This App Allows Users to Share and Shop Emerging Streetwear Styles
Victoria Beales — July 20, 2016 — Tech
The popular Japanese fashion app 'Wear' is coming to America. Designed to allow users to browse and shop streetwear styles in real-time, and encourage personal style, Wear currently has seven million users in 21 countries.
The app's existence and success is a testament to the fact that dictating what's popular in fashion in this age is in the hands of the people -- what's hot isn't exclusively determined by design houses, but by people. Japan's most popular users, known as 'Wearistas,' have even been elevated to celebrity status through use of the app.
Wear also makes shopping for popular items exceedingly easy -- brands are identified in outfit photos and users can easily continue through to browse similar looks. But just because the app has great shopping features, that doesn't mean users will be corralled into buying. Masahiro Ito, Wear spokesperson and force behind the American expansion, told Vogue, "It is not ad-driven, not sponsored; it is a very pure place where the purpose really is to get people excited about fashion.” It's all in the spirit of keeping fashion in the hands of the people.
The app's existence and success is a testament to the fact that dictating what's popular in fashion in this age is in the hands of the people -- what's hot isn't exclusively determined by design houses, but by people. Japan's most popular users, known as 'Wearistas,' have even been elevated to celebrity status through use of the app.
Wear also makes shopping for popular items exceedingly easy -- brands are identified in outfit photos and users can easily continue through to browse similar looks. But just because the app has great shopping features, that doesn't mean users will be corralled into buying. Masahiro Ito, Wear spokesperson and force behind the American expansion, told Vogue, "It is not ad-driven, not sponsored; it is a very pure place where the purpose really is to get people excited about fashion.” It's all in the spirit of keeping fashion in the hands of the people.
Trend Themes
1. User-driven Fashion - The success of the 'Wear' app demonstrates the trend of fashion popularity being determined by people rather than design houses.
2. Real-time Shopping - The 'Wear' app's ability to browse and shop streetwear styles in real-time highlights the trend of instant shopping experiences.
3. Personal Style Encouragement - The 'Wear' app promotes personal style and encourages users to express their individual fashion tastes, reflecting the trend of embracing uniqueness.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion Retail - Fashion retailers can leverage user-driven fashion trends to curate their collections and stay on top of emerging streetwear styles.
2. Technology - The success of the 'Wear' app signifies an opportunity for tech companies to develop innovative solutions that enable real-time shopping experiences in the fashion industry.
3. Social Media - Social media platforms can take inspiration from the 'Wear' app's focus on personal style and create features that encourage users to share and showcase their fashion choices.
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