion industry figure Fern Mallis. I’m a big fan of Fern (she created the NY fashion week after all!), although some times feel like she isn’t necessarily a lover for all thing innovative. Or maybe it’s just Twitter?
In her latest post-show commentary Fern was asked to give an advice for the eliminated designer to move forward with his/her career. After advising to spend time honing their skills, style, and point of view, Fern said something that stroke me: “Twittering will not bring orders or credibility for a designer.”
I would like to argue this statement by offering some examples from my Twittershere. Why I don’t have a proof of Twitter as successful credibility builder (although a number of followers can definitely demonstrate that for a designer), I do believe Twitter could be successful tool for driving online sales, when managed right.
Last month I spoke at the 140 Characters Conference on Fashion brands and Twitter with Macala Wright, who does marketing for 1928 Jewelry. In her talk Macala revealed that thanks to Twitter the jewelry line got placements on HBO’s “True Blood” and other shows. Another example is my favorite everyday handbag which I purchased from the Brooklyn based Hayden Harnett via their special Twitter promotion. I follow a large number of designers on Twitter (both emerging and established ones) who constantly keep in touch with their fans, send updates about their new collections and yes, sometimes promote their own sales. As their loyal follower I appreciate receiving special promotion news and support their brands by buying their products. Why? Because we have a special personal connection, thanks to Twitter. Not to mention companies like DELL who managed to generate $3 Million in sales from their Twitter account alone! Maybe this could be an inspiration for fashion brands?
I would love to get more examples from my followers who successfully drove sales/orders for their fashion lines via Twitter. Please comment below!
I have to say Twitter has been very good for my business. Store’s budgets are very tight right now and so are our budgets & Twitter has been a great way to keep moving forward building a brand & getting the public to know who we are and what we do. I have actually booked several brides through twitter as well, so we have made sales through twitter and the connections in the industry have been invaluable.
Well twitter, facebook, my it things, and any other site can be used to promote fashion products. But regardless of what tool you use, the products need to be nicely made and attractive. Maybe Fern meant that until you have a great product, then you shouldn’t be using twitter yet. First make something with a great story and is worth buying, then use twitter till the cows come home.
Oh one more thing. I see plenty of designer websites that are out of date, don’t have an ecommerce portion yet, & all around very thin websites. I think they should be fixing their site first to at least have the basics, THEN get onto twitter.
since most of the responses to this post were posted on Twitter (how ironic
I wanted to quote some of them here:
@DKNY: so much about twitter is a numbers game. BUT If u have genuine followers who care about your brand it can make amazing impact
@BobbinTalk: Twittering is a direct personal connection between brand and followers! If that doesn’t help sales what will
@MissWhoeverUR People are so set in their ways that they don’t see what’s happening and how fast times are a changin’
Only time will tell really. Twitter hasn’t been popular all that long, so how can people make a judgment now? Personally, I agree with you that it’s a good medium for communication. I like being kept up to date by the fashion editors and designers I follow.
Fashion Luvr – I agree that product always comes first, but that doesn’t mean designers shouldn’t be building their fan base from the very beginning. Sharing their creative process with followers can be extremely valuable for the later stage when they are ready to release the collection.
I think social media can play a role in developing a brand but not all sites are a fit for each designer. The site du jour may not be the right audience, demographic, etc. It also needs to be part of a larger marketing strategy that brings in other elements. So, she’s right and she’s wrong.
I think getting something on HBO means nothing if it isn’t leveraged in the press and it doesn’t drive sales. Of course it’s a little tiny soundbyte that might add a tiny level of cache to a brand, but at the core of business is one fact: All strategies should be focused on whether or not they’re generating money.
Great post. Twitter can definitely play a role in building a new fashion label’s credibility and generating new orders.
I follow a lot of great established brands and a lot of great independent designers on Twitter. It’s a cool way to get updates on new items and new ideas from multiple places without having to visit many sites every day. And when it comes to those new items from small designers, knowing about them early is often crucial to snagging it for yourself. After all, there are often so few available.
I also love to see what labels are up to, learn about new projects, and take part in online promotions. Not to mention, I always prefer to buy items from brands that are genuinely excited about what they do and care about their customers. Twitter is a great way to communicate that information to anyone who is interested in hearing it.
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Since you started a conversation about the importance of twittering it only seemed fit to twitter-answer, but I’ll add a bit more here too:
Twitter has actually been around for about 3 years now and since Oprah started using it, it really hit the mainstream! I feel that if you are not twittering you are missing on a large cutomer-base that is obsessed with the latest and greatest news.
Sales are a popularity game and Twitter is popular right now! Will it be around tomorrow? We’ll see, but right now it is a powerful tool!
Great conversation
twitter is one of my biggest traffic sources… and i’m only a blog. there are some fashion designers i had never heard of until twitter, so i would only imagine for fashion designers, who understand that social media isn’t all about them, would also find twitter a useful tool.
Prior to even knowing about Twitter, our emerging brand (read our About Us Page) vowed to only appear on radar via relying on WOM marketing, etc. Brave? Proud? No, simply limited budget to do much else! Thru Social Media we have been able achieve decent sales, linked up with a few great boutiques who now carry our brand. But more valuable than all, has been the friendly following and to receive immediate end-customer feedback (from fashionable people from all over the world!) Our investment= our time, but oh it’s just so darned fun to tweet!
And PS: it keeps us us motivated knowing other indie brands are out there possibly reaching our customers too! So I gotta go…..
xo
Ina
Co-Founder
M641