Digital Age

Buying luxury clothes online right off the runway. Trying them on virtually. Not having to wait months for the new collection to ship. The industry has been talking a big game about how it is working to upend the traditional system in order to become more in-tune with consumers' needs in the digital age.

I think this is a good way for the brand to interact with the consumers but also feel apart of the company, adding a twist to buying and viewing products and creating an excitement/change.

The changing face of fashion is clear at Burberry, which shows in London on Monday. Christopher Bailey, who is both the company's CEO and chief creative, announced his plan to slash the time it takes for customers to obtain items they see on the runway. Designers have broadened the audience for fashion using tools such as "live streaming, Instagramming, or showing online," Bailey told the Business of Fashion, a website that covers the industry. "You're creating all this energy around something, and then you close the doors and say, 'Forget about it now because it won't be in the stores for five or six months,'" he said. "The reality is that, today, we're bombarded with images, film and music. To try to recreate the energy that you created five or six months ago, you've got to just question how relevant it is."

While many luxury houses resisted embracing e-commerce because of fears the experience was not up to scratch, Bailey offered a counter-narrative. Bailey, who became CEO in 2013, made sure Burberry's shows were featured on a variety of sites — even ones with smaller audiences that are still extending their networks, like Periscope and Snapchat.

"This has contributed to Burberry's worldwide exposure and created an immersive experience that keeps the brand front of mind, even among consumers who might otherwise be financially cut off from the brand," she said. "It stimulates a following not only among Burberry loyalists, but potential customers too, and this plays an important role in recruiting future custom."