How to Make Your Fashion Brand Stand out: Thrive in a Competitive Market
Fashion is a rapidly-growing industry. There are new trends every year or within a quarter. Apparel, with an estimated revenue of $684 billion in 2025, is the largest category within fashion ecommerce. You’ll also encounter a lot of competition in this booming sector. For your brand to be successful in a saturated market, it must establish a strong identity.
We will be sharing the latest information about fashion today with eight tips for fashion brands to embrace a bold identity.
The fashion industry is becoming more competitive.
Fashion businesses are expanding across many sectors — from local brands to global brands, wholesalers and retailers. The rise of second-hand thrifting stores, which have gained popularity with price- and sustainability-minded buyers, is another reason. With more fashion companies, customers have more choices.
These diverse business models have helped make the fashion industry more competitive. In this ever-changing industry, innovation is vital.
There has been an increase in the use of mobile and online platforms.
Fashion is a major B2C segment when it comes down to ecommerce. COVID-19 has led to many people moving away from shopping in-store to shop online. The new norm is to scroll through catalogs, select items, and check out online. Fashion brands are looking for ways to offer customers an omnichannel shopping experience.
There has been a shift towards mobile platforms as well. Google’s study found that 59% said mobile shopping is important in deciding which brands to shop with. Numerous mobile apps have been created to cater for such large numbers of potential customers, such as Shopee and Amazon. Many large businesses also have their own native app.
Customers now consider ethical and sustainable sourcing in their purchasing decisions.
Fashion, one of the biggest industries in the globe, is often criticized for its lack of sustainability and other ethical principles. A report from UNECE has shown that fashion is responsible for 10% of all global carbon dioxide emissions. People are more aware of the negative effects on the environment from clothing production as well as the conditions at sweatshops. These people are choosing to shop less and more responsiblely for their favorite fashion brands.
How to Make Your Fashion Brand Stand out
To adapt to changes in consumer behavior, retailers in every industry must be flexible. How can brands adapt to these changes in the fashion industry and stay ahead of the curve?
Clearly identify your target customers
Fashion is a large industry. Knowing your niche will help you stay on track. It isn’t a good idea to have a clothing company for middle-aged women, but a marketing strategy that targets young adults.
Understanding the purpose of your brand is crucial. Do you want to sell clothing for all age groups? Or just a certain subset of people. This applies to all customer groups, regardless of their age, gender, hobby, or other characteristics. Your target will help you identify your unique selling points, which can be used to differentiate your brand from the rest.
You don’t have to limit your customer base. One shop that is open to all members of the family, for instance, isn’t less competitive than others. Brands must communicate their message to customers effectively in any case.
Multiple channels are allowed to shop
As we have already mentioned, the shift towards ecommerce has been one of the most significant trends in the fashion industry. But customers still shop across many channels including mobile, in-store, social commerce, and marketplaces. Fashion brands need to be able to reach customers wherever they shop and enable seamless transitions across channels. Combining online and offline stores can expand customer base and improve brand influence. Apart from physical stores, you might also want to consider running your own website, creating a social media account, or using online marketplaces.
B-Wear Sportswear is a great example of how to shift from offline to digital. B-Wear was selling only in their physical stores prior to 2018. BigCommerce allowed the company to expand its ecommerce business and saw an 81% rise in site traffic and revenue.
To find the best platforms for your customers and market, do some research. Globally, the preferred social media platform for shopping is different.
Multi-store management tools are used by fashion retailers to ensure that everything runs smoothly, despite the complexity involved in providing an omnichannel experience.
Create an omnichannel shopping experience.
Fashion consumers today have very different shopping habits across platforms, as mentioned previously. Before actually shopping in-store, they might go online to window shop or look at the brand’s social channels. Sterling Brands, Ipsos Media CT, Google and Ipsos Media CT found that as many as 42% of shoppers still access online information when shopping in-store. It is important to ensure that you offer multiple channels as well as an integrated omnichannel experience. This will help you stand out.
An omnichannel experience is made up of individual touchpoints that are connected across multiple shopping channels. Customers can purchase online and pick up the item at an offline location.
Building an omnichannel company requires many tasks, including increasing touchpoints and inventory management. With the most recent technological advancements, this process has been simplified. For example, a POS system can be connected to multiple channels and provide real time information about product availability. ConnectPOS, which allows click-and-collect as well as mobile shopping via their PWA app, is an excellent POS system for fashion brands.
Create a consistent brand image
Ask yourself this question: What would you do to communicate your brand to other people?
It is crucial to have a consistent image for fashion brands. Everyone knows that Nike is designed for athletes with all skill levels. Gucci is known for modernity and elegance. Fashion brands need to decide what style they want to create, and this should be done in conjunction with their target customers. It could be the overall brand style, or it can be a specific look for a specific collection.
It is important to have a consistent brand image in order to communicate to consumers that your company is different from other competitors. Lucidpress’s report shows that consistent branding can increase revenue by 33%. You should maintain consistency across multiple communication channels, including using the same brand logo and the same color palette. These elements will become familiar over time, creating a unique ‘look and ‘feel’ for the brand.
Fashion companies need to follow the brand from beginning to end in order for it not only to be consistent but also to keep it fresh. This means that both employees and the public should see the brand image clearly. Many fashion shops have high levels of interaction with customers. For example, customers may ask for sizes and colors as well as advice from the staff. Your brand image requires that you train your staff in how to communicate with customers both in stores and online.
Pay attention to your social responsibility.
The social responsibility of fashion brands has been better understood by consumers. PwC found that 64% of customers decide to purchase or boycott a brand on the basis of its position on social or political issues. These social responsibilities include sustainability, ethics, social inclusion, and other issues.
There have been many pollution issues in the fashion industry, especially in fast fashion. Many have criticized the use of toxic chemicals to make fabrics and waste materials in order to mass-produce clothing. sodium hydroxide
Low wages are another problem. The Oxfam 2019 survey shows that less than 1 percent of Bangladeshi and Vietnamese garment workers are able to make a living wage. Fast fashion brands have been accused of violating human right in sweatshops. This is where workers are forced to work in unsafe conditions and subject to harsh chemicals.
It’s clear now that fashion brands must uphold the highest standards in social responsibility if they want to stand out. The quality of clothing and the fashion styles they are made from matter, but so does the social responsibility. Heist Studios has a sustainability strategy. “We’ve also committed that all tights that are produced going forward will be sustainable. Slowly rolling into only sustainable tights.”
Keep your core values in mind.
86% say authenticity is the main factor in deciding their favorite brands. It is important that core values are central to every business activity and not just something that is listed in the ‘About us’ section. Instead of what you believe people want to hear, they should be the core values of your brand.
If it is committed to its core values, a fashion brand can win the hearts of many customers. When you claim that your materials are eco-friendly or have them made from recycled materials, ensure that you do thorough research and then implement it in the manufacturing process.
It is crucial to build trust and maintain loyal customers by being honest in everything you say and do. It’s the best way for a company to grow over time.
Tell your brand story.
A fashion brand can tell a story and make it personal. This is another way to be creative. Storytelling is a great way to bring emotions up and also give meanings to accessories or clothes you sell. You can share your motivations or special mission with your customers by sharing them. Stories can be told in many ways using online platforms and visual components. Stories can help you build a relationship with your customers and improve your brand image.
Focus on the product’s quality.
Before a brand can be considered bold, it must first meet the basics. Your brand’s marketing efforts will not be effective if your clothing doesn’t meet customer expectations. You must ensure that your products are quality checked from the beginning.
These fundamental requirements can include the material’s feel, durability and origins. You want to ensure you get the highest quality products within your price range. Customer satisfaction is the most important factor in bringing back customers. Promoting can bring in new customers but it is the product quality that keeps them loyal.
Wrapping Up
A lot of effort is required to create a great fashion brand. The most important things to remember are being authentic in your words and actions, as well as using technology/online platforms. We believe innovation is key to success in a rapidly changing industry.