25-year-old Andres Branco could never have foreseen that he would create a successful business just by starting a Facebook group with the catchy name 'Wavey Garms.'
Branco started the Wavey Garms Facebook group so that he and his friends would have a place to trade their no-longer-wanted clothing. But before long, the cool name and cooler vintage designer clothing and streetwear had attracted over 10,000 Wavey Garms members. Today, the group is used as a place for people from all over the UK to sell and bid on unique thrift store and streetwear finds. Wavey Garms is notorious for its stylish, critically-minded membership: posts are regularly verbally slammed and then removed if their content doesn't meet the Wavey Garms fashion standard and aesthetic.
In order to monetize Wavey Garms, Branco and his sister Rhiannon have opened a Wavey Garms retail space, offering amazing vintage pieces and carefully curated brandname pieces.
Social Media Clothing Communities
Wavey Garms is an Online Marketplace for Apparel Bartering
Trend Themes
1. Clothing Bartering - Creating online marketplaces for clothing bartering provides an opportunity to cater to a new generation of eco-conscious and fashion-savvy consumers.
2. Social Media Thrift Shopping - Capitalizing on social media communities for thrift shopping provides a disruptive innovation opportunity to offer a new channel for fashion retail.
3. Curated Fashion Communities - Developing curated fashion communities that emphasize sustainability and fashion style creates an opportunity for brands to pivot towards more eco-friendly offerings.
Industry Implications
1. E-commerce - Incorporating online marketplaces for clothing bartering into existing e-commerce sites could offer an innovative way to foster a sense of community and brand loyalty among fashion customers.
2. Social Media - By capitalizing on social media communities for thrift shopping, companies can reach a younger demographic who are more open to new/alternative shopping methods.
3. Fashion Retail - Creating curated fashion communities that focus on eco-friendliness and style cultivates a new market of consumers who are invested in ethical fashion retail.