New York Fashion Week just ended and it took online by storm, naturally. What was everyone talking about and which trends are here to stay? Interestingly, the event’s major themes reflect social analytics insight, so savvy retailers are digging in to their tools to find out! Let’s see how it looks.
Bold, Elegant and Edgy Clothing
The clothing trends were nothing short of amazing, as always. There were throwbacks to the 80s, with street style trends ranging from plaid blazers, neon, jumpsuits and big shoulders, to bright colors, brushstrokes (the new tie die) and edgy awesomeness, with eclectic corsets:
And elegance was everywhere, and dominated much of the conversation:
With Marc Jacobs’ spring line living up to glamorous expectations, showcasing colorful, enormous gowns, feathers and lots of fun music:
His show even saw a viral wardrobe malfunction with top model, Gigi Hadid:
And finally – edgy. Can we get any edgier than Rihanna’s X Fenty? Celebrities, including model “Cara Delevingne, actress Laverne Cox and singer Normani were among the star talent wearing the latest Savage X Fenty F/W 2019 pieces” as they sashayed down the runway.
But the real buzz, beyond the designers themselves, was the “pull out all stops” shows they offered up in various venues around New York City and Brooklyn.
Showtime at the Apollo
Tommy Hilfiger, known for his TommyNow experiential shows, created another talked about event with his current partner, the acclaimed actress/singer, Zendaya. They transformed the Apollo into a 1970s New York City brownstone stoop for a musical extravaganza:
Beyond that, we saw Ralph Lauren throw a Gatsby-esque black-and-white ball on Wall Street:
And Tom Ford packing celebrities into an unused New York subway station for his show:
So, both the clothes and the events were wild.
But that’s far from the whole picture. Though unfortunately, it’s where the insight stops for fashion brands that are using other sentiment analysis tools. And that’s too bad because there’s so much more to learn from these happenings.
Looking at themes automatically uncovered in AI Studio, our Next Generation Artificial Intelligence-powered analytics offering, an exciting behind-the-scenes conversation is revealed . . .
Fashion Week Theme Discovery
Beyond the surface insight – and even after digging deep, brands may miss some important adjacencies. These are trends and feelings that brands will need to be on top of in the coming months as the holiday season (and those ‘make or break the brand’ sales) begin.
Elaborating on just a few of the themes highlighted above, we see uniqueness, diversity and sustainability taking center stage.
Diversity & Inclusivity
Diversity and inclusivity were strong undercurrents in many of the shows, including X Fenty’s show. As the musical phenomenon shared: “There are a lot of women out there who are feeling in the dark, invisible. ‘I can’t try that on because I’m not made like that,’” she said in a post-show interview with Business of Fashion. “This is where you feel safe, right here at Savage.”
And S by Serena was seen taking up the charge as well, offering fashions for a range of body types. The collection ranges in size from XS to 3X. “Williams tells ELLE.com inclusivity was definitely on the brain while she was designing. ‘We call our larger sizes ‘Great.’ We just want everyone to know that some pieces are exclusively ‘Great’ so ‘Great’ can feel ‘Great’ in their own pieces.’”
And inclusivity was not restricted to size. At the Hilfiger/Zendaya show, “ten styles feature Tommy Adaptive modifications, part of the brand’s line that accommodates people living with disabilities, and many leaders in that community were present on the red carpet and in the front row at the show.” And their models represented a diverse mix of age and body styles as well.
So, brands charging in to Q4 should be ready to speak to these themes as well, when possible. Inclusivity and diversity are concepts that are often trending web-wide. There’s lots of conversation happening around each. Tons:
Searching for ways your brand could capture this market in some way, by speaking to an unmet diversity/inclusion need in your category, could be a strong differentiator. Every category could likely stand to be a bit more inclusive/diverse in some way!
Sustainability
Sustainability was another top theme, with fashion manufacturers under increasing scrutiny around their production practices, particularly Fast Fashion.
Designer Hillary Taymour of Collina Strada set up a farmer’s market for her show, and “invited guests to take the produce to emphasize her commitment to sustainability (all clothing was made from repurposed materials with the exception of jersey fabric).”
And there were sustainable fashion panels and immersive shows designed to bring awareness to the ethics of it all:
The Fast Fashion crowd is already in high gear to offer up top fashion week looks for less. And places like Rent the Runway may offer a possible alternative to the consumables problem the industry generates.
With such a strong push for change and the idea of renting rather than buying taking hold among millennials, watch for other similar creative options to potentially disrupt the industry. Are there equally disruptive ideas that your brand should be considering as well?
Either way, Fast Fashion changes are certainly on the horizon and inclusivity is the key to success in many categories. Will these pending changes apply to your brand? To your category? Should you be prepared to pivot in the near future? Keeping track of trends that lie beneath popular events offers crucial intel to inform future ideation. Be sure your tool is giving you everything you need to succeed.
Reach out and we’ll show you how to track sentiment analytics relevant to you, so you know what’s headed your way. Underlying currents can change a market rapidly.