The concept of ‘authenticity’ online has been the centre of heated debate for consumers and marketeers alike in recent years. Brands and influencers are often criticised for a lack of authenticity on social platforms, where highly-polished visuals dominate. But for consumer brands – particularly in the luxury fashion market where high-end visuals matter – navigating these challenges can be difficult. And what exactly does it mean to be ‘real’ in a fast-paced digital environment. 

One solution, however, has presented itself: embracing world-building in brand output. Or, to put it simply, curating a vibe.

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Lo-fi aesthetic

In years gone by, mid-range and luxury brands created an aspirational brand identity, with editorials populated by supermodels and engineered studio lighting. In the age of authenticity, that look and feel is on the decline, with a growing number of non-established brands turning this aspirational focus on its head. 

These are brands that have come of age in the digital world, shunning the glossy pages of Condé Nast in favour of consumers’ daily Instagram scroll. This is evident in the constant seesaw between aspiration and relatability. With jaded consumers being just as social media savvy as the strategists that schedule content, branding is of utmost importance.

From a high fashion angle, emerging namesake brands like Mowalola and Martine Rose are paving the way with distinctly lo-fi video content. Mowalola has shared short-form content on Instagram that resembles a club kids version of You’ve Been Framed! alongside images captured on a digital camera. 

Meanwhile, Martine Rose has collaborated with Clarks – footwear brand of the people – for  its ‘Coming up Roses’ SS25 campaign video. It was shot on location in Rio de Janeiro with a seemingly beat-up old camcorder and equally nostalgic visuals. Mid-range clothing brand Paloma Wool also takes an ostensibly relatable approach through the various camera roll dumps and series of iPhone selfies that dot its Instagram feed. 

What may, at first glance, seem like a contradiction between ‘backwards’ or budget mediums and modern social-first content, can genuinely resonate with a generation of consumers that came of age in the era of influencer marketing and overly curated feeds. Instead of playing into tropes of inaccessible high fashion, these brands have successfully mimicked the practices of their consumers – from camera roll dumps to digital cameras in the club – to generate a sense of attainability among potential buyers.

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Real world use

Brand focus on editorial and social media assets can, at times, be a double-edged sword. While creative directors are the masterminds behind many avant garde campaigns, it’s also important to focus on how a product exists in the real world. Many brands are now launching campaigns directly informed by the practices of their consumers, tapping into different subcultures and using community to build positive brand reception.

In a recent collection, Umbro partnered with club culture behemoth Boiler Room and London based musicians Novelist, Merky ACE, Kruz Leone, Renz, Chamber 45 and Mstackz. In a further nod to the community, it was shot by Simon Wheatley, a documentary photographer known for cataloguing London’s burgeoning grime scene in the 2000s. 

Elsewhere, shoe brand Hoka has thrown off its specialist running geek image through clever partnerships with groups like Athene Club, a running and hiking community for young women. Clothing brand Fred Perry has used its platform to pay homage to its indie roots, spotlighting consumers in Indonesia and Egypt, independent music venues in London and Barcelona, and partnerships with the Museum of Youth Culture. This demonstrates that championing youth subcultures creates authentic experiences for consumers and ultimately leads to brand affinity with Gen Z and millennial audiences.

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Moving images

While streetwear brands like Umbro and Fred Perry are leaning into the music scene, other luxury brands on social media are leaning into cinematic connections. You might assume that partnerships between luxury brands and the silver screen are relics from the days of Audrey Hepburn and Givenchy, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. 

One brand leading the way is Miu Miu. Moving beyond luxury fashion as a status symbol into a signifier of cultural knowledge, the brand’s Women’s Tales series of short films has commissioned arthouse directors like Alice Rorhwacher and Agnès Varda. In a consumer climate in which products are increasingly associated with a certain lifestyle or cultural awareness – take for example, a New York Times article referring to independent brand Brooke Callahan as a stockist of ‘Pants That Show You’re in the Know’ – Miu Miu’s ongoing series is well judged. 

This approach has also been tackled by French sportswear brand Lacoste, which released a collection inspired by cult film La Haine. Tapping into streetwear enthusiasts’ obsession with the film’s 90s styling (see ‘The Style Legacy of La Haine’, SSENSE), this was a clever nod to pseudo-stylists, cinephiles and the brand’s own French heritage.

The key learnings from all the above case studies is the importance of taking a more holistic approach to product marketing and brand presence on social media. A well curated brand identity directly correlates to success. Branding is more than just a logo on a shirt – it’s an indicator of a certain lifestyle, community or subculture. And there’s nothing more aspirational than that. 

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