As the fashion industry continues to evolve at a remarkable pace, it’s impossible to ignore the impact of the digital age. From club-hopping catwalks to unstoppable social media influence, the fashion industry has altered the way the world consumes clothes and how designers connect with their audience. As our society shifts to the digital age, fashion has paved the way for new and more innovative ways to express personal style. We break down the progression of fashion from the runway to social media, and take a look at the digital age’s lasting impact.

1. Welcome to the Digital Age of Fashion

As a generation that’s completely comfortable with an online presence, embracing digital fashion is easy! We’ve seen fashion collaborating with tech companies, from smartwatches to sneakers, to revolutionize the way we dress. Here’s how digital fashion is life-changing.

• Trend Alerts and Shopping – Gone are the days of designing for a season and waiting months for it to hit the racks. With digital fashion, trends go from catwalk to consumers in a matter of days.
• Personalization – With the rise of “made-to-measure” design, individuality and self-expression are key players in fashion. Clothes that actually fit our bodies and personalities can now be found all across the web.
• More for Less – Thanks to digital fashion, eco-friendly materials are now an affordable option. We can purchase clothes that not only look great but are beneficial for the planet, without breaking the bank!

The digital age of fashion is breaking the boundaries of what’s expected of us. We no longer have to subscribe to a certain aesthetic or style, we can express ourselves however we wish.

From the increased accessibility to custom design to the wide range of upcycled and sustainable materials, digital dressers have more options than ever. Anything you can imagine can be made and sent directly to your door. No more waiting for what’s “in fashion”; you can now create and curate your own style.

Embrace digital fashion for a quicker, more efficient, and trendier way of dressing!

2. From the Runway to Social Media

Fashion has been able to transcend physical runways and is now a major influencer on social media. The immediacy of how quickly fashion can be shared and admired virtually has resulted in a snowball effect for fashion designers, individuals, and brands alike.

From the catwalks of Fashion Week and select designer brand shows, all the way through to users on social media, fashion is being imagined and shared more than ever before. Individual styles are blossoming through a variety of different outlets, providing a never-ending source of inspiration for both fashion-savvy and inexperienced crowds alike.

More and more, fashion trends on social media are being created and lead by individuals; celebrities such as Lady Gaga and Rihanna, have huge followings and act as trend setters for us. Even with the power to make all our dreams become reality, many avid fashion followers are accessing a more budget-friendly, street style approach.

A Runway for Everybody

• To be seen and seen to be fashionable
• From Saturday night parties to weekday morning meetings
• From runway to Instagram, follow or be followed

Sites such as Pinterest and Instagram has reformatted the way fashion is being displayed and shared, causing a resurgence in fashion trends that were once thought forgotten. Platforms such as these have made it much more accessible for followers around the world to keep up with the ever changing, and sometimes unpredictable, nature of fashion.

3. How Digitalization is Transforming Our Sense of Style

Gone are the days of scouring dress shops in search of that perfect suit. Thanks to the digital age – or “digitalization” – our sense of style has undergone a drastic transformation.

No longer are we restricted by limited choices. We now have access to an unprecedented range of styles from all over the world, all available to view, qualify and purchase in a matter of clicks. With this newfound freedom to compare and find the trends and styles we love, digitalization has not only improved our relationship with fashion, but also empowered us to express our individual styles.

Wardrobe Customization
We now have access to websites and apps that offer personalized style advice — from clothing and hairstyle recommendations to entire wardrobe design capabilities. These digital tools arm us with a wealth of knowledge, helping us better understand the trends and latest developments in fashion, from assessing the fit of the clothing to recognizing the history behind certain styles.

3D Fashion
3D technology is playing an increasingly important role in digital transformation, particularly in the apparel industry. As one of the few sectors still predominated by physical products, it is gradually leveraging this new technology to create virtual dressing rooms, much like ”digital fitting rooms”, giving us the ability to try on clothes without actually putting them on.

Robotizing Production Cycles
From artificial intelligence-enabled tailoring solutions to robotic factory solutions and automated production cycles, digitalization is drastically changing the manufacturing side of the fashion cycle. This could automate large parts of the production process and increase both quality and efficiency. It could also reduce the waste associated with “long-tail” fashion, in which designers and brands produce increasingly niche products in very short runs.

As digitalization continues to transform our sense of style, we must embrace this new era of fashion with open arms and minds.

4. Finding Inspiration In the Virtual Sphere

As we move more of our life and work online, inspiration can still be found in new, and overlooked, places. By taking the time to explore our digital networks, to browse digital archives – we can uncover a world of creativity and new ideas. Here are four ways in which we may uncover digital inspiration:

• Follow the News Cycle: Keeping up with the news is a great way to stay in the loop, and also to gain a different perspective on things. There’s no shortage of topics to explore, and most online news sources provide opinion pieces and stories from different angles, allowing you to create meaningful connections that can inspire.
• Search for TED Talks: Offering a platform for thinkers from a countless array of professions, TED Talks are a great way to get an insightful overview of any topic you can think of. The short talks provide an in-depth perspective on different disciplines, and you never know what kind of sparks they’ll ignite.
• Browse Popular Social Media Platforms: Despite the well-documented potential dangers of online platforms, they can be a great source of digital inspiration in their own right. The sheer quantity and diversity of content can be a great way to get out of a creative rut.
• Network with like-minded creators: While it’s fun to explore the digital stratosphere independently, don’t underestimate the power of connecting with other people who enjoy similar creative pursuits. By networking on social media, it is easy to meet kindred spirits with different perspective that can help nurture a concept or bring it to life.

The virtual sphere provides endless routes for discovery, and by allowing yourself to explore the untapped potential of the web, you can reignite passion and enrich your work. When it comes to creativity, it pays to be creative, and the web is the perfect platform to put this into practice.

The digital age has had a drastic impact on fashion, from the runway to a designer’s presence online. Technology has changed fashion for the better, allowing designers to gain a larger audience and giving individuals more options as to how express their personal style and creativity. As the technology moves forward, so will the opportunities within the fashion world—the possibilities seem endless.