With the advancement in technology, every industry seems to have benefitted with the use it, and the fashion industry is not to be left out. Industry experts believe that the Internet of Things and additive manufacturing will bring in a change in manufacturing. Add to that, with the help of the IT sectors, and this will have a significant impact in the fashion industry, resulting in its evolution and new style.
Fashion and technology go hand in hand as they both have a lot in common. A few of these common features of fashion and technology are:
- They both seem to be continually changing and growing and hence keeping up with both is essential at all times
- Early adopters of both seem to have a cutting edge in trends as compared to others who do not and take time to adjust to the novel potentials
- New trends in both typically emerge like clockwork continually at certain times of the year and
- Shows are organized now and then for both so that interested people can know about the latest launches in the market.
This means that when these two come together as it is seen increasingly nowadays, innovative and truly interesting changes are sure to take flight.
It is seen that the collusion of fashion and technology has resulted in the manufacturing of 3D-printed clothes.
- Some of these are almost of the space age when it comes to patterns designs and construction.
- Some of these are seamless with respect to its cloth-like and woven structure, on the other hand.
- Some are also there that resembles actual work of art and are good enough to parade down the pathway of haute couture.
Apart from the clothes, this integration of fashion and technology has also resulted in smart technologies that help people to use connected wearable devices such as fitness trackers and other Internet of Things. It has also given rise to couture connected dresses even.
What is even more interesting is that with the use of nanoparticles, several researchers and designers are exploring new ways to print conductive textiles and fabrics, something which will make it possible to wear clothes that are both connected and 3D-printed one day.
Other impacts of technology in fashion
If you thought that is all that technology can do to fashion, think again. Apart from the trendy clothes and stylish gadgets, technology has also impacted on the nitty-gritty details of fashion. These advanced technologies have influenced almost all aspects of manufacturing of clothing materials, including the way in which these are:
- Designed
- Processed
- Produced
- Marketed
- Sold and
- Shipped
Helping in the logistics in all these aspects, fashion industries and brands have hit the runway to success. With the use of connected technology and data, the fashion makers get the desired power to reach out to their customers in a much more convincing and productive way. They have different channels to increase their customer outreach, such as:
- The in-store beacons
- The online stores and
- Mobile apps.
With the help of the data and accurate analytics, they can now know more about the behavior, demographics, buying pattern, and history of the customers. Accordingly, they deliver their products and at the same time, foster more effective and efficient interactions with their customers.
- Technology has even enabled fashion brands to:
- Streamline their process and planning
- Reduce waste by proper design and
- Ensuring a better buying process and experience for their customers.
Just like technology helps the web developers to create custom designs for their clients to optimize their marketing efforts, improve SEO, and get free Instagram likes, technology in fashion has also brought in customized designs.
Developments that will shape fashion
The fashion and textile industry is a dynamic industry where something or the other happens all through the year. Some of these developments that you should make clear notice of include:
Automation is the key now in this industry that will allow the fashion brands and manufacturers to:
- Cut their cost of production and at the same time it will
- Increase production and efficiency, as well.
Technologies like Textiles 4.0 have made impressive developments in the fashion industry already, with more such in the pipeline.
Election of Trump and Trans-Pacific Partnership or TPP also played a significant role in the fashion industry and its performance. The first thing that Trump did after being sworn in as the American President was to pull out of the TPP. This means that TPP without the US is almost a non-starter, though a few countries still wanted to go ahead. This will have a relatively minimal impact on global trade, fashion included. Add to that, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, RCEP, still being a far cry, trade front is undoubtedly going to take a hit and remain uncertain.
Some other effectsÂ
Political, economic, and social developments all over the world have affected every business sector, including the fashion and apparel industry, which is a significant contributor to the economy of any nation.
One significant factor that has affected the business sector is the price of oil, which is on the rise once again. Major petroleum producers cut down on their production to deal with such rise, which eventually has a direct influence on inflation. This will, therefore, impact consumer spending as well indirectly. However, the textiles and apparel industry try to make the best of the price slump interregnum, but many countries failed simply due to the deterring duties on MMF or man-made fibers.
Brexit, on the other hand, came as a shock to the world of business, and once again, the fashion industry was the first one to take the hit. This move by the European Union forced investors to lose millions and created a massive gap in the textiles and fashion industry on a global scale.
However, even after all these developments, some good and some bad, fashion, and fashion industries both seem to evolve continually, keeping up to the changes. It is all due to the power of fashion to sustain such challenges to meet the expectations of the people.