The fashion retail landscape is changing.
Gen Z now makes up an estimated 40% of global consumers, representing about $150 billion worth of spending power. Naturally, Gen Z preferences matter.
Tech-savvy, fashion-forward, eco-conscious, and with an eye for authenticity, Gen Z will keep fashion retailers and visual merchandisers on their toes.
Navigating this new landscape is as exciting as it is challenging. Visual merchandising must evolve to meet the changing demands of new-age consumers. Brands and retailers must embrace technology and leverage consumer data to reshape the customer journey and elevate the shopping experience.
Visual solutions will be the key to creating an immersive and memorable shopping experience for the new breed of consumers. They expect brands to cater to their preferences, present them with personalized experiences, and meet them wherever they are—prompting brands to adopt an omnichannel approach.
In this article, we discuss how retailers can leverage visual engagement solutions to forge an emotional connection with customers and enhance their shopping experience.
The Look Company delivers best-in-class visual engagement solutions to help high-fashion boutiques, luxury fashion brand showrooms, and big box stores cater to the evolving fashion consumer.
The Role of Visual Engagement in Fashion Retail
Fashion isn't just about a practical transaction to acquire a piece of clothing. It's more about self-expression, displaying a lifestyle choice, or making a social statement.
The world of fashion retail tempts shoppers with new styles and creates the desire to consume what's trending. In-store fashion displays entice shoppers to plan and make a purchase.
How visual engagement transforms the fashion retail experience
Visuals evoke powerful emotions. They build emotional connections.
That's because most of our experiences are based on our sense of sight. Studies show that approximately 80% of the information we assimilate from our environment is in visual formats—whether pictorial or textual.
Brands can use powerful imagery to communicate their narrative. Images can communicate shared values, inspire brand fans, and create a mutual emotional resonance.
In a fashion brand showroom, a storefront display sets the scene. It gives a potential visitor a sense of what they may encounter inside. They're more likely to step inside if they resonate emotionally with what's displayed.
And once inside, it's a different story altogether! Visual merchandisers weave memorable experiences using immersive in-store displays, triggering an emotional reaction from shoppers.
High-resolution graphic prints, backlit displays, interactive touchscreens, and clever and clear signage enhance the visual appeal of products and entice shoppers to try them out.
Research indicates that almost 93% of consumers place the most importance on visual factors when purchasing products.
Powerful product imagery is essential to sell fashion. It's the easiest and quickest way to showcase a product, allowing shoppers to visualize how the products will fit into their lifestyle and elevate their style.
The impact on customer perception and brand identity
In-store visual displays leave a lasting impression and enhance brand recall.
The decision to purchase fashion clothing and accessories is regulated by visual cues and the shopper's perceptions of the brand—rather than by product characteristics, such as the fabric or fit or even its feel.
Visually stunning displays can captivate shoppers and influence their perception of the brand. Visuals convey the essence of a brand's identity better than words. Visual merchandisers who use storytelling displays will succeed in forging a strong emotional connection, reinforcing their brand identity, and fostering loyalty and trust.
The integration of technology into fashion display ideas
Fashion brands and retailers are embracing technology.
There is a growing adoption of advanced digital tools to track and trace shopping behavior and preferences. Valuable data insights are surfacing from technology tooling, helping retailers and visual merchandisers to personalize in-store promotions and even provide customized product recommendations based on shoppers' preferences.
Visual merchandisers must also explore innovative ways to blend technology and design in their visual strategies. For instance, integrating interactive touchscreens into static displays opens up a world of new ways to engage Gen Z shoppers. Advances in multimedia technology can simulate 360-degree product views, giving Gen Z shoppers the ready-to-consume information they seek before buying a product.
With social commerce sales slated to reach $56 billion in the US by 2027, an omnichannel strategy will become a defining factor for success in the clothing retail industry. Selfie stations, Instagrammable displays, and LED lightboxes that display stunning, high-resolution visuals for an immersive and shareable shopping experience must be a part of every fashion brand's visual merchandising strategy.
The Future of Fashion: Fashion Retail Industry Trends
Let's look at the emerging fashion retail trends that will define how visual merchandisers can leverage visual engagement solutions.
Sustainability
New-age shoppers (whether Gen Z, millennials or other eco-conscious demographics) want more transparency from brands about sustainability and ethical practices.
They prefer to support brands that minimize environmental impact and make an effort to reduce their carbon footprint. Increasing regulations will force companies to disclose how they source their raw materials.
Visual merchandisers and brand managers must focus on communicating their commitment to sustainability and be authentic about their stories about reducing environmental impact during manufacturing.
The Look Company is working to lessen our environmental impact by choosing eco-responsible materials while implementing sustainable manufacturing processes. Learn more here.
Experiential retail
The fashion retail outlets of the future are likely to be experiential centers rather than traditional stores with a more transactional focus.
The modern fashion consumer looks for interactive experiences, live events, and personalized services while shopping in stores. When they walk into a physical store, they look for a stimulating and exciting multi-sensory experience that makes shopping enjoyable.
The Look Company specializes in modular display systems that can create stunning immersive experiences for shoppers. Take a look at some of our work here.
Omnichannel approaches
The modern consumer uses several channels to explore the world of fashion. They may follow online influencers to get the lowdown on the latest styles and visit retail showrooms to try on clothes and accessories themselves. They may order products using their smartphone and opt for a Click-and-collect option to pick them up physically in the store.
These shoppers want seamless experiences between these online and offline channels. Visual merchandisers must ensure consistency in design elements and visual styles across various channels to provide a cohesive brand experience to omnichannel shoppers.
TLC: Navigate the Future of Fashion Retail with our Visual Solutions
Well-designed fashion displays can trigger an emotional response from shoppers and provide them with a memorable shopping experience.
Visual cues influence the decision to purchase fashion clothing and accessories and shape shoppers' perceptions of the brand.
Rely on The Look Company for advanced visual engagement solutions to help you craft experiential fashion displays that elevate customer experience.
Reach out to our experts to understand how we can support you in navigating the exciting future of fashion retail!