How Crowdemand is Disrupting Fashion

At first glance “fashion” and “crowd” may not seem complementary. After all, fashion is an individual expression. However, dig a little deeper into the Crowdemand concept and you start to fully understand the spirit behind the business model which may shake up the fashion industry.

Crowdemand launched this week from founders Liat Cohen-Reeis, Yaniv Reeis and Marat Stary (pictured above) and with items from Cynthia Rowley. Rather than adhering to the traditional business model where offline and online retailers’ buying teams make decisions for consumers about the designs that are to be available for purchase for upcoming seasons, Crowdemand puts the consumer front and center in that decision making process. Add to the mix a lineup of established, well known designers and you have a formula that could truly revolutionize the way business is done, in an industry long known for its aversion to change.

The Crowdemand concept is simple. Designers offer their audience exclusive pieces for upcoming seasons available for pre-order on their page along with making the minimum piece requirement needed to push a piece into production transparent. The consumer is engaged in the shopping experience by directly having a voice in which pieces are produced. If the consumer wants it, she “demands” it (pre-orders it) and can also leverage her social network to ensure that the designer’s minimum number is met, knowing that with the power of the crowd the piece will be created. Coupled with a high design aesthetic and adjacency to like brands what results is a crowdfunding platform fit for the most distinguished of brands who have already begun developing a transparent relationship with their consumers but don’t view the kickstarters of the world as appropriate platforms to leverage their social popularity.

As a consumer, the Crowdemand platform is all about discovery and empowerment. Early access to designs not available anywhere else from designers you already love and designers you are sure to discover, the ability to pre-order the exact size you need as opposed to hoping the traditional retailer of your choice will have your size when you get around to shopping, and a truly engaged experience with designers giving you the ability to not simply “like” a new design piece but leverage your own influence to make sure that piece is produced. With average prices we all spend in the hundreds of dollars on high end design why not buy pieces we truly love, from designers who listen to us rather than sell at us, and knowing that only a few people around the world could be wearing those same pieces?

Crowdemand is at the intersection of powerful technologically-enabled trends including crowdfunding, brand transparency, and on demand production. Could it transform how you and I shop as individuals? Could communities of like-minded consumers with a shared design aesthetic form? What other industries will be disrupted by models like this? Please let me know your thoughts in the Comments below! I demand it!

Dave Kerpen is the founder and CEO of Likeable Local. He is also the co-founder and Chairman of Likeable Media, and the New York Times-bestselling author of Likeable Social Media and Likeable Business, and the new collection, Likeable Leadership. To read more from Dave on LinkedIn, please click the FOLLOW button above or below.

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