The fashion world and the Internet have not always been the best of friends. When fashion bloggers like Bryan Boy and The Sartorialist first emerged on the scene in the early 2000s, they often had to sneak into runway shows or, on the off chance that they were actually invited, were relegated to the back seats with interns and assistants.
That has drastically changed.
Now, every magazine editor and major buyer uploads shaky videos of runway shows to their personal Instagrams. Luxury brands have finally opened up their sales to major online retailers like Net-a-porter, Moda Operandi, and Yoox. And in September 2014, three models—Cara Delevingne, Joan Smalls, and Karlie Kloss—appeared on the cover of U.S. Vogue, nicknamed the “Instagirls” for their career-defining use of Instagram.
The Spring 2016 Ready-to-Wear collections are capitalizing on their audiences’ (and customers’) hunger for content with savvy social media strategies. But it’s beyond a basic Facebook or Instagram presence; designers, tech companies, magazines, and bloggers alike are using the Internet in new and compelling ways that, if successful, prove that fashion will never again be able to disentangle itself from the Web.
That’s very clear at this year’s New York Fashion Week.
Instagram’s daily curation of best snaps
Although Instagram has featured curated collections of best images from events such as Comic-Con and Pride, this year will be the first time they’ve ever had a dedicated section to Fashion Week. Each evening, in Instagram’s “Explore” section, Instagram will post the best Fashion Week images on their platform of that day.
Tumblr’s first capsule collection
Blogging platform Tumblr has sent bloggers to Fashion Week for 10 seasons. To celebrate that anniversary, the company chose a select few to design a collection, which it will showcase at 339 West 38th Street in Manhattan Friday through Sunday. If you’re not in New York, you can purchase the collection online here.
Sam Cannon
Sam Cannon
Sam Cannon
Misha Nonoo’s “Insta-show”
British designer Misha Nonoo debuted her Spring show on Instagram Saturday morning, combining multiple images to craft a collage that utilizes the entire screen. “It’s a way to be authentic and speak to people,” the designer told Business of Fashion. “Everyone has his or her particular medium. For me, it’s Instagram.”
You can view the gorgeous presentation here.
Uber to give away tickets to Rag & Bone show
Runway shows are notoriously exclusive affairs. Invites are scarce and usually given only to the top buyers, editors, and celebrities favored by a brand. This year, however, is different, with social media making the events accessible to the masses and some designers even allowing the public in on a first-come, first-serve basis. The street-style brand Rag & Bone will be wading into the fray with a select number of tickets available on the Uber app Monday at 5:30pm. For full details, head over to Fashionista.
Photo via goMainstream/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
