8 Steps to Build a Brand that Commands Loyalty and Case Studies to Follow

Informational • 11m read

8 Steps to Build a Brand that Commands Loyalty and Case Studies to Follow

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Mai Nguyen • Dec 13, 2024

Why are some fashion competitors in the same industry so difficult to beat with typical strategies? Take the iconic Hermes Birkin bag, for example, which ranges from $10,400 to $2 million and has a waitlist that can take years to get through. While luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Bottega Veneta offer not only highly crafted products but also exceptional customer service, creating an experience that mainstream and indie fashion brands simply cannot replicate.

The Birkin bag exemplifies a "cult fashion style," a culture that's hard to define but deeply coveted. Hermes has built this exclusive culture by catering to ultra-luxury audiences who value not just a bag made from crocodile but the emotional and time investment required. Owning a Birkin isn’t just about wealth; it represents patience, prestige, and an unparalleled standard of luxury. This article explores the concept of cult fashion culture in the industry and provides case studies to help you understand and learn from it.

What Defines A Cult Fashion 

A cult brand, or culture brand, refers to a product or service that offers a relatively small but loyal customer base, often characterized by a sense of community and emotional connection among its followers. These brands don’t only buy products or services; they buy and create intangible values such as experience, emotions, identities and value that resonate deeply with their audiences.

Different from general brands, cult brands tend to have several characteristics in common. For example, they tend to be distinctive, meaning that they provide an alternative style or feeling that differs from existing brands. Here are key characteristics of a cult brand:

  1. Emotional Connection: Cult brands evoke strong emotional responses, making customers feel understood and aligned with the brand’s values.

  2. Community: They often foster a sense of belonging among their customers, creating communities where fans interact and celebrate shared interests or ideals.

  3. Unique Identity: Cult brands are distinct and offer something special or unconventional that sets them apart from mainstream competitors.

  4. Storytelling: They leverage compelling stories or narratives that inspire and connect with their audience on a deeper level.

  5. Advocacy and Loyalty: Customers often become brand advocates, promoting the brand passionately and voluntarily.

  6. Exclusivity: Cult brands frequently create a sense of exclusivity and unique approaches to make their products or services feel like a privilege or status symbol.

Stories Of Trailblazers: How To Make Your Fashion Culty

  1. Define a Unique Brand Identity

The first step in building a brand is defining a unique identity that resonates with your audience. Stay true to your vision and communicate your brand’s mission and values, such as sustainability or inclusivity, to create a meaningful connection. Develop a distinct visual style such as minimalism, bold streetwear, or avant-garde that sets your brand apart and leaves a lasting impression.

Telfar defines its identity through inclusivity and accessibility, making luxury fashion available to a wider audience with its slogan, "Not for you, for everyone." The brand blends bold designs with affordability, seen in its iconic "Telfar Shopping Bag." By embracing diversity and cultural moments, Telfar has connected with younger, fashion-conscious consumers, building a loyal following and becoming a cult brand.

Telfar bag series of “Not for you, for everyone” theme

  1. Know Your Niche Audience

Understanding your niche audience is essential for building a successful brand. Dive deep into your target market to grasp your ideal customer’s lifestyle, values, and preferences. Ensure your designs and messages resonate culturally by aligning them with your audience’s interests, whether those lie in art, music, activism, or pop culture.

For example, Lululemon, creators of the preferred spandex of yoga enthusiasts and "cool moms" everywhere. They aim to approach those with demographics including people in mid-teens to mid-thirties, both men and women. They intend to have a healthy lifestyle, a work-life balance and a fit, active style. Their target customers are willing to pay for the high prices of Lululemon products. These people are tech-savvy and invested in their self-image as health-conscious and stylish.

A yoga class hosted by Lululemon

  1.  Build a Strong Brand Story

Share a compelling story about your brand’s origins, purpose, and inspirations to create an emotional connection with your audience. By telling stories that resonate with their values and aspirations, you can evoke emotions and build a deeper bond with your customers.

Sustainability has become a key focus in brand storytelling, especially with the growing demand for eco-conscious fashion and products. Stella McCartney is a leading example of this, known for promoting sustainable luxury and ethical fashion. Her strategy includes using innovative materials, ethical sourcing and collaborating with environmentally conscious celebrities to expand her reach, all while standing firm against animal cruelty.

  1. Focus on Quality and Exclusivity

Like luxury and slow fashion, a cult brand needs high-quality products and an exclusive experience, ensuring its craftsmanship, transparent resources and design stand out. They also use limited releases to create a sense of urgency and exclusivity. Supreme, for example, has built a loyal following among young streetwear enthusiasts, especially teens to late twenties. Their audience seeks exclusivity and status through premium limited-edition drops and high-profile collaborations. Supreme lovers are highly engaged, often waiting in long lines or entering raffles to get coveted items, appreciating bold designs of its iconic red color and logo that keep them at the forefront of urban fashion.

  1. Create a Community

Encourage engagement by using social media, events, or forums to connect with your audience and create opportunities for interaction. Involve customers in the creative process through polls, feedback, or collaborations, making them feel like valued insiders and strengthening their connection to your brand.

Patagonia connects with its customers by sharing their stories on social platforms and highlighting their outdoor adventures and environmental efforts. They host events like cleanups and hikes, and create forums for discussions on sustainability. Patagonia also involves customers in the design process by asking for feedback and hosting design contests, making them feel like important contributors to the brand. This strengthens their bond with the brand and builds loyalty. 

Patagonia customer’s outdoor narratives

  1. Leverage Social Proof

Partnering with influencers and celebrities who align with your brand values can help expand your reach, while encouraging user-generated content allows customers to share how they style your pieces, creating organic buzz. 

Kardashian's shapewear brand, Skims, has grown beyond its original focus to include loungewear, sleepwear, and even men's collections. By October 2023, Skims had reached a $4 billion valuation and was set to open five permanent stores across the U.S. Kim Kardashian regularly promotes the brand, often wearing its figure-hugging dresses to events or casual outings for the "Skim: The Second Skin" campaign.

  1. Foster Sustainability and Social Responsibility

Cult brands are embracing eco-conscious practices to meet the growing demand for sustainability, using recycled materials, ethical and transparent production, and reducing waste. They also align with social causes like climate change or gender equality, fostering deeper connections with consumers who care about ethical practices. This approach strengthens the brand's identity and builds a community of like-minded individuals. 

Everlane attracts young professionals who prioritize minimalism, sustainability, and transparency. Their customers are willing to invest in high-quality basics that align with their values of social responsibility and promote conscious consumption. For example, Everlane uses recycled bottles for their collection, with slogans like “Used once. Worn forever,” “Warming the planet. Warming you,” and “Easy to throw out. Better to throw on.”, strengthening their sales performance and building trust with their brand supporters.

  1. Stay Consistent Yet Flexible

To build a successful brand, it's crucial to maintain consistency in your image across all platforms while staying adaptable to evolving trends and customer feedback. This balance ensures your brand remains recognizable and relevant without losing sight of its core values. A great example of this is Nike’s "Just Do It" campaign. Since its launch, the campaign has consistently promoted a message of empowerment, determination, and athleticism. 

However, Nike has adapted it over time to stay relevant, incorporating social causes like equality and inclusivity, collaborating with high-profile athletes, and integrating sustainable initiatives. By aligning its message with current trends, such as environmental awareness and influencer partnerships, Nike continues to connect with diverse audiences while reinforcing its identity as a symbol of empowerment and performance.

Can You Build Your Own Cult Fashion Brand?

Building a cult fashion brand is definitely possible, but it takes planning, dedication, and a clear understanding of what makes your brand special. Start by defining a unique identity that connects with your audience and staying true to your values. Focus on authenticity, quality, and what’s relevant to your audience, creating strong emotional ties. Limited releases, collaborations, and staying adaptable to trends can also help build exclusivity and loyalty. 

Additionally, this is not quite hard to find for a small production scale for your limited edition, ensuring premium quality while staying within a profitable budget for your collection. Inflow is a well-known fashion production platform in Vietnam for luxury brands looking to create successful collections with a cult fashion style for your reference.

Here are 8 key steps to consider when creating a unique culture for your fashion brand. Building a cult fashion brand, like the brands we admire, is more than just designing and producing luxury items. It’s about creating something distinct and essential to your brand’s followers. While it’s not easy, with the right vision and strategy, you can carve out a niche and create a dedicated following. Once you successfully achieve this, your brand will stand out on a whole new level, and your products will naturally attract more customers eager to become part of your community.

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