How is the Fashion Industry Adapting to the New Consumers?

As if the ever-changing trend game is not enough for the world of fashion, keeping up with the many changes that affect this industry requires understanding their root causes.

In addition to the seasonality of the industry, which drives its need for change and innovation, the receiving end of this spectrum also plays a creative role in the process – the consumers. Now that millennials and similar younger generations are reshaping everything from the shopping process to the ways we perceive beauty, the industry keeps seeking out different ways to adapt.

The following are just some of the most dominant ways in which fashion is doing its absolute best to find its footing and stay relevant in the eyes of the modern buyers – because now more then ever, they are also the designers of fashion as much as its consumers.

Going Green

All-natural may be the latest buzzword all over the globe, and in every possible industry, from food, skincare, all the way to fashion. Why? Because the modern consumer is increasingly aware of the impact the industry has on the direction in which the planet is headed, which is bleak, to say the least. In the wake of climate change, global warming, and loose labor laws, the modern consumer has begun putting a much greater value on brands and designers that put their values first.

That said, it has become a new norm for brands to openly advertise their fair-trade policy together with their transparent fashion choices, such as using organic and locally-sourced versus imported and harmful. After all, a more Earth-conscious approach has long lacked from the fashion ranks, and it’s finally becoming the new must-have feature of brands that want to succeed.

Speeding Things Up

As our lives approach the speed of light, the need to find faster, more convenient ways to experience and shop fashion is growing. Luckily, the world of technology already offers a handy solution in the shape of online stores, which more brands are utilizing in their chase after glory.

The modern consumer will even gladly talk to their friends and family online and follow in their footsteps based on their own feedback regarding their fashionable decisions. Advertisements no longer have a place in the world of vibrant social media, while online shopping paired with brick-and-mortar has become the main outlet for the modern fashion consumer.

Styled by Influencers

If Kylie Jenner wears it, half of the world desires it. This simple, but effective fashion mindset is driven by the digital explosion, where celebrities, fashion icons, and up-and-coming social media influencers are the key driving force of sales. To incorporate this into their strategies, for instance, many swimwear brands proudly share with their audience the names of all the stars who have worn their latest collections.

Ladies such as the Kardashian sisters, models such as the aforementioned Kylie and her best friends in the business, the Hadid sisters, as well as a whole slew of movie stars have become the modern consumer’s go-to idols for the next season’s favorite wears. Once you see a Kardashian wearing a bikini, you’ll understand why so many young women rush to buy the same model online.

Authenticity Front and Center

It may seem that being a style copycat is all the rage considering the influencer game, but the contrary is in fact true. Influencers offer variety, while brands ensure authenticity. Perhaps ripped denim is the fashionable equivalent of rebellious, but it comes in a wide array of shapes and forms one can construct into a unique style.

All of a sudden, your ordinary-looking oversized white sweater turns into a staple by Stella McCartney, whose fashion design reflects all of the values respected by the modern customer. This single garment is the epitome of their beliefs as well as their minimalist tendencies that leave plenty of stylish wiggle room to accessorize for effect. Simplicity, thus, is no longer an obstacle to authentic self-expression.

Beauty Redefined

Together with the green movement and cause-driven fashion creation, the modern consumer has switched to an entirely different model of aesthetics. Inclusion and diversity are now the fashion industry’s prerequisite for deserving and retaining love, respect, and loyalty of each modern consumer.

The slim, Caucasian, generic look is no longer the industry’s only representation – and while we’re still a long way from the ideal level of equality, designers have shown significant changes in their collections over the last few years. Plus-size, transgender, African-American models, you name it, the industry is striving to elevate fashion to a new level of empowering.

.Guest post written by Claire Hastings – Claire is a wanderer and a writer. She writes as long as she can remember, and she is very passionate about fashion, running, other cultures, and her cat.