What is fashion copywriting anyway?
Fashion copywriting is an essential marketing tool for any clothing brand. But what exactly is it? And how do you do it successfully?
TL;DR — Fashion copywriting is the art of using words to sell clothes. It's a marketing technique that can help a brand connect with its target audience, protect its reputation, convey the mood of a collection successfully, and ultimately increase revenue through sales. This blog will break down the fundamentals of fashion copywriting, showcase famous examples and give hints on who the best fashion copywriter might be…
Put simply, fashion copywriting is the art of using words to help drive the sale of clothing. However, the most effective examples of copywriting for the fashion industry don't appear commercially minded at all because they cleverly use language to convey an emotion or feeling that draws a consumer in. True copywriting can make a fashion item appear highly desirable without the reader even realising they are being sold to.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF FASHION COPYWRITING
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, illustrations known as fashion plates were featured in women's publications, highlighting the most desirable garments of the time. These drawings were accompanied by descriptions of the clothing, making them the first real example of fashion copywriting. It wasn't until the turn of the century, however, that fashion copywriting as we know it today truly began. Thanks to the birth of ready-to-wear, bespoke markets and the explosion of the modern advertising industry, using the written word to help sell fashion has since developed into its own specialism.
FASHION COPYWRITING TODAY
Fashion copywriting has expanded over time to encompass e-commerce elements like product descriptions, social media captions and SEO blogs following the invention of the internet. The niche continues to evolve today to include written content for NFTs, web3 and Digital Product Passports and will no doubt mutate once more as new revenue streams for fashion brands are born from future technologies. Regardless of which new channels open up, however, the key fundamentals of fashion copywriting will always remain.
THE PURPOSE OF FASHION COPYWRITING
At its core, fashion copywriting's aim is always to bring consumers closer to a brand and convince them to buy from it, but this is often a complex and layered process which requires a considered approach.
Firstly, fashion copywriting should connect a brand with its target customer. Everyone uses clothes as a form of self-expression whether they are conscious of it or not, and subconsciously we are all drawn to brands that resonate with a part of us. A fashion brand can use its copywriting to tap into the desires of its target demographic by using appropriate language to help drive sales. A unique tone of voice that resonates with a specific audience is a highly effective way to win new customers and highlight what a brand values, be that authenticity, luxury, artistry, anarchy or something else altogether.
Effective fashion copywriting should also successfully convey a mood or feeling. Fashion is an incredibly emotive industry, so engaging shoppers with the right language can have an incredibly influential effect on purchasing behaviour. Words can be used to evoke a sense of belonging, tap into insecurities or to increase feelings of happiness, and great copywriting can help to convey the emotions of a fashion brand's overall campaign to a consumer.
One of the most important uses of fashion copywriting is to protect a brand identity. Positioning is incredibly important in fashion as the brands we wear are often an indicator of social status. Designer and high-end brands in particular want to appear aspirational and need to have carefully considered communications to uphold their elusive appeal. Good fashion copywriting can help to control a brand narrative and keep a label in a highly regarded position, while bad copywriting can cheapen or tarnish a brand name.
But above all else, the purpose of all fashion copywriting is to sell a product. In an increasingly digital world, customers crave connection, something tangible and authenticity. When shopping online, there is no option to try clothes on, which is where good fashion copywriting comes into play. A good understanding of how to describe materials' feel and fit is essential in fashion copywriting, as the right words will not only describe a garment's unique selling points but also help to create an entire sensory world around them. A great product description should allow the reader to truly imagine themselves wearing the garment, and the right website copy should replicate the feeling of entering a brand's boutique in real life.
FAMOUS FASHION COPYWRITING
Fashion copywriting has come together with creative direction and editorial photography over the years to create some of the most exciting examples of marketing. Think Nike's Just Do It or Tommy Hilfiger's infamous fiil-in-the-blank billboard. United Colors of Benetton's art director, Oliviero Toscani's unknowingly summed up fashion copywriting perfectly, telling the New York Times, 'I have found out that advertising is the richest and most powerful medium existing today, so I feel responsible to do more than to say, 'Our sweater is pretty'.
Fashion copywriting is much more than just saying a sweater is pretty. Sure, its ultimate aim is to sell clothes, but there are no limits to how words can be used to help a fashion brand reach its wider creative vision. It is a powerful tool, whether it takes the form of an all-encompassing brand slogan, micro-copy on a care label or unique product descriptions.
WHERE TO FIND A FASHION COPYWRITER
Now you've realised the importance of fashion copywriting and its power to drive sales and complement a creative campaign, you'll probably be wondering where you can find the best fashion copywriters. Professional freelancer platforms like LinkedIn, The Dots, YunoJuno and Starters are useful for finding fashion writers with relevant industry experience and skills that match your needs, and I can be found on all of those sites. Alternatively, if you'd like me to work on your fashion copy, you can get in touch with me directly using this form.
So now you know what fashion copywriting really is.
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