DTC Dispatch #013

LATEST NEWS

Has fashion marketing become boring?

Fashion marketing has long been a playground for the avant-garde, but increasingly, a sense of monotony has settled in, leaving creativity to take a backseat to the comfort of the familiar. Luxury brand campaigns are now more likely to look like paparazzi shots straight from the pages of a gossip site or magazine. Does this intersection of celebrity and the commonplace diminish the imagination of luxury fashion?

Our take: Fashion marketing can take different forms, depending on your channel and your audience. On social platforms, real-life situations engage viewers more and position products within situations that are real and relatable, which, in turn, can drive more emotional connection. Additionally, few fashion brands are pushing themselves, and creatives working in the space can feel frustrated. Time and time again, the surprise element in fashion marketing reigns supreme. We hope to see some innovative techniques this year in the luxury marketing sector.

Fashion is already trying to cash in on Apple’s Vision Pro

Apple’s Vision Pro released on Friday at a cost of $3,499, and fashion and beauty companies created apps for it at launch, such as Mytheresa, J.Crew, and E.l.f Cosmetics. The product blends augmented realty and virtual reality, allowing users to layer digital objects over the physical world or inhabit a fully virtual space.

Mytheresa’s app transports users to immersive virtual locations. The goal was to create an emotional experience they couldn’t get from a standard e-commerce site. Customers are able to purchase directly in the Vision Pro app, though they’ll need to pay using Apple Pay. J.Crew’s app introduces a virtual closet with a curated selection of products for users to explore.

Our take: Technology and fashion continue to find ways to partner with each other to make new experiences for consumers. This latest attempt by Apple allows customers to virtually try on products and shop all in one place. Due to the expensive nature of the technology, it can be predicted that those who buy the Vision Pro are also high spenders in fashion and luxury.

Glow Recipe’s unreleased Hue Drops are already going viral based on a TikTok leak

On January 16, the influencer Aysha Harun (458,000 followers) posted a video to TikTok labeled, “Did I accidentally get sent an unreleased Glow Recipe product?” Due to the post going viral, the brand had to pivot from its original launch strategy for the product and figure out how to proceed.

The new product — a bronzing, tinted version of Glow Recipe’s many-times-viral Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops Serum — wasn’t set to launch until February 23. By February 2, Harun’s video has 3.2 million views and over 4,000 comments.

Our take: Social media, and especially TikTok, can cause viral moments for brands instantaneously and without warning. Harun’s video shows how easily a brand or product can be thrown into the spotlight on social media. Glow Recipe plans to go forward with its original marketing plan it had in place for Hue Drops. Due to Harun’s video, the excitement and anticipation for the product is high and will be selling out in stores quickly!

Carhartt’s new women’s line is making hard-working gear soft

Carhartt, whose roots reach back to 1889, has long been known for men’s workwear and a rugged aesthetic. With that being said, the brand is not new to women’s — having sold women’s coveralls for industry workers in 1917 and launched a full line of women’s products in 1998 — but the company’s latest offering represents “a more concerted effort” to focus on the customer base, according to Samantha Denton, vice president of the women’s business at Carhartt. The new line features T-shirts and sweatshirts made with Tencel, a fiber that is lightweight, breathable and soft.

Our take: This is a continuation in recent trends where men’s and women’s fashion increasingly cross over. As a brand that predominantly produces men’s apparel, it is a smart choice for Carhartt to produce new lines for women. Could this be Carhartt’s Stanley Cup moment?

Poshmark CEO talks resale trends and the future of live shopping

Poshmark is just over a year out from the close of its acquisition by South Korean search engine Naver. The company promised to level up Poshmark’s tech, and delivered with the introduction of Posh Shows, Poshmark’s live shopping feature. All the while, consumers were pulling back on spending, retailers were changing their return policies to improve their bottom lines, and the trend cycle was rapidly evolving. These changes changes led to an evolution in the way products are sold on Poshmark.

With the support of Naver, Poshmark will dive deep into expanding its tech, particularly across search and discovery and personalization, as well as using AI to keep streamline the product listing process, CEO Manish Chandra stated. Additionally, Chandra notes the importance of live-streaming commerce for growth, and how the US has begun to see momentum in the space on platforms like TikTok. Poshmark will continue expanding their live shopping features with the expansion of their tech and consumer base.

Our take: Fast fashion has taken the world by storm, but like its name, doesn’t last long. Poshmark acts as an online thrift store, allowing consumers to buy other’s used fashion items. With further advancements in the resale industry and technology, we can start to see new trends emerge in the space in 2024.

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