Innovative and inspirational, here’s how Urbanic and its co-founder Rahul Dayama are leading the way.
Born and bred in the UK, Urbanic is a global fashion brand that is already a household name in countries such as India. And now here on home soil, Urbanic is taking the fashion scene by storm. Earlier this year, Urbanic cemented the relevance of its tech-meets-fashion approach through a summer party that shut down the street in front of the Seashell of Lisson Grove, London. Hosted by supermodel Erin Wasson, who was also the brand’s seasonal campaign star, the event created a huge buzz. And the London ‘It’ set were out in attendance, including Poppy Delevigne, Mary Charteris, Rina Lipa, and a slew of Bridgerton stars including Banita Sandhu and Ruby Barker.
Part of what makes Urbanic so unique is that the brand's focus is innovation and technology and how it can be applied to the production of clothes. ‘I’m a tech entrepreneur whose medium is fashion, but it’s my connection and understanding of Gen Z and howthey use tech that helped us become what we are,’ says Rahul. While the fashion industry is only scratching the surface of how to incorporate AI effectively, Dayama’s team devised and implemented a predictive technology so sensitive to their consumer demand that Urbanic’s inventory waste is less than 1%. 'We’re an incredible case study of how technology can help tackle important issues in fashion, such as manufacturing overproduction,’ he says. ‘This is a big win for our company and, potentially, the industry as a whole. We’re excited to develop similar technologies to attack other issues in the supply chain.’
Rather than betting on A-list celebrities and influencers when he launched Urbanic, Rahul and his team built a loyal community of micro and nano influencers, which drove digital word of mouth. According to the founder, the marketing value of 1000 micro or nano influencers is equivalent to that of one big celebrity–but it costs much less, and the effects last longer. ‘Historically, brands have positioned themselves as aspirational, and that has meant through luxury or unattainable lifestyles,’ he explains. ‘But for a social media marketing strategy to work, brands must understand that for this generation, aspiration through digital platforms means belonging, not following. ‘For Gen Z, there is a natural inclination to talk about how they shop. This is the starting point,’ he says. ‘The trick is to help them create good content that inspires people to join their community, which isn’t about being friends with everyone. It’s about triggering a common point of belongingness.’
Urbanic have found that when a brand participates in a micro or nano influencer’s community growth through the creation of good content, it’s a win-win for all because community and loyalty are built for both. It’s all about how people bond in the digital space. For example, passion for clothes may bring people together digitally, but the bonding over common points such as the love of print, beautiful imagery, or artistic interpretation of style lays the foundation for a digital community. And because micro and nano influencers tend to be truly authentic about what they share, their communities grow quickly when something specific brings them together consistently. If a brand can support this growth, the brand then becomes a part of this belongingness and they grow together. ‘It’s an interesting time to build and market a business,’ says Rahul. ‘We can see the possibility that brands can find success from not just selling products, but through selling a perspective on technology. In the meantime, for Urbanic, we are lucky enough to be able to build on all fronts–tech, product, and authentic digital communities.’ Shop Urbanic here.
Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us
English (US) ·