Twitter Technology Trampling Fashion Designs: The Effects of Twitter on the Fashion Industry.

The fashion industry continuously faces the issue of fashion piracy, retailers intentionally copying fashion designs from the runway and cheaply manufacturing them to sell at a low price. While large retailers are soaring, many young designers are struggling to survive. Fashion labels are turning to better marketing strategies and the use of social media to increase their popularity, image and revenue. This thesis covers the rise of Twitter, and how fashion designers, specifically Diane Von Furstenberg, Nanette Lepore, and Tory Burch, use Twitter and for what purpose. My goal is to determine if the use of Twitter fosters brand growth or is directly related to fashion piracy due to the multimedia content designers post