In our latest trends presentation we look at the key ways that The Fashion Weeks impact long-term digital strategy. Cult LDN is an award-winning digital communications agency. We deliver brave and strategic campaigns for our clients which deliver measurable results. We specialise in; strategy & execution, online talent management, online advertising and trend reporting & training. www.cultldn.com

2. FASHION-LED DIGITAL INNOVATION

3. It’s no surprise that fashion leads the way in every sense of the word, but in no area is it more
progressive than the use, integration and development of technology
Each season we look to The Fashion Weeks to set the benchmark for the coming season and
over the past few years, we’ve seen technology become an increasingly more important aspect
of ‘The Show’
Setting trends and trailblazing technologies is positioning fashion brands apart and offering
increasingly more opportunities to connect audiences - giving access to fans all over the world
From live-streaming to buying direct from the catwalk, from wearable tech to VR experiences of
the FROW, Fashion Week is setting the standard for connecting consumers & brands
Within this latest Cult LDN trend report we look at the key ways that The Fashion Weeks impact
long-term digital strategy

4. “THERE WAS A TIME – NOT TOO LONG AGO! – WHEN
FASHION SHOWS WERE HELD BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
AND TOOK SIX MONTHS TO REACH THE CONSUMER.
OUR DIGITAL INITIATIVES UNDERSCORE THE
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HOW WE USED TO DO RUNWAY
SHOWS AND HOW THEY ARE DONE TODAY.”
- Tommy Hilfiger

5. FASHION WEEK SETS THE STANDARD
how fashion week has historically impacted digital strategy

6. IN MARCH 2014, THE BRITISH FASHION COUNCIL ADDED
'INNOVATION AND DIGITAL' TO ITS FIVE FASHION
STRATEGY PILLARS, STATING:
“WE WANT BRITISH BUSINESSES TO FOLLOW IN THE
FOOTSTEPS OF ITS BRANDS AND LEAD IN INNOVATION
AND DIGITAL”

7. STREAMLINED CONTENT
Insightshow fashion week has historically impacted digital strategy
SETTING THE STANDARD
REWIND
Without a doubt, the best place to launch a technology is during Fashion Week, when high-net-worth individuals are turning their eyes to the catwalk and as
each season comes there is an increasing need to innovate
• Launched in 2012, Digital Fashion Week streams its shows via Google+ across the world, showcasing emerging and established fashion brands side by side
and enabling purchase direct from the catwalk. Opening with Naomi Campbell in 2013 and partnering with The British Council in 2014, it is the only fashion
event that promotes the best young fashion designers through events and digital platforms in Asia enabling this through digital
• SS13 saw models walk down the runway at Diane von Furstenberg’s show wearing Google Glass, capturing key moments for ‘DVF through Glass’
• Tommy Hilfiger’s SS14 NYFW show debuted a ‘Social Concierge’ to cater to real-time asset requests made by media and influencers at the show. The
concierge team delivered bespoke imagery, ranging from detail shots of a favourite accessory to personal handwritten messages from models
• Giles Deacon’s AW14 show at LFW saw Cara Delevingne record her full walk on her smartphone in a world-first selfie from the runway
• AW14 also saw Marc Jacobs attract 10,000 visitors to his Tweet Shop, where Tweets were exchanged for treats in an industry-first social currency concept
during NYFW

8. STREAMLINED CONTENT
Insightstopshop
SETTING THE STANDARD
BRAND CASE STUDY: TOPSHOP x FAN FIRST GLIMPSE
• Topshop always aim to give their global audience access to Fashion Week with numerous ways of showcasing BTS and firsts on social
• For the SS15 Unique collection, Topshop prioritised its social fans over the FROW by debuting the collection on Facebook
• The #TOPSHOPWINDOW in the flagship Oxford Street store gave control and accessibility back to consumers
• The interactive mosaic provided live-stream from the catwalk along with BTS shot by influential Instagramers
• Shoppers could then enlarge tiles and print favourite images in store

9. STREAMLINED CONTENT
Insightsburberry
BRAND CASE STUDY: BURBERRY x TWITTER BUY NOW
• Burberry has always led the way in live-streaming shows, with customers ordering garments straight from the catwalk
• To coincide with the Prosum SS15 show at LFW, Burberry trialled the Buy Now button on Twitter
• This allowed customers in the US to instantly buy a selection of the nail colours worn by the models directly from a Tweet in “just a few taps”
• Twitter Buy Now will allow brands the opportunity to target sales to key demographics whilst achieving easy, measurable ROI via Twitter’s analytics
SETTING THE STANDARD

10. THE DEMOCRATISATION OF FASHION WEEK
all access, all the time

11. “THIS LONDON FASHION WEEK MAY BE THE MOST
DEMOCRATIC YET, WITH BURBERRY LEADING THE
WAY IN TERMS OF BRINGING THE RUNWAY TO A
WIDER GLOBAL AUDIENCE”
- Marketing Magazine

12. THE TWEET SHOP
Daisy Marc Jacobs
DEMOCRATISATION OF FASHION WEEK
all access, all the time
CONNECTING AUDIENCES
• The democratisation of fashion and of Fashion Weeks in particular has been a rapid trend over the past years, and unlike other industries that have been slow
to adapt to disruptive technology, Fashion Week has embraced it as designers clamour to have the best and most innovative digital presence each season
• What was once an exclusive event for the fashion elite, has become the Super Bowl for fashion lovers, with live-streaming of shows, Tweeting of BTS and up
to the minute commentary from press, bloggers and even fashion houses
• WWD has called Fashion Week a "digital spectator sport,” but one of the effects of the digital fashion age, is how designers balance creative integrity with the
mass distribution of ‘The Show’
• Connecting consumers to fashion only lends to multiply coverage, excitement and interest over the product - dictating trends and impacting demand
immediately

13. THE TWEET SHOP
Daisy Marc Jacobs
DEMOCRATISATION OF FASHION WEEK
tommy hilfiger
BRAND CASE STUDY: TOMMY HILFIGER x INSTAMEET
• AW14’s NYFW marked the first time everyday Instagram users were treated like industry insiders at a major designer’s runway show: Tommy Hilfiger
• The NYFW InstaMeet was hosted by influential NYC-based Instagramers, who were hired by Tommy Hilfiger to organise the event and recruit 20 “average”
Instagram users
• Tommy Hilfiger was very particular about “democratising the runway experience” by selecting a group of Instagramers with as few as 500-a few thousand
followers each
• Each were given BTS access, seats at the show and the opportunity to meet the designer himself

14. BRAND CASE STUDY: TOPSHOP x VR
• For AW15 Topshop live-streamed from The Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall whilst providing a world first ‘telepresence’ show for customers in-store
• The Oxford Street flagship provided custom headsets to customers allowing them to view the show live, virtually
• With 360 degree views of VIP arrivals to the show, BTS and of course the catwalk
• “This season’s live stream in virtual reality […] takes the idea of the traditional fashion show to a new dimension, as we continually look for new ways to
engage, excite and involve our customers” - Sir Philip Green, owner Arcadia Group
DEMOCRATISATION OF FASHION WEEK
topshop

15. THE TWEET SHOP
Daisy Marc Jacobs
DEMOCRATISATION OF FASHION WEEK
balenciaga
BRAND CASE STUDY: BALENCIAGA x GAGA
• This year’s AW15 PFW saw Lady Gaga document the show from backstage before strutting down the catwalk herself to an awaiting paparazzi
• The exhibition was more a commentary on the connection between celebrity and fashion but allowed her fans a rare view BTS of the French fashion house
• Her mass audience received immediate access to the the French fashion house, allowing them rare views of the fashion process

16. FIRSTS IN FASHION, FIRSTS IN TECH
why fashion is pioneering technology

17. “WE CAN ALLOW OUR GLOBAL CONSUMER
TO SHOP THE TRENDS WHEN THEY HAPPEN,
AND GIVE THEM INSIGHT AND ACCESS INTO
RUNWAY SHOWS”
- Sheena Sauvaire, Global Marketing and
Communications Director - Topshop

18. STREAMLINED CONTENT
Insights
FIRSTS IN FASHION, FIRSTS IN TECH
why fashion is pioneering technology
INSTANT GRATIFICATION
• Accessibility to shows at Fashion Week is allowing for brands to directly market to consumers whilst also pushing the boundaries of technology
• By extending the life-cycle of the collection outside of the physical space, there have emerged new opportunities to demonstrate innovation and as fashion
brands this becomes increasingly necessary to delight mass audiences
• Consumers are demanding instant gratification through purchase, meaning that there are fiscal reasons to push the tech boundaries - excite your consumer
and your consumer will purchase
• "As we know, everyone spends all their waking moments on all these new platforms, gadgets, Instagram and Twitter. The speed of things reaching people is
key to our business. You guys see it, wear it, buy it - that's what it's all about ... it’s sort of us being there, being first to market - that’s our job.” - Sir Philip
Green, owner Arcadia Group

19. STREAMLINED CONTENT
Insightstopshop
FIRSTS IN FASHION, FIRSTS IN TECH
BRAND CASE STUDY: TOPSHOP x DIGITAL ADS
• Topshop’s AW15 strategy saw them teaming up with Ocean Outdoor, Twitter and social marketing platform Stackla
• Topshop identified key trends from Fashion Week through real-time twitter tags, related products were then showcased on digital billboards across the
country
• This marked one of the first cases that a brand has used real-time big data from a Fashion Week show to curate a customer's shopping journey

20. STREAMLINED CONTENT
Insightsadidas originals
FIRSTS IN FASHION, FIRSTS IN TECH
BRAND CASE STUDY: ADIDAS x KANYE
• During the recent AW15 NYFW, Kanye West debuted his collaboration with adidas Originals Debut via Simulcast in cinemas across the globe enabling live
viewing of the Yeezy Boost launch
• Adidas launched a Sneaker Reservation App allowing for this and other footwear to be reserved with ease following the reveal
• This saw unprecedented pre-orders of product from the sportswear brand with reservations for the Yeezy Boost filling up in a few hours

21. FASHION-LED INNOVATION
no more tech for tech’s sake

22. “IT'S EXCITING TO SEE EVERYBODY LOOKING FOR THE
NEXT BEST THING, BUT IT'S UNFEASIBLE TO THINK THAT
EVERY SEASON THERE WILL BE SOMETHING
GROUNDBREAKING THAT IS APPLICABLE TO YOUR
BRAND”
David Lauren, executive vice president of global advertising, marketing
and communications at Ralph Lauren

23. STREAMLINED CONTENT
Insights
FASHION-LED INNOVATION
no more tech for tech’s sake
THE ‘NEW’NEW
• With so many advancements in technology over the past 10 years we’ve been able to constantly innovate in fashion at a rapid rate, but the desire to
embrace the ‘new’ new cannot always be met by the tech
• As AR will allow us to try on, VR will allow us to experience, 3D printing will create products for us that are unique to each individual, there is something very
luxurious about this notion - the personalised runway will be a reality with made-to-measure garments developed on a mass-scale
• The Fashion Show has now become a 360 degree experience with social and technology enhancing access and revolutionising the way we see the show
• While the fashion world will always be innovating, technology is somewhat slower to evolve and once one brand has utilised a new product or platform, a new
story is needed - therefore Fashion brands need to retain that innovative mentality in order to gain cut through with digital innovation

24. BRAND CASE STUDY: MICHAEL KORS x SNAPCHAT
• This AW15, Michael Kors partnered with Snapchat for NYFW, giving younger fans access to behind-the-scenes moments at shows
• The luxury brand shared snaps of the designers and "candid" FROW shots and Michael Kors content on the 'Our Stories' feature was only live for 24 hours
• Lisa Pomerantz, senior vice-president of marketing at Michael Kors, said: "Snapchat provided a unique opportunity to take our 'All Access Kors' strategy a
step further – allowing us to share intimate, behind-the-scenes moments from our runway show with fans around the world."
FASHION-LED INNOVATION
michael kors

25. BRAND CASE STUDY: BURBERRY x PERSONALISATION
• This AW15, Burberry again partnered with Twitter to offer users the chance to capture pictures of its LFW womenswear show live from the runway
• By tweeting #Tweetcam to the @Burberry Twitter account, users triggered a camera to take a photograph from the best vantage point within the show space
as the models walked down the runway
• Each picture was then personalised with the user’s Twitter handle, a time stamp of the moment the image was taken and tweeted back to them - simple,
effective live personalisation that gained the brand headlines even before the show begun
FASHION-LED INNOVATION
burberry

26. TAKEAWAYS

27. Digital innovation during The Fashion Weeks will continue to set trends for
cross-industry marketing and use of technology in the real world
In order to retain traction, strategies will need to make sense to both the
consumer and the brand, with tech for tech’s sake seeing peer-wide rejection
In order to remain competitive, use of technology must connect consumers,
delight with access, personalisation and instant gratification
Be surprising, the most stand-out tactics have come from unexpected sources
and it is these that ride the news-cycle wave that comes with the coupling of
successful fashion and tech strategies

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