By: Torre Taylor

Social media is affecting all areas of our lives and transforming industries all around us, including the fashion industry. Any designer, clothing company, or fashion enthusiast will be at a disadvantage if they do not begin voicing themselves via social media sites such as Twitter. Even top designers like the great Marc Jacobs are not only using Twitter, but using it effectively. Last year an astounding number of women were tweeting at Marc Jacobs to create a plus size line. Plus size has always been ignored by the world’s successful high fashion clothing lines, but at what cost? Marc Jacobs is a businessman as well as a fashion designer and any business person knows when there’s a demand, fill it. When the announcement reached Facebook it received more “likes” than ever before.

Many fashion designers and companies agree social media helps with branding and field research, but how much could this use of social media really be affecting their sales? Personally I always have a “wish list” of items on all my favorite clothing sites of clothes I would like to buy- but don’t feel I can afford to buy at the time. Suddenly “Forever21” tweets across my feed “Free shipping and 20% off all purchases made within the next 24 hours with code TSALE”. Many of those items on my wish list were then moved to my checkout cart and my credit card comes out. The four main things I have found the most effective use for fashion social media outlets are:

1.  Sales Promotions and Coupons

   2. Promoting a Specific Product 

   3.  Finding a need, and filling it! (Marc Jacobs!)

   4.   Building a brand voice

Stores such as “Ann Taylor”, who had struggled in past years, saw a boost in sales in 2010, a 16% rise in same-store sales for the second quarter. Many analysts agree it was the company’s aggressive use of social media that attracted these new sales. Another strong example about how fashion brands are acknowledging the growing need to incorporate social media into their marketing efforts in order to drive sales! Hopefully soon almost all companies will be getting on board!

Is it most beneficial to the companies? To you as shopper? Share your thoughts in comments below! ….And of course shop on fashionistas.