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Balmain_Social Media vs Social Theory Analysis

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It's hardly surprising considering the scenes of mayhem we witnessed last Thursday, but Balmain's collaboration with H&M was the high-street store's most successful designer tie-up yet.

Hacan Andersson, a spokesman for H&M, told Bloomberg: "The interest for this launch has exceeded all previous collaborations, both in-store and online." However, he declined to disclose precise figures as that is not the company's policy.

Indeed, H&M stores around the world witnessed huge queues, with some hopeful shoppers getting in line 12 hours before the collection went on sale. Similarly, hm.com was quickly overwhelmed with demand, showing many shoppers a message that read: "We have a lot of visitors on the site right now. This is due to the high level of interest in our latest collection."

When the site did eventually become accessible again, all that was left was a simple cotton boob tube from the range, priced at £14.99 ( still available now).

The huge demand led to disappointment for many, some of whom took to Balmain creative director Olivier Rouseting's Instagram page to voice their annoyance (read them all above).

"...your website crashed making it impossible for anyone who actually has a Monday-Friday job to get any of the collection. The few pieces that I want are now going for 3-5 times the retail price on eBay. The collection went from affordable to unobtainable," wrote one disgruntled user.

"Dear Olivier, I spent hours on the HM site to get some pieces online, it never worked, seriously shame on this that noone can provide proper stock for your collections," wrote another. "People buy it than re sale it onto Ebay for 3 to 4 times the price. This all thing is super disapointing and really unfair. You should of provided much more stock its ridiculous to see people fighting [sic]."

Pieces from the collection quickly started to appear on eBay, with extortionate mark-ups. An embellished blazer that sold for £399.99 in store sold for £3,300 on the auction site. That amount of money would easily get you a main line Balmain jacket.

The collaboration was heavily promoted, with H&M beginning to drip feed teasers from as early as May this year. Several high-profile models were involved - Gigi Hadid, Jourdan Dunn and Kendall Jenner - who have over 50 million Instagram followers between them, meaning exposure was especially high.

H&M's first designer collaboration was with Karl Lagerfeld in 2004. Stella McCartney, Alexander Wang, Roberto Cavalli, Versace, Isabel Marant and Marni are among the designer brands who have followed suit.

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Balmain is H&M's most successful designer collaboration yet

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It's hardly surprising considering the scenes of mayhem we witnessed last Thursday, but Balmain's collaboration with H&M was the high-street store's most successful designer tie-up yet. Hacan Andersson, a spokesman for H&M, told Bloomberg : "The interest for this launch has exceeded all previous collaborations, both in-store and online."

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Olivier Rousteing with #BalmainArmy members Lily Donaldson, Sigail Currie and Jourdan Dunn; Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 2015 | Source: Balmain, Dolce & Gabbana

By Liroy Choufan June 10, 2015 15:19

TEL AVIV, Israel - Sometimes, a hashtag can make quite a statement. On May 18th, Olivier Rousteing, creative director of Balmain, announced the brand's collaboration with H&M in a press release in which he referred to "#HMBalmaination: a movement of togetherness, fueled on a hashtag."

#HMBalmaination is an evolution of a similar hashtag previously used by Rousteing, who is no stranger to leveraging social networks. Anyone following his popular Instagram account can see that #balmainarmy is one of his favorite hashtags, especially when his posts include characters other than himself, all decked out in his designs.

But Rousteing is not alone in this approach. This idea of defining a designer's entourage has become a critical marketing tool in today's fashion industry. In this context, consider Riccardo Tisci, creative director at Givenchy. Not only does he use the popular hashtags #gang or #family to define the members of his clan (he recently went so far as to Insta-adopt Donatella Versace), but some of his biggest commercial hits, like his printed t-shirts, covered with numbers or dark symbols, encouragethe interpretation of his brand as a cult.

A similar principle is also employed by Dolce & Gabbana, whose designers have embraced the idea of a Dolce & Gabbana "family" (#dgfamily) to such a degree that they have not made do only with family-oriented marketing campaigns and a runway show full of models carrying babies (with the word 'Mamma' appearing ubiquitously), but have even managed to get themselves entangled in politically conservative statements on the definition of the word.

It is the designer who assumes the role of leader. It is he who determines the concepts that drive the collections. It is he who communicates with fans via social media. It is he who coins the hashtag.

Family, gang, army or nation - call it what you will. Why do designers who are active on social media need these rhetorical tools - which distinguish one clan from another - more than before, despite the supposed openness and interconnectedness of platforms like Instagram and Facebook?

Perhaps it's worth considering these moves in the context of agrowing thirst for group identity as being a response to globalization and other breaches of traditional boundaries (the same drive which has fueled the rise of the political rightin various parts of the world, from Israel to Great Britain).

Nicola Formichetti, the artistic director of , noted in a lecture this week at the Shenkar fashion academy in Tel Aviv that, amongst the younger generation on social media, openness is giving way to closed societies. Replies, comments and 'likes' from group members are considered more valuable than those from just anyone.

The use of cult concepts like family, gang or nation forces us, at least sub-consciously, to choose sides and requires greater loyalty to the head of the cult, because, of course, every army has its commander, every family has its head. Not surprisingly, in fashion, it is the designer who assumes the role of leader. It is he who determines the concepts that drive the collections. It is he who communicates with fans via social media. It is he who coins the hashtag.

The result is the creation of designer-led virtual fashion nations, which have their own internal hierarchies and differentiate between those who participateand those who do not. There are people who are 'in' and those who are 'out' and those who determine who is 'in' and 'out.' In short, hashtags like #HMBalmaination contain the psychology of fashion in a single word.

Otherwise put, designers are using social media in order to realize a kind of megalomania. In fact - and perhaps by inference from one of the arguments made by trend forecaster Li Edelkoort in her latest manifesto - this might be interpreted as the next step in the development of designers as rock stars à la Hedi Slimane at Dior Homme, who first assumed this role - only, today, they are no longer rock stars, but emperors.

Obsessive hashtagging reflects a process of amassing power and it won't be long before this kind of designer, who has such obedient admirers that they tag their photos upon a simple command, becomes the greatest threat to fashion brands and their backers. Indeed, what happens when the first such designer turns on his own fashion house and takes his virtual nation with him?
Liroy Choufan is the editor-in-chief of TheCritical-F, a fashion website based in Tel Aviv. The views expressed in Op-Ed pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Business of Fashion. Join the discussion on BoF Voices, a new platform where the global fashion community can come together to express and exchange ideas and opinions on the most important topics facing fashion today. How to submit an Op-Ed: The Business of Fashion accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions must be exclusive to The Business of Fashion and suggested length is 700-800 words, though submissions of any length will be considered. Please send submissions to contributors@businessoffashion.com and include 'Op-Ed' in the subject line. Given the volume of submissions we receive, we regret that we are unable to respond in the event that an article is not selected for publication.

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Olivier Rousteing with #BalmainArmy members Lily Donaldson, Sigail Currie and Jourdan Dunn; Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 2015 | Source: Balmain, Dolce & Gabbana By Liroy Choufan June 10, 2015 15:19 TEL AVIV, Israel - Sometimes, a hashtag can make quite a statement.

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NEW YORK, United States - On Tuesday night, fast fashion giant H&M and Balmain designer Olivier Rousteing will host a runway show and afterparty to formally debut the results of their one-off collaboration - Balmain x H&M - an accessibly-priced collection of more than 100 pieces for both men and women, set to go on sale in select H&M stores around the world, as well as online, on November 5th. By now, it's become something of a tradition for H&M to stage an annual event in New York to launch its latest designer collaboration, typically complemented by a news-making musical guest. Last year, the unveiling of Alexander Wang x H&M came with a performance by Missy Elliott. In 2011, Versace x H&M pulled both Prince and Nicki Minaj.

This year, as usual, rumours are swirling about which pop star will join Rousteing on stage at the old JPMorgan Chase bank on Wall Street. (H&M says that the venue will include a two-storey runway and platforms "strategically placed for surprises throughout the evening.") But there's no doubting every moment of the event will be meticulously documented on social media by the audience of roughly 1,000 attendees. After all, Balmain's runway show attracted more engagement on Instagram during the recent Spring 2016 season than any other, according to the social media platform. Rousteing, who was appointed creative director of Balmain in 2011, has focused intently on connecting directly with his digital fans. An active Instagram user with over 1.4 million followers of his own, the designer acts as a gentle general to what he calls his 'Balmain Army,' the senior ranks of which include the Kardashians and . "I want everyone to know they are welcome in the Balmain world," Rousteing told BoF. "Balmain is a luxury label of expense and exclusivity that only a few can afford, but I also believe that fashion should be inclusive."

It's widely understood that H&M's designer collaborations, released in limited-edition, make up a tiny percentage of overall sales for the world's second largest apparel retailer. But the marketing benefits - said to be measured in billions of media impressions, a metric used to determine how many times consumers see mention of the collaboration - can be significant and help boost positive brand perception and drive consumers to H&M stores.

H&M doesn't release results on its designer collaborations. But, in 2014, analytics company Crimson Hexagon examined 171,345 social media posts to gauge the impact of Alexander Wang x H&M on consumer perception of the brand. The firm found that general positive sentiment toward H&M accounted for 25 percent of the social media conversation the week the collaboration was announced (April 13-19, 2014) and 34 percent the week the collaboration was released in stores (November 2-8, 2014), compared to an average of 10 percent over the nine month period the firm analysed (April 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014). Crimson Hexagon also parsed social media posts for "intent to purchase." During the week of the release, about half of the conversations contained intent to buy something, compared to an average of 14 percent.

"It's brand building, of course. It creates a buzz and maybe gets people who never shopped at H&M before to shop with us," explained H&M creative advisor Ann-Sofie Johansson, who worked directly with Rousteing and the Balmain team on the initiative. "We've been doing [designer collaborations] for 11 years now - and we didn't necessarily expect to. They are successful."

The benefits go both ways. For one thing, a collaboration with H&M can offer a quick cash injection (previous designers have reportedly been paid $1 million and up for their services). What's more, for a steadily growing but still sub-scale luxury label like Balmain, with annual sales of just over €30 million (about $34 million) in 2012, the sheer exposure generated by a collaboration with the Swedish retail giant can be powerful.

"I love Instagram because my followers can be part of the Balmain life. Now, with this H&M collaboration, they will get the chance to finally wear the pieces for themselves," said Rousteing. Of course, the typical H&M customer is not the typical Balmain customer. And Balmain x H&M pieces are not Balmain pieces (which can often sell for thousands of dollars). But for a luxury brand like Balmain, the secret to manufacturing desire exists in the tension between being highly visible and highly exclusive at the same time. The H&M collaboration "will make the Balmain customer see how everyone wants Balmain but can't have it," the company's chief executive officer, Emmanuel Diemoz, recently told The New Yorker.

Balmain x H&M would not exist if it weren't for Karl Lagerfeld, who changed the course of fashion - both high and low - when he became the first designer to collaborate with H&M in 2004. "In the hardcore fashion world in Paris, it would have looked a bit funny to walk around with an H&M bag," said Donald Schneider, the creative consultant to H&M, who conceived the designer collaboration concept more than a decade ago. "Suddenly, it was totally okay for a woman to walk into the Ritz wearing H&M with a Dior top. It opened up a lot of things."

The process behind each designer collaboration varies, although Schneider insists that the "surprise factor" is core to every collection. "We always want to give the customer something they wouldn't really expect," he said. While H&M is constantly in talks with multiple fashion houses on possible partnerships, the decision to follow collaborations with Isabel Marant (2013) and Alexander Wang (2014) - two relatively accessible brands - with Balmain, whose pieces are regularly priced in the five figures, was a pointed one. "It's a high-fashion brand that makes everybody dream."

According to Schneider, Rousteing was highly enthusiastic about the project. "The most important thing, of course, is to have a designer who is really burning to do this. Who gives it all [his or her] energy," he said. "It needs to be a tight collaboration, with everything in sync. It's really important to us that the designer is happy with everything we do. We have to have tremendous respect for each other, because we're going to spend nine months, a year, of time together to make something amazing."

To be sure, H&M is able to attract labels like Balmain because of its winning track record. "[Before 2004], if there was talk about H&M, it was about the campaigns, not the fashion," Schneider says. Back then, he suggested bringing in a "super designer" so people would "actually talk about the collection. I thought we should start at the top and I knew Karl Lagerfeld quite well, so I asked him. It's a liberating process for a designer to speak for a short amount of time to a lot of people around the world and he understood that. The first thing he asked was not about money or anything, but if anyone else had done this before. He was very courageous. Most designers need validation."

For the inaugural campaign, Schneider suggested shooting Lagerfeld himself - perhaps the most famous living designer in the world - alongside models wearing the collection. Since then, the approach has varied. However, it's always important to Schneider that the collaborating fashion house's image is reflected in the campaign. For Balmain, H&M hired photographer Mario Sorrenti, who shoots the house's own advertisements, as well as several of Rousteing's favourite models, including Gigi Hadid, Hao Yun Xiang, Jourdan Dunn and Kendall Jenner. "It has a lot to do with the existing image of the brand. We don't want Balmain or Olivier to become H&M. We want H&M [to become] Balmain for that short moment in time."

Developing the actual collection required a similar synergy. While Rousteing was eager to release even more product than what will be on the racks November 5th, H&M encourages its designers to keep the style count below 45 total pieces for women. "We want to [display] the collection in the best area of the store, and that area is limited," Johansson explained. "He wanted to do more pieces and we had to stop him, really!" While H&M will also step in if the assortment is off - if there are not enough trousers for example, or too many dresses - the goal is to keep the creative integrity of the designer brand in place. "With Oliver, it's been very intimate in a way, because he has a small team," Johansson continued. "I do think he's a brilliant designer, and we had a lot of fun together."

For Rousteing, it was critical to produce items that were not simply copies of his showpieces. "I also want to show the different sides of Balmain," he said. "Not just the dresses and embellished pieces, but also the , the oversized silhouettes, the draping and Parisian femininity, as well as the pieces for the urban warrior."

The designer's goal was to give the H&M customer spending $200 the same feeling and experience of a Balmain customer spending $20,000. "For me, it was important to approach everything about this collaboration the same as if it were for Balmain. If the label says Balmain, it has to have the same richness, the same attitude, the same positivity and energy," he said. "Each campaign has its own story and for the H&M collaboration I wanted to show the power and diversity of the #HMBalmaination," he said, referring to the hashtag created for the launch of the collaboration, which has already been tagged in more than 12,800 posts. "The models are all so different, to show that Balmain x H&M is for everyone, no matter where they come from."

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NEW YORK, United States - On Tuesday night, fast fashion giant H&M and Balmain designer Olivier Rousteing will host a runway show and afterparty to formally debut the results of their one-off collaboration - Balmain x H&M - an accessibly-priced collection of more than 100 pieces for both men and women, set to go on sale in select H&M stores around the world, as well as online, on November 5th.

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choice of partner and resulting social media impact
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choice of partner and resulting social media impact
#project1