Community as a Key Marketing Resource for Fashion Brands in the Era of Values and Trust
A community can become one of the most powerful marketing tools in the fashion industry, especially during periods of economic instability.
Today’s consumers are active social media users, and they are subconsciously drawn to finding their “own people” amid the information flow, to connecting with “their brands.” Five out of six consumers across all age groups stated that they need to share the brand’s values in order to purchase its products (Edelman survey, 2024).
Buyers respond to like-minded brand communities that create a sense of “camaraderie,” and companies that know how to engage such customers emotionally can turn them from one-time buyers into loyal clients. Two-thirds of consumers are willing to buy products from a like-minded brand even if they are more expensive.
Building a real community around a brand is not just about hosting another event in a store or recruiting followers. It’s about managing communication. At its most basic level, customers expect direct interaction—the ability to ask questions and receive feedback on relevant topics.
There are three approaches that most often lead to strong communities in the fashion and beauty industries:
- Health and sports: centered around activities like sports or other physical pursuits;
- Charismatic personalities or groups built around a charismatic brand leader;
- Values-driven: where customers unite around shared beliefs or worldviews.
“Values-based filtering” of brands is most typical for Generation Z. Many in this generation say they must feel a values connection with a brand before even considering it. They are also skeptical and wary of overly loud attempts by brands to grab their attention. Generation Z is expected to have the greatest purchasing power by 2030.
Example: Bandit Running — a brand that runs with you.
Bandit Running is a New York-based running apparel brand that has focused from the start not just on products, but on building community.
When Bandit opened a new store in West Village in 2024, the team consciously chose not to create another running club. Instead, they simply opened the store at 7 a.m. so runners could meet, start their runs, and socialize.
Bandit doesn’t dictate—they listen.
Before launching collections, the brand conducts polls in Stories, invites customers to the office, and asks what’s missing in running apparel. The same happened in Los Angeles: first conversations with local runners, then the store launch.
At marathons, Bandit sets up special tables—not “sales points,” but “care points” — with gels and bandages, photo ops with medals, and post-run parties.
Although the brand has only 147,000 followers (very few compared to Nike’s millions), it has a loyal, engaged, and active community. People feel they are on the same wavelength.
Source: How Brands Build Genuine Communities