Off-White's Virgil Abloh Uses Social Media Marketing to Inspire His Consumers and Shape Off-Whit

Off-White is a fashion label redesigning the image of streetwear through cultural influence. As streetwear shifts from average Joe to celebrity, Off-White aims to deliver to that taste level creating a balance between streetwear and couture. The c/o of Off-White, Virgil Abloh, served as creative director for Kanye West, while building is own fashion house empire in Milan. Off-White is designed to collaborate with fashion and lifestyle behaviors. The brand curates capsules for men, women, and even furniture. Off-White's concept is adaptive from season to season with the integrity of quality production. Abloh creates each piece with the idea that the brand should represent a young, vibrant soul with a sophisticated demeanor. At the start of 2016, the brand began with two retail locations and an e-commerce presence. Today, the brand now operates with twenty four physical retail locations worldwide in high revenue cities. Social media takes an active role in Off-White's rapid expansion. Fashion and celebrity influence, high digital and print coverage, and viral video streams have allowed Off-White to build a luxury phenomenon with unbelievable growth and recognition.

According to FastCompany.com, Abloh utilizes Instagram as his company's primary marketing tool for brand management and reputation construction (2016.) With over 3M IG followers, Off-White builds a community of style and grace. Each photo professionally showcases the delicate merge between streetwear and high fashion. Abloh uses his personal Instagram as a way to promote his creative process. By doing so, he builds an intimate relationship with consumers who are fans of the brand and Abloh himself. His motivation for using Instagram and revealing his creative process is to inspire young designers to continue to pursue their dreams. He began in fashion by selling screen printed tee shirts to runway shows in Paris Fashion Week. Abloh explains how he wants his story to be the representation of change and motivation. He is driven to show the world his process and what his brand represents through Instagram.

Off-White also uses the influence of celebrities and fashion icons through Instagram. Notable celebrities like Beyonce, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Drake, and ASAP Rocky all sport the brand in public and on social media causing the brand to be in high demand with limited quantity. Instagram delivers the exclusivity feeling to consumers when influencers with a large following are promoting the brand. It shows a level of status to wear the Off-White brand and Instagram helps promote that esteem. Social media has given Off-White the reputation of an influential modern luxury brand serving street style with high exclusivity. Social media has also given Abloh, the c/o of Off-White, the platform to become a personal inspiration message to young designers who aspire to create a fashion empire.

Reference Links:

https://www.fastcompany.com/3058982/how-off-whites-virgil-abloh-uses-social-media-to-teach-and-inspire

https://www.off---white.com/en/US/about

https://www.instagram.com/virgilabloh/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/off____white/

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