On September 6, Tatler and The Upper House hosted the latest edition of House Stories, a monthly panel series at the hotel’s Green Room. This month, we spoke to three leaders in the fashion industry and got their thoughts on the value of viral fashion
When? September 6, 2023
Where? The Green Room at The Upper House
Who? Kévin Germanier, Christina Dean, Natalie Lee and Jerry Tong aka Jerry Haha
Here’s what you missed: In the digital age, where trends spread like wildfire across social media platforms, fashion has found a new dimension in the form of viral moments. The trending content capturing iconic red carpet appearances and controversial runway designs have the ability to captivate the world’s attention and shape the industry’s landscape.
On September 6, Tatler’s latest edition of House Stories put a spotlight on the value of viral fashion with an engaging panel discussion that featured a host of industry stalwarts: Natalie Lee, Yoox Net-a-Porter Group’s general manager, APAC and Japan; Jerry Wong, aka Jerry Haha, creative producer and DJ; Christina Dean, founder and CEO of the NGO Redress, which promotes sustainable fashion; and Kévin Germanier, creative director of his eponymous sustainable womenswear brand. Moderated by Tatler’s regional fashion director Cherry Mui, the panel dove into the good, bad and ugly of viral fashion.
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Mui started off the panel by recalling Bella Hadid walking down the runway naked—and then having a dress spray-painted on—at Coperni’s spring-summer 2023 show in Paris last year. It set social media ablaze, and Mui, who witnessed the moment in person, discussed the brand generating US$26 million in media value within 48 hours of the show.
Jerry Haha wasn’t surprised by the statistic. In the fast-paced world of fashion, the focus can sometimes shift from craftsmanship and substance to instant gratification and fleeting trends—and this may well generate excitement and attention in the short term, he said. But it could lack substantial long-term impact. “It’s hard to sustain the hype you’ve created [once something goes viral],” he said. “People will always just want to know what’s next.”
Germanier, who has dressed entertainers like Björk and Lady Gaga, stressed the importance of being true to oneself. “When Lady Gaga wore my brand, I thought, ‘I’m set’—but [I didn’t go viral]. Later, I did a marketing campaign with my grandmother and mother—and that actually went viral,” he said. “It’s all about being authentic.”
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Lee discussed examples of viral fashion—like the Barbiecore trend, which emerged this year around the release of the Barbie movie—impacting shopper habits. Sales of Net-a-Porter’s pink items were up 65 per cent compared to last year, she said. But while fashion can be a wonderful form of creative expression and provide a platform for designers, stylists and fashion enthusiasts to push boundaries, this can only happen when it is done carefully.
“[Viral fashion] can be bad when international brands get the interpretation of [cultures] wrong,” said Lee. “[And when] those mistakes go viral and make a greater impact,” it can lead to the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes.
