Clothing and Advertisement

In the clothing industry, the introduction of the internet has revolutionized the way smaller labels conduct business.  The artists of different areas are now known worldwide, the major revolution that has begun over the past two years has been online distribution.  Clothing labels no longer need to rely on getting their brands in major retailers across the United States.  Online distro’s such as www.karmaloop.com, www.cmonwealth.com and www.caliroots.com make it easier for less known niche market clothing companies to get their product into their buyer’s arms without having to worry about the expense of a brick and mortar store.  It has allowed labels with a very particular market to reach that market quickly and efficiently.  It also spans the world, clothing labels such as Original Fake may not be located in the United States but are able to ship and sell to them as if they are across the street.  This is something, which has never been possible before and is quickly becoming the norm in business.

One company that is constantly changing the way independent clothing labels function is Karmaloop.  They are not a clothing company themselves, but they are a distributor of a multitude of independent and non-mainstream clothing companies.  If you talk to anyone who knows about streetwear they will know the name of Karmaloop.  They do not market to the mainstream; you may see a banner ad here and there on hypebeast.com or on Google when you search ‘streetwear.’ But they do effectively integrate into multiple different platforms.  They have blogs, which feature some of the labels they carry, as well as shoe companies and things of the nature.  They also have an iPhone app, which allows you to browse their store on the go.

There are a multitude of digital trends that affect my company today I will be discussing three: aggregators, online stores and blogs.  First: aggregators.  Aggregators such as www.hypebeast.com and www.highsnobiety.com give smaller clothing companies a place to preview and create buzz about their new products and lines.  Many clothing companies utilize these tools to help release teasers, video’s and upcoming projects.  They offer a free way to market your product through creative means.  Your given an opportunity to advertise, for free, your upcoming clothing line.  The best part about it is, that the only people looking are people who are actually interested in your product and what you have to say.  It is an ideal situation.  Next, the online store is the best way to give access to your consumer base. You don’t need to be located in a specific city anymore.  You can reach your customers all over the globe, which allows you to market internationally and have an extremely diverse market.  Finally, blogs allow you to market towards someone without blatantly marketing towards them.  Lifestyle brands are one of the latest and greatest things and it allows you to connect to your client base without screaming in their faces.  They allow your consumer to feel a connection with your brand, which in turn, allows you to slowly introduce more of your products into their life.