LOOKBOOK.nu is an online community which allows members to upload photos of self created fashion looks, to tag the brand of the clothing and to hype (vote) others looks thereby increasing karma (reputation). So from a network economics and participatory psychology approach LOOKBOOK.nu ticks the boxes and has consequently grown into a considerable fashion presence. (Attention economy and social media/network theorists such as Yochai Benkler would love this.)

The standard of the ‘looks’ and creations on LOOKBOOK.nu rivals even the best of current fashion photography and professional creations. Go look if you don’t believe me. This crowd sourcing, consumer generated content approach to fashion blogging draws in social groups across the spectrum, think preppy, fashionista, hipster, & scene kid, they are all there with their dedicated followers. From each ‘look’ it is possible to click through to the retailer, to search looks according to colour, brand or style.

That LOOKBOOK.nu is home to a 200,000 member strong community and a global worldwide readership of over 3.5 million unique visitors per month indicates that this resource is worth unfathomable value to the retail and fashion industries. And of course they have begun to realise this.

Gap for example has been running a competition through LOOKBOOK.nu Team Skinny Vs. Flare which called for members to post looks declaring their team (including Gap clothing of course) the prizes awarded are in the hundreds of dollars and Gap uses the images in their upcoming advertising campaign. Mass exposure of Gap products, masses of traffic generation,  free fashion shots, sounds like a whole lot of free work to me.

I am really interested to talk with LOOKBOOK.nu about the ins-and-outs of their model, the possibilities of revenue generation are many with this site, exciting. Well done Jason Su and Yuri Lee.

If you are like me you have a morbid fascination with the adverting work. On the one hand it’s the engine of conspicuous consumption, shallowness and materialism that despite my protestations I really know is not sustainable and has to stop or at least change course*. Unfortunately far out weighing this is advertising as an engine for creativity, new ideas (and the appropriation of interesting ideas). Of course not all advertising is interesting, I used to place students to work on the yellow pages advert creation department – man was that a dull placement!

This link is an excellent source for interesting ads as it’s a collection of adverts that have for one reason or another been banned, its very up to date so you can find out why you can’t see the Oasis ‘Cactus’ ad anymore. The image above was a promotion for an advertising magazine that was banned after its run was complete, giving it another cycle of exposure.

* this is not universally the case, as you may know I have some loose connections to Saatchi and Saatchi, Kevin Roberts (worldwide CEO) was talking to me recently about their Blue concept (rather than green) for more go here