Fast Fashion created massive profits for the brands that could keep up but the system was doomed to fail. After a decade of Fast Fashion and Streetwear, consumers were overwhelmed with choice and drowning in their own discarded wardrobes. Backlash also grew from the rising awareness of the deplorable environmental impact of Fast Fashion. The system was debasing wardrobes and killing the planet. By 2019 the system was already beginning to fall apart as fashion consumers became more discerning. Then, in March 2020, COVID-19 hit and leveled the fashion industry along with rest of the economy. The non-stop spending stopped.
COVID-19 has initiated a hard reset on the fashion industry and as of May 2020, no one is certain when it will turn back on. What is certain is that changes will have to be made. The post COVID-19 market will be very different than one that allowed Influencers to thrive over the past decade. Consumers will be aware of their previously misplaced trust and will be more selective with their spending. It will take more than followers and “likes” to drive sales. The three menswear oracles I followed down that rabbit hole represent a new breed of Influencer that will flourish in the coming decade. Artists and creators (reminder: we’re omitting proper celebrities here) will wield influence over consumers on social media. As with the pre-social media world, you will once again actually have to do something to gain the respect of consumers.
Menswear writers, editors, stylists, designers, and (perhaps most importantly) those who use goods in a professional capacity will be able to convince consumers that goods are worth buying. If you want to sell a particular suit then have a tailor endorse it rather than a barista with a well-curated Instagram. If you want to sell swimwear then have a professional surfer endorse it rather than a professional Youtuber. Now it is important that these creatives have a substantial social media footprint in order to effectively promote products. No matter how respected someone is in a particular field, they can’t sell you stuff if no one sees them. But social media has to be a secondary consideration and not the endorser’s primary notoriety. The style consumer has progressed to the point where you have to be very good at what you do AND have a social media following to have any real influence on shopping habits.
The onus is on the brand marketing teams to be much more selective with their budgets and who they choose to endorse their brand. Gone are the days where you can just throw money at followers and clickbait to boost sales. Real creatives in relevant fields have to be diligently selected. These creatives have to be passionate about both the brand’s products and their ethos, preferably before being approached by the brand. A strong working relationship must be cultivated between brands and the people chosen to represent them. Consumers have grown both weary and suspicious of Influencer marketing as it has existed for the past decade. Trust has to be earned all over again between brand and consumer. Only genuinely talented creatives who are respected in their fields can gain the trust of the consumer. These artists and creators will supplant the charlatans of past decade and become the new Influencers.