A Brave New World: How will technology change the fashion industry?

Friday was the start of New York Fashion Week and I am looking forward to a change from last season’s blackout controversy, to a bold beautiful look towards the future. The subject on the tip of many fashionistas’ tongues is the advancements of technology and how it is affecting the fashion industry.

Last fall, Target staged a virtual fashion show that wowed many onlookers. In addition, the Metropolitan Museum held a fashion exhibit that allowed museum goers to blog their favorite looks. Will these new advancements in technology help or destroy the fashion industry?

New advancements in Internet technology have helped the music industry after years of problems with illegal downloads. Radio Head’s democratic ‘you decide the price’ campaign was a tremendous success for the band.

Even before the Internet, late great designer Willie Smith used new technology to his advantage. Some of you may not know that although it is common place for designers to record their shows and send it to buyers and editors, it was Willie Smith who became the first to use the new technology of videotape to record his collection in order to get his message to the industry. His decision to use this new medium was born out of necessity. Willie simply lacked the funds to put on an elaborate fashion show and made a bold decision that changed his career and his place in fashion history.

I’ve learned many things while researching my upcoming collection titled, Revelations. < A look at constructivism in relation to religion and the global Black experience>, and it helped me make a bold decision.

I’ve decided to stage a You Tube and MySpace fashion show. It will be presented in the form of a short film that will be viewable to the public via You Tube and MySpace in hopes to start a dialogue with the public as well as current and future customers about what they want and expect from me as a designer, a women, an artist and an African American talent.

What are the barriers that have held back so many Blacks in creative endeavors? Is the problem an industry or consumer-based issue. What was my revelation, you ask? That is an answer that continues to evolve as I move forward with this project.

Hopefully I will be able to get some answers to my questions.

If you are so inclined, you can join the dialogue on YouTube keyword Zulema Fall 08 and at myspace.com/zulemagriffin, the movie.