Txt commerce

Fashion label Stefan’s Head has created buzz by forcing customers to follow the brand via text message.

• An authenticity crisis is taking hold across the lifestyle sectors and consumers are increasingly switched off by brand communications
• Stefan’s Head is a new retail concept that feels more like a clandestine drug deal than an e-commerce offer

Stefan’s Head looks to word-of-mouth street dealing in its approach to brand communications, asking new users to ‘txt Stefan’ on 646-759-0904 and introduce themselves. ‘Stefan’ will then check out their social media channels and, if they pass muster, will add them to a mailing list. These select few then receive information on where they can buy limited-edition new releases.

‘To us, building a customer list and building our brand is one and the same,’ co-founder Trey Sisson tells LS:N Global. ‘We want to make sure there are like-minded people on our list who appreciate creativity as much as we do.’ Rather than targeting people based on demographics, Stefan’s Head focuses on their mindset.

The brand also collaborates with artists and photographers, releasing collections when they are ready, instead of slavishly following seasonal cycles. ‘Fashion designers aren’t the only ones who can design fashion,’ explains Sisson.

The Big Picture: Social media channels have become so brand-saturated that it’s hard to create authentic moments. For more inspiration on interactive communications, see Clarks’ recent WhatsApp campaign.