December 10, 2006
love and fashion etc
These are my notes for my wee ten-minute talk I’m doing at Le Web 3 with Anina today at 6.30pm.
Backstory: I am in the fashion business. My company, English Cut makes $4000 bespoke [hand-made] suits– among the best in the world– and we use blogs as our primary marketing vehicle. The latter has proven to be extremely successful, doubling sales every six months or so.
Also, my other main eneterprise, Stomhoek wine in South Africa, just launched Stormhoek Siren, a wine that incorporatres both fashion and blogging sensibilities into the very centre of its brand.
As a participant in the blogging/Web 2.0 “revolution”, here are some thoughts that I think the web world could learn form the fashion world, and vice versa.
1. Stop talking about the future. Start talking about the present.
The Web 2.0 “Revolution” is already here. If you’re not already making hay with it, it’s not Web 2.0’s problem, it’s your problem. This time it’s the carpenter’s fault, not the tools.
2. Globalization. Fashion and Luxury brands are every bit as vulnerable as any other commodity.
In the old days, if you wanted to own a Hermes scarf, you had to go to Paris to buy it, or maybe New York/London/Tokyo etc. Now you can get them in Cleveland. Or Pittsburgh. Or Leeds.
Welcome to the commodification of “Bling”. Welcome to the future of highly lucrative niches, developed cheaply and with transparency [Something the fashion world is just not used to or ready for– but therein lies the opportunity for us mere mortals].
The backlash against globalized commodity is already here. Relish it.
3. “How do I make money with Blogs/Web 2.0?“
If you have to ask the question, you’ll probably fail. This new media is both intimate and intuitive. Nobody cares what the MBAs think.
4. With blogging, it’s not just about having “Passion and Authority”. You also have to have a great product.
Of course, having the latter is almost impossible without the former.
Actually, even a “great product” might not be enough. “World Class” is probably more applicable.
Great Product = Great Idea + Great Execution.
5. It has never been easier to own a niche. But it’s also never been easier to be totally screwed without one.
Just because you’re young, pretty and clever, does not mean you’re immune.
6. The best blogging campaigns are acts of love.
You cannot impose your own selfish values upon the blogosphere and still expect results.
What you can do, however, is give a damn. It’s a surprisingly effective strategy.
7. I will leave you with a thought from Six Apart’s Anil Dash, talking about the speech the Father of The Bride made at his wedding:
“What he told us is that, in the end, only love matters. Success and fame and wealth and even health all fade in time, and in the end all you have is love. And love is what matters. I hope everyone in the world gets the chance to discover that in the way that I have. I love you, Alaina.“
This market and communication transition we’re going through is not about technology, and it sure as hell isn’t about marketing. It’s about Love. Love enabled. Love re-asserting itself in the business between people.
Make of this what you will. Thanks, and Godspeed!
Questions?
[Bonus Link:] Le Web 3 Flickr page.
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Well said Hugh.
Love and do what you want. Sounds familiar, people of Earth? It was said 2000 years ago. Now more than ever we have the tools. Sadly enough, the problem with many humans is to solve the everlasting issue of “what is it that I want to do?”.
Hint: if it adds value to you, it most probably adds value to somebody else. Go do it.
I ‘almost’ agree.
I would however reword your sentence and say :
Its in ascending order of importance — I Love You.
I fell — you in the sense of collaboration is the true spirit of all good things in the world — take web 2.0 for starters.
Hi Hugh,
this is so wise! What else is there to say!
Seven Magnificent! Points! Hugh!!!!
Rock on you wildly original and creative dude!
“Great Product = Great Idea + Great Execution.“
Not sure about that point.
So many people seem to get hung up on having one ‘great’ idea that they never get past that point. You don’t necessarily need a great idea, a simple one will do, but you need to work at it!
I have recently started my own eyewear brand. I don’t think this is a ‘great’ idea, there are already thousands out there, but it is an idea…
Should be fun…
It may have been said 2000 years ago, but the message needs to be repeated and updated time and again to fit new conditions and a new era. Well done, Hugh! Your message hit home with me. I’d add that compassion and justice are like twin pillars in society that make most sense when held together by love.
Cool hand gapingvoid.
One has to balance that love though, I remember your cartoon with the wife complaining that her husband loved blogging more than her. My 13-year-old son often tells me I love blogging more than him — the burnt dinners are proof enough for him. My husband loves Ebay — so we are quits. And yes, I admit it, I do love blogging.
Do I really need those other two words?
You I Love
“This new media is both intimate and intuitive.“
That’s a friggin’ powerful piece of pithy observation right there.
Nice.
Well said! I appreciate this entry a lot.
“This market and communication transition we’re going through is not about technology, and it sure as hell isn’t about marketing.” That’s an affirmative statement right there regarding our humanity in today’s digital world. Nice!
hey there this is natalie and i want to send you a message cause i have nothing else to do can you send me a message with your site address on it cause i ant you to be a part of my myspace and yha