Abstract | Digital technologies increasingly transform traditional business models, value chains and associated networks of emerging fashion designers in London. D-commerce becomes an additional dynamic capability contributing to their competitive advantage. An analysis of this phenomenon was conducted exploring data assembled from several online sources. The findings reveal that fashion designers use amalgamations of online and physical channels to develop a downstream value chain domestically and internationally. Although social media plays an increasing role in the marketing of designer products this does not necessarily translates into higher visibility of designers on the Internet, increased accumulation of value or their overall chances of survival and growth. Large retailers who excel at channel diversity remain the important part of the highly institutionalised and hierarchical fashion industry ecosystem. A typology of designers was developed based on the characteristics of their visibility on the Internet, their involvement in d-commerce and other retailing practices. |
---|