Social Media & The Fashion Industry: Adding Flair while Following the "Law"?

Catherine Caldwell

cc325008@ohio.edu

Instead of lusting after the latest haute couture Paris runway costume, the fashion industry is embracing social media as the year’s hottest trend. With the rise of online, face-of-the-brand personas, such as Oscar PR Girl for Oscar de la Renta (@OscarPRGirl) and DKNY PR Girl for Donna Karan New York (@DKNY), social media is adding a personal touch (and a pump of diva-like personality) to some of the world’s most famous luxury fashion houses.

Mashable’s article, “How the fashion industry is embracing social media,” cited that the most noteworthy New York Fashion Week conversations occurred online using the hash tag #nyfw. Why? “People want to feel connected,” says Kelly Cutrone, fashion publicist and executive producer of a reality TV series on Bravo.

According to the CBS news article “Fashion forward: New York brands take on social media,” these innovative social media techniques used by the likes of DKNY, Kate Spade and Oscar de la Renta, allow everyone from journalists, to retail gurus, to people who are just plain interested in fashion, to voice their opinions on the latest runway trends.

“Social media is an invaluable tool for fashion brands and retailers," says Rachel Strugatz, online editor for Women's Wear Daily. "Whether it's Facebook, Twitter, blogs or branded editorial content, maintaining a dialogue with fans and consumers through authentic and engaging content is paramount in achieving success within the digital realm."

The CBS article continues with further examples. “Ignoring the Internet [and social media] is madness,” says designer Diane von Furstenberg. “We decided to have a presence because it was a very organic way for us to communicate online. And yes, we think about [transparency] but don’t worry too much. We try to keep the focus on the clothes that are in the store, or buy now and wear now, not what is on the runway. But people will always get access to that as well.”

Oscar PR Girl’s Twitter bio reads: “PR girl for Oscar de la Renta reporting from the inside of one of the world’s most prestigious fashion houses.” Her profile is complete with a cute caricature of her in a green dress. DKNY’s twitter account follows a similar profile structure. Oscar PR Girl even has her own Tumblr blog, http://oscarprgirl.tumblr.com/, where she posts mainly Oscar de la Renta-related photos with personal muses.

Tumblr's fashion director, Rich Tong, cites Kate Spade and Oscar de la Renta as “two of the strongest examples of fashion brands leveraging Tumblr to its fullest potential.” Tong states, "Oscar PR Girl uses an approachable tone of voice like a friend, and Kate Spade NY utilizes its extraordinary design and content. Each brand creates original content that is specific to their Tumblr audiences."

What is most intriguing to an online observer is that some of Oscar PR Girl’s tweets and posts have nothing to do with Oscar de la Renta at all. Today, for example, one of her tweets read: “Interests: fashion, technology.”

Oscar de la Renta is, in a sense, humanizing its avant-garde fashion line, making the brand accessible to all audiences via Oscar PR Girl. And with nearly 69,500 Twitter followers, it is clear that Oscar PR Girl holds a lot of klout in successfully engaging a niche audience.

As much as I am a fan of Oscar PR Girl’s work, I must wonder how these innovative, some may say guerilla-like, marketing tactics stack up against ethical social media and blogging guidelines. While the amount of online content makes setting a standard difficult, there are core journalistic values that must be upheld whether on- or off-line.

After looking through Oscar PR Girl's Tumblr photos and seemingly irrelevant, although entertaining, tweets, I do wonder what unusual guidelines a fashion empire would place for their prominent PR girl to follow…. In a lifestyle centered on luxurious parties, cocktails, events, sales, socializing and dressing to impress, how does one reign supreme without bending the rules?

While I may never know the answer, a Mashable article, “Social Media Ethics: 4 Common Dilemmas,” does an excellent job of citing four ethical concerns to address before posting content on the Internet.

1. The fine line of spamming: While Oscar PR Girl does promote Oscar de la Renta, she balances these links and promotional messages with value for the user. She has, for example, replied to one of my tweets and appears to appropriately answer Twitter users’ questions

2. Feuds with others: Simple enough to follow; yet, it is still surprising to me how many people use social media to vent their emotions. Thankfully, I have yet to see this in Oscar PR Girl’s feed.

3. Lying: Transparency is key. Plus, it’s much easier to get caught lying over Twitter. Oscar PR Girl appears to tweet truth.

4. Misrepresentation: Be transparent, and don’t use a brand name unless you have the rights to it. I think the Oscar gal is in the clear here…

While these are just a few of the ethical concerns Oscar de la Renta’s Twitter passes, that does not mean the brand is safe. After all, once something is online, it’s online. While Oscar PR Girl has yet to face a scandal, the true test will come when she is forced to react and respond under heavy media fire.