Even if you don't fully understand what a meme is, if you use social media, you have probably seen one on Instagram or laughed at one on Facebook. These days, anything can become a meme, whether it's a concept, music, or theory. It's challenging to forecast which will be successful since you often must throw stuff against the wall and see what sticks. However, occasionally one gets shared widely and becomes viral. These are frequently inspired by fashion.
Memes as a Type of Guerilla Marketing
It is not surprising that certain firms have started using memes as a type of guerilla advertising because the fashion industry has long embraced the growth of cultural phenomena and ideas. We share similar views, values, and ideals, the fashion company seems to be saying by reducing the distance between itself and the customer through the usage of memes. In a nutshell, it is relatable.
Think about the following: At the 2012 Oscars, Angelina Jolie wore Versace and flashed her right leg in a pose that inspired the memes "Jolie'ing" and "leg-bombing."
Or the 2015 Met Gala gown worn by Rihanna, known as "the omelette dress" because of its similarity to breakfast food. The widespread attention quickly became a meme and made designer Guo Pei well-known.
The fashion-meme industry depends on two factors: designers who create pieces that can become memes and social media accounts that can do it quickly. Putting high fashion in a non-fashion setting is the natural next step if fashion finds beauty and profit in creating known products in an unknown way.
King of Meme-Friendly Fashion: Jacquemus
Jacquemus may be the king of meme-friendly fashion with his enormous hats and background presentations that seem like postcards. Although "novelty" items may not be all that novel, Harriet Hawksworth, editor-in-chief of luxury shop FarFetch, said that they continue to be popular on social media, especially for firms that can incorporate them into their core identities. However, this tactic only works when it seems genuine to the brand. Jacquemus has always had a fun, surreal side. Brands like Jacquemus are specialists at this with the teeny, little Chiquita bag and giant, floppy summer hats.
Translation in English: "Thank you Jacquemus for making such small bags I was just looking for a place to store my self-confidence"
Gucci's Take
Gucci's use of meme marketing, under the direction of Creative Director Alessandro Michele, was very effectively done. The luxury brand launched a viral, meme-centric social media campaign to promote the Le Marché des Merveilles watch line.
A group of well-known social media producers created quick-witted memes centered around the term "That Feeling When Gucci," or #TFWGucci. The campaign not only utilized the traditional (DIY-looking) meme style, a wide variety of thoughtfully chosen pictures, and humorous captions, but it also closely resembled memes you may see when scrolling through your feed. When people realized it was a Gucci advertisement, there was a sense of surprise, and that's what made it successful.
Image Source: Gucci
Viktor & Rolf's Meme Couture
Viktor & Rolf's Spring 2019 Couture collection in Paris left a lasting effect, from meme marketing to meme couture. The pair's statement dresses, which combined expert workmanship with biting current words, were well received on social media and almost immediately turned into viral memes.
The words "NO," "I Am My Own Muse," "F* This, I'm Going to Paris," and "Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want To Come" were printed on clothing, capitalizing on the underlying relatability of memes. Fashion enthusiasts instantly created jokes or memes about the dresses, captioning them with phrases like "Big Mood," "Me," and similar ones.
However, Dutch designers have created apparel that is worthy of memes before. They literally had dress beds for the models to walk down the catwalk in for their Autumn 2005 ready-to-wear collection, pillows included. The collection reappeared on social media years later with the phrase "Dress for the Job You Want."
Memes that are displayed on the catwalk or in your Instagram feed are different - some of them are not even intended to be worn. You would probably block out the sun if you wore that big hat out in the open. Consider shoving the Jacquemus bag into a RyanAir locker. Also, you cannot wear a pillow to your head and go out like that! While it appears absurd, this clothing is difficult to wear.
This rises the following question: Are those pieces even created for regular people to wear? Or is the main objective here to design a statement object, or to create a conversation? Because even if we laugh at them and never buy or wear them, they are becoming part of our daily conversation.
Comments