Democracy in Design: A Key to Brand Influence

Democratizing design is quite a big piece of grammar that is very important for the market success of your fashion business.

Well, it simply means ‘Style by the people and for the people’ a.k.a Creating fashion styles that are in tune with the buyers’ state of mind. This concept is important if you will have a place in the minds of the young buyers of fashion.

Move away from the traditional, top-down approach of telling your consumers what they should be wearing and instead involve them in co-creation. It is very important in today’s world to use new and established ways to interact with consumers — both online and offline — to ensure a constant dialogue through your creative journey, to ensure you don’t turn out products nobody wants to wear.

In the early 2000s, before sites such as Facebook existed, streetwear fans started online forums to discuss styles and brands that were not covered by mainstream fashion magazines. Now, Instagram is the dominant channel, with 96 percent of consumers in a recent survey using it to gather information on their fashion choices.

Here are top sources of inspiration, if you want to create fashion pieces for a young audience and you want it to resonate with them. Always remember that the crowd’s support plays a big role in determining who will succeed or not.

1. Social Media
2. On the street
3. Digital Fashion Publications
4. Physical Stores
5. Friends that know whats up!
6. Fashion Print Publications
7. Forums/Community of Designers