From the Runway to Our For You Page

How high-fashion brands and models have become more open and engaged with fans via TikTok.

Over the past several years, the app “TikTok” has risen to fame and become one of the most highly used social media platforms of all time. I mean, how many times have I heard myself or someone say “I saw this thing on TikTok…”. TikTok has taken reign over all other social media apps and changed the game. Originally an app for dancing/ lip synching, TikTok rebranded itself to become a platform in which 15 second or less videos about literally anything could be uploaded and shared.

TikTok saw a spike in popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic back in 2020 as all young social media users were stuck at home and found comfort in the mindless scrolling of the TikTok “For You Page”.

I, for one, am guilty of being sucked into the vortex of this newer social media platform. It’s just too easy to scroll through my personally curated feed and enjoy the entertainment it brings.

Designer brands are active on TikTok, what is going on???

Ever since TikTok made its mark on our world during the pandemic , millions of users have shared a wide variety of videos ranging from beauty life hacks to aesthetic montage videos. With that being said, one of the industries that saw great influence in TikTok is the fashion industry. Due to the pandemic shut-down of major in-person events, fashion brands had to find other ways to promote their new lines of clothing and interact with consumers. In a Vogue article, Christine Allaire mentions that “...labels including Saint Laurent and Louis Vuitton are live-streaming their fashion shows on it, and designers, models, and other talent are even being discovered through the creative TikTok videos they post”.

I remember one day during the pandemic, a livestream of a Prada fashion show popped up on my For You Page and I enjoyed getting the opportunity to watch it. Typically, major fashion shows are open to celebrities, models, influencers, and other elite socialites. Thanks to TikTok, ordinary people like me got to experience elegant fashion shows like this one through our screens.

These designer brands are becoming more engaging with their followers and giving the opportunity for everyone to feel connected to the brand. For example, a fan of Gucci started the “#GucciModelChallenge” which called for any TikTok users to put together their best “Gucci outfit” using the instructions given.

In the same Vogue article mentioned earlier, Alaire explains that Gucci was “reposting creators’ posts (the challenge has over 210 million views, and asks users to pile a bunch of random items on top of each other, creating an eclectic, Gucci-esque look.)” I, for one, enjoyed seeing this challenge pop up on my TikTok feed because since Gucci is known for their funky, sometimes impractical fashion looks, a lot of users had fun using their own clothing to join in. I think this is one of the most interactive and inclusive a fashion brand has been in a while, and I think everyone enjoyed getting to feel part of such a large brand.

Another element of high fashion being involved on TikTok that I have loved is seeing famous runway models being active on TikTok. It’s so refreshing to see models show their personality and their behind-the-scenes moments because it reminds us that models, too, are normal people who just have extraordinary jobs. One of my favorite models is the lovely Bella Hadid. Bella has been very active on TikTok lately, and I love feeling like I can get to know her through her videos.

She is one of the highest-paid models of all time, and yet she posts random videos to share with her fans. Sometimes models can be intimidating, but TikTok gives these models the opportunity to open up and show more of their everyday lives.

Tik Tok is an open forum

The last thing I’ll say about high fashion in TikTok (for now) is the fact that people can now more openly talk about major fashion trends and brands. With TikTok, I feel like a lot of people love to make videos sharing information about certain events or people, and I’ve seen this done within fashion. One of the more recent events that took over TikTok was Gucci’s show in Milan Fashion Week. Gucci scouted out 68 pairs of identical twins to model their new clothing line, and the setup of the runway had us all shook.

As you can see, each half of the crowd could only see one out of the two twins on each side until the wall in the middle lifted up and the audience was shocked with the reveal of an identical twin on the other side. I first found out about this fashion show from TikTok, and have since seen several videos of fans and fashion experts talking about this cool concept.

I feel like compared to other social media platforms, TikTok opens the floor for anyone and everyone to share their opinions on things like fashion and art, which makes TikTok a forum of discussion in which many can participate. I have loved getting to see high fashion brands and models join the TikTok world, and I hope they continue to share more personal content with the people who support them.

Sources:

Allaire, C. (2020, December 28). How TikTok Changed Fashion This Year. Vogue. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://www.vogue.com/article/how-tiktok-changed-fashion-this-year

Keller, E. (2022, September 23). Milan fashion week: Gucci puts 68 twins in matching looks. New York Post. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://nypost.com/2022/09/23/milan-fashion-week-gucci-puts-68-twins-in-matching-looks/