Do you remember the golden days, when mass production was at the peak? Popularized by Henry Ford, mass production was one of the most successful strategies of its time when customers were delighted with the lowest prices and standardized products marketed with the absolute uniformity. However, as time evolved and technology took a front seat in the economic growth, every vertical, including fashion, gradually started embracing tech in one or the other way. And, in recent decades, the advent of smartphones powered by terrific data speed has changed the equations for consumers as well as manufacturers. The trend that began with online shopping in fashion has now reached to an ultimate level where customers are designing their own clothes and businesses are producing on-demand.
From Mass Production to Personalization: From Tangibility to Intangibility
The journey from mass production to mass personalization has been mesmerizing. We began from a point where cost was the dominating factor and landed in the era where pricing doesn’t matter as long as consumers are receiving highly engaging experience. What matter are the sentiments that customers are developing with the brands by crafting and shaping the products and services they buy. Contemporary customers do not consume for the sake of consumption; instead, they consume for status signaling and self-pride. This is the turning point for brands as they are now not selling merely products; instead, they are offering ways to foster the emotions and personalities of consumers.
However, technology not only brought advancements but also retreat in some contexts. For example, the fashion industry is notorious for emitting more greenhouse gases than aviation and shipping combined, invariably bringing ecologically sensitive fashion bloggers, buyers, admirers, critics, and players on a common platform. The implication is that customers are moving towards sustainable fashion that is circular and viable with a reduced carbon footprint. And, here again, personalization comes into the picture. A customer would love to adorn a blazer or suit with his initials imprinted on it without worrying if the style is in trend or not.
Similarly, nobody would ever want to give up a T-shirt that was received as a gift with a personalized message. This is the swag of personalization, powerful enough to turn the fashion drift. This exemplifies how personalization is more about emotions and intangibility than buying the products available off-the-shelves.
Customization: Favorite Fashion Trend of Millennials and Gen Z
Customization is a philosophy that believes in creating a unique value proposition for every customer. Customization is a subset of personalization where customers can customize a pre-existing product by applying designs, prints, images, colors, monograms, and texts.
With ultra-sophisticated tools in the market that can help online and offline customers to become fashion designers, fashion companies are enticing millennials and Gen Z population with exclusive designs. Whether apparel, footwear, or jewelry; companies are extending opportunities to customize them as per their preferences.
Retailers are tapping into this privileged experience by creating meaningful engagements for their customers. They are adopting a direct-to-consumer business model where customers do not need to enter into the realm of haute couture to enjoy luxury fashion. They can create their own using ultra-modern technologies and flaunt their creative liberty. Thus, customization is altering the landscape of fashion as millennials and Gen Zers are creating irreplicable ensemble embellished with feelings.
Personalization: Fashion one step ahead
Personalization is all about shoppers. It strives to deliver a genuinely singular shopping experience to users by giving them complete freedom to design apparel or accessory from scratch. The fashion companies are taking the love of bespoke clothing to a new level by playing on the personalization card.
One-on-one personalization has become a holy grail, and brands are competing hard to achieve it. They are offering the best-in-class experience to their customers by allowing them to choose everything right from fabric to pattern to accent. By relying on machine learning and data-driven capabilities, brands are tailoring personalized recommendations and experiences to engage their customers.
Personalization is and will continue to rule the roost because it has the potential of delivering value. And modern customers crave for brands that help them to reflect their values while maintaining the style charm. They like to stay loyal with the businesses with purpose, those who stand for their mission. The increasing demand for signature items and exclusive embellishments is motivating brands to embrace innovative business models to serve these unique needs. Thus, personalized fashion is not only about flaunting one’s persona; it is about ideals and beliefs that one believes in when he/she choose to titivate himself/ herself with a specific brand’s collection.
What’s in for Fashion Retailers?
The speed with which customization and personalization are spreading their wings in the industry, the time is not far when every fashion retailer will trade on these models. And those who turn their backs may be thrown out of the competition as customers and their preferences dictate the current economy. Gone are the days when seasonal fashion was desperately awaited. Even the luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Gucci, Dior, Dolce Gabbana, and other label designers are showcasing the power of personalized outfits on the runway and extending the privilege for their customers.
The love for non-conformity and desire to stand out of the crowd has brought modern customers to an entirely new level. They are investing in a personalized fashion, a fashion that speaks for them, a fashion that is sustainable and a fashion that can never go out of the style. It is the high time when fashion retailers and entrepreneurs must offer hyper-personalization and let their customers feel extra special.
Katalyst Software Services Limited can Help
The dynamics of the fashion industry are changed as we have moved from push to pull economy. Instead of pushing products based on forecasts, fashion is now pulled as per the demand. The journey has been beautiful, but now we are here in the age of tech-driven fashion, enabling customers to personalize their style.
If you are playing in the fashion industry and are keen to remain abreast with trends while becoming a top of the mind recall brand, Katalyst can be your ideal tech partner. We offer state-of-the-art customization solutions with the seamless capability to customize fashion apparel and accessories. Our reputed product iDesigniBuy is a one-stop solution for your customization needs. With immense expertise and profound knowledge of industry trends, our experts are staunched to catalyze your voyage as you sail to deliver an ultimate personalized experience to your valued customers.
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