The Marriage of Fashion and Technology: One Size Does Not Fit All
Posted by Amanda McLaughlin on Feb 28, 2018
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I bought something at Pinkyotto for the first time last weekend on Newbury Street in Boston. I have seen their stores in New York but never had the time to stop in. In my recent visit I discovered that many of their styles are “one size fits all.” This worked quite nicely for a few pieces I tried on, with others making me want to throw out the snacks in my purse and hit the gym immediately. In the words of Carrie Bradshaw, “I couldn’t help but wonder…” does one size really fit all?
If you’ve been to a fashion show recently or seen photos of them in the news, you know that the top buyers, editors, and influencers often view the show through the lens of mobile. Regardless of their position in the front row, everything must be captured on their smartphone, whether it’s for sharing on social media or not. Beyond the smartphones in the audience, technology has been omnipresent at Fashion Week for a number of years, from wearables to virtual try on to drones carrying handbags. And let us all remember the Chanel Data Center circa 2016 in Paris. What works for one brand does not always translate for another, but it’s clear that mobile must be integrated into retail strategy.
Each season in Fashion Weeks around the world, we witness integration between fashion and tech. Similarly, we’re observing the integration of technology, or rather the dominance of technology, across retail as a whole. We see how consumers learn about and interact with a brand, how store associates process transactions and fulfill orders, and how it all works in the backend through order management. Brands and retailers have fully recognized the need to integrate technology to assist with not only digital but physical experiences as well. But no two brands are the same. Despite the chosen path to omnichannel – it could start with endless aisle, store pickup, clienteling, or mobile checkout – it’s important to keep the consumer at the center of their universe and remember that one size does not always fit all.
