Instagram is to millennials is what morning coffee is to all of us—a non-negotiable part of life. If your screen time is any indication, the social platform probably consumes a majority of the period you spend on your phone. Since its inception in 2010, Instagram has become more than just another app that lets you post pictures, successfully metamorphising into a portal that updates its users on international news while also simultaneously bridging the gap between brands and consumers. From designer labels like Burberry and Roberto Cavalli announcing their CEOs on Instagram to Sabyasachi launching his entire collection on the platform, it wouldn’t be incorrect to say that the social media giant has already changed the fashion game beyond what was expected.
Fashion and the platform
Take a look at the accounts of leading brands, and you’d agree that a strong Instagram presence is a crucial component for growth in the digital sector. In addition to helping these brands reach a larger audience, the platform also features effective methods of driving online sales and building awareness.
The fashion industry has clearly come a long way in the last few years, and no social media platform has played a more significant role in boosting this change than Instagram. The fashion shows that were once held behind closed doors are now being telecasted live via Instagram live, resulting in the need for a wider focus that, unlike earlier times, goes beyond the clothes and background music. Thanks to the large reach provided by the platform, brands have started paying attention to their lavish sets and grand finales, tailoring them for your Instagram feed. Chanel’s recent show at Paris Fashion Week (which was also Karl Lagerfeld’s final collection) featured a painted backdrop of bright blue sky inside the Grand Palais, transformed into a Tyrolean village of 12 Alpine chalets—each with lace curtains, carved shutters and wooden balconies—for this show.
Apart from updating the way fashion shows are produced, Instagram has also, in a big way, dictated how we consume fashion content. Take pages like Diet Prada and, closer to home, Diet Sabya, for example, who acknowledge the acts of plagiarism in the fashion world that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.
Bridging the gap
In addition to regular sartorial showcases by celebrities and designer labels alike, Instagram has also opened doors for fashion influencers who have carved a new career from this opportunity. From attending international fashion shows to advertising for brands and helping them create awareness about their new products, the influencer market is at its peak right now. With the ever-growing number of brands and influencers on Instagram, the app has also added new features—be it changing its feed algorithm or promoting personalised filters during fashion weeks. One of their most recent (and significant) changes took place in March 2019, when Instagram launched a new online shopping feature allowing consumers to buy products directly from the social media platform—designer labels like Burberry, Dior and Prada, as well as beauty brands KKW Beauty and NARS were among the first to get on board with this.
In India, couturiers like Shivan & Narresh, Shantanu & Nikhil and Sabyasachi have created a notable social media presence. From posting the right kind of pictures (at the right time) to using relevant hashtags and maintaining a one-on-one relationship with their followers, these designers clearly know what it takes to ace the Instagram game. “Fashion is an imagery-driven industry. It is one of the biggest passion points on Instagram, sharing space with the other two F’s, food and fitness,” says Narresh Bhatia of Shivan & Narresh. “The platform has evolved immensely over the years providing for innovative communication and increased effectiveness for image-driven industries. With the help of visual storytelling, the journey from fabric to finished merchandise comes to life on this medium, as the brand documents everything from fabric sourcing, design, silhouette creation, colour filling, pattern making, construction techniques, presentation on runway, behind-the-scenes to the collection landing in stores. Ensuring a fine balance between permanent and ephemeral content—post vs stories—Instagram has been an extremely advantageous medium for us to connect personally and interact directly with the customers, as it provides them with an opportunity for immediate call to action.”
The rise of homegrown fashion labels
It’s not just the bigger brands that are drawing the consumers’ attention; small homegrown brands have also been coming on the radar. “[Instagram] empowers small businesses and democratises opportunity, giving individuals, creators and emerging brands the ability to reach a global audience,” Eva Chen, director of fashion partnerships at Instagram, once told Vogue in an interview. Whether you accept it or not, fact is that Instagram has changed our perspective to fashion in the recent past—making it about so much more than scrolling through celebrity OOTDs and posting your own. It’ll be interesting to witness what’s in store for fashion enthusiasts next.
Also read:
Meghan Markle & Prince Harry’s Instagram account broke a world record
Sara Ali Khan on dating, weight loss and her secret Instagram account
Becoming Sabyasachi Mukherjee: A 20 year journey
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