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/Fashion: What YouTube's New Vertical Means for Fashion

10/27/2019

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Source: YouTube
Move over Eva Chen, there’s another fashion veteran breaking into the social scene. 
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As an art form and a powerful vehicle for self-expression, fashion lends itself beautifully to visual content. While Instagram was quick to find ways to interact with brands in the fashion industry, YouTube was not as fast to adapt, but that is changing. Journalist, style expert and friend of fashion Derek Blasberg joined YouTube in June of 2018 as their first-ever head of fashion and beauty partnerships. A year later, the video giant is bringing high fashion to Gen Z with exclusive curated content.

According to Blasberg, YouTube’s /Fashion vertical aims to bring the best fashion and beauty content together in one location. Highlighting existing creators and new partnerships, /Fashion gives viewers behind-the-scenes looks into the world of couture through industry collaborations, runway live streams and vlogs from major players in the business of fashion. 

Before Blasberg, fashion brands interested in YouTube did not have anyone to consult or support their goals on the platform. Now, Blasberg is finding ways to connect brands, publications, models and content creators, bringing loyal YouTube watchers to fashion and fashion fans to YouTube. 
The cornerstone of /Fashion is Louis Vuitton and LVTV. Although their partnerships were initially met with some pushback from the high fashion community, Louis Vuitton has seamlessly incorporated Gen Z YouTubers into their strategy in order to introduce the next generation to their brand ethos. Blasberg matched Louis Vuitton with Emma Chamberlain and the Dolan Twins, content creators in their late teens with millions of subscribers and unique personal styles. Not only does the partnership bring legitimacy and gravitas to Chamberlain and the Dolans, it also shows Louis Vuitton’s acceptance of the digital age and Gen Z. 

The key to success on /Fashion? Brands need to think like creators, says Blasberg. Users come to YouTube for experiences they cannot get anywhere else, and for an industry that has a reputation for being glamorous and mysterious, fans crave a behind-the-scenes look. From the ateliers of Dior and Marc Jacobs to the lives of iconic it-girls like Alexa Chung and Naomi Campbell, /Fashion gives viewers an inside look into the real world of fashion. 

Although they are both in the social media and technology space, YouTube is not trying to come for Instagram; what they really want is to replace television. YouTube is the long-form video complement to Instagram’s easily-digestible clips and photos of fashion moments. Bringing live events, brand sneak-peeks and personal vlogs to one place, /Fashion is quickly becoming the go-to destination for digital fashion content.
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What is your favorite way to interact with fashion content? Are you excited about the /Fashion vertical? Who do you want to see on /Fashion? Share your thoughts below!
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Fashion Gets Creative with Sustainability

10/13/2019

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It is no secret that the fashion industry has a serious image problem. In everything from model diversity to animal rights, the fashion industry has a reputation for being on the wrong side of history and slow to adapt. However, there is one issue taking the industry by storm, impacting every level from fast fashion to haute couture: sustainability. Fashion is the second largest consumer of water and accounts for as much as 10 percent of global carbon emissions. Thanks to demands from strong-willed Millennial and Gen Z consumers, Spring 2020 collections finally showed the start of a commitment to eco-consciousness. Sustainability is multidimensional, and in a new age of awareness, some brands are beginning to emerge as pioneers.
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Source: Converse
We started to see a shift toward sustainability in fashion with the reuse of fabrics. As over $500 billion worth of clothes end up in landfills every year, some brands are finding ways to repurpose or “upcycle” textiles to minimize waste. In a partnership with European vintage giant Beyond Retro, Converse brings an unlikely companion to their famous Chuck Taylors. With Converse Renew Denim, old pairs of jeans are turned into uppers of sneakers, creating a sustainable, one-of-a-kind footwear experience for each customer. One pair of jeans can turn into at least one pair of sneakers, and not only is the fabric repurposed, but it also does not have to be broken down to be reused, lessening its footprint. While they cost $5 more than the classics, customers know that they are making an exclusive purchase they can feel good about.
While conversation continues to grow around fabrics, before this season, few people stopped to think about the environmental implications that come with producing a fashion show. Enter Gabriela Hearst: a New York designer who will forever be known as the first to present her collection with a carbon neutral show. Through initiatives like only using local models that would not have to fly in and lowering appliance use backstage, the designer did commit to a smaller footprint, but it is not currently possible to host a show that is completely carbon-free. That being said, her goal of neutrality was actualized through offsetting, or donating to other causes to reduce emissions around the world. For Hearst, this meant supporting the Hifadhi-Livelihoods Project in Kenya, providing families with modern cooktops to reduce the use of wood and the creation of fumes. As she brought her concept to life, Gabriela Hearst showed that any brand can make sustainability fit into their mission.
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Source: Vogue
As more brands announce sustainability initiatives, critics are quick to question the impact one change will make. The truth here is that no one can save the planet overnight. Fans of fashion are allowed to be excited that their favorite brands are taking responsibility, but there is certainly a long way to go. The key here will be making sure the trend does not pass, and it does not look like Gen Z is ready to give up this fight. 
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Do you think this is enough to create a real shift in the fashion industry? Who do you see getting creative with sustainability? Share your thoughts below!
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