I recently read a blog by Business of Fashion’s Career Team regarding what PR practitioners working in fashion must consider in 2023. I took copious notes while reading, given that fashion PR is the industry I hope to break into after graduating in a few weeks. The authors listed seven things regarding the fashion industry:
Are Luxury Brands Overexposed?
EU’s New Greenwashing Rules, Explained
The New Requirement for Landing Media Coverage
What Would a US TikTok Ban Mean for Fashion
The Simple Math Behind Monclear’s Genius Spectacles
The Complete Guide to Managing Markdown
What Beauty Can Learn Fram Booze
I recommend reading all the sections, but the two that stood out to me were the first and the fourth.
When reading about whether luxury brands are overexposed, I learned the critical difference between overexposed and ubiquity. Ubiquity means that it seems everywhere, but it’s not. And this made me think about how this is an essential distinction for PR practitioners because they are in charge of maintaining and creating a company’s brand. For example, luxury fashion houses like Chanel and Goyard are
built on desire and exclusivity. A typical consumer will not know the difference between overexposure and ubiquity, and that needs to be taken into account by PR practitioners. Luxury houses bet on a consumer only using one handbag per outfit, which means that the amount of times a bag is worn is minimized. However, with the rise of resale platforms, such as TheRealReal, which is great for consumers, luxury houses are nervous that this will increase the likelihood of a bag being worn more often than sitting in the closet of the original owner. I believe the best way to build exclusivity is to build desire and then demand. For example, Hermes has done a great job of this by having more accessible and exclusive products. The accessible products, like belts and jewelry, paired with excellent online and in-person service, create a desire for the public to return and buy more from the brand. Then, the desire turns into demand for the company to produce more exclusive products like the Birkin or Kelly bag. And even with this, the already sought-after bag has limited edition and exclusive lines.
The next section that stuck out to me was the TikTok Ban and how that would impact
the fashion industry. It is no question that TikTok has grown to be one of the most used apps around the nation, and, as most PR practitioners know, it is a vital aspect of any brand. As the article said, brands use TikTok to “connect with consumers, particularly younger ones.” TikTok allows for brand exposure as well as branding. A creator can post an OOTD (outfit of the day) and have his/her comments blow up with questions about where to buy the pieces shown. It can also create the brand’s vibe through aesthetic videos and impactful relationships with creators. If I were a social media director for a brand, I would hope that I was already cross-posting my TikToks onto Reels or Shorts, and if I hadn’t, I would start now. It is essential to have a backup plan. And even if TikTik is not banned, it’s simply more brand exposure.
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