The Power of The Digital Space
The digital space is slowly, but surely changing our societal traditions. Now that COVID-19 is in the picture, some of these changes might be for the better. For people who are not familiar with the term “brick and mortar”, it is the presence of physical buildings, such as stores, factories, offices, etc. Prior to the pandemic, some brick and mortar stores were struggling financially due to the rise of online shopping. With some malls being closed due to social distancing, many stores will struggle to stay open because they are not generating the necessary revenue to survive this economic crisis. For instance, “J.C. Penney filed for bankruptcy after years of decline and debt”, tweeted @business. Brick and mortar stores depend on traffic and without that it is almost impossible for them to survive.
Surprisingly, in today’s society everyone does not prefer to shop online. There is a nuance to physically shopping in stores, like the ability to try on clothes to make sure that they fit, which online shopping does not offer. Despite that, most people still prefer to shop online. This generation is what some people would consider a “microwave generation” because we prefer to have everything instantly. Online shopping falls in line with this theory because you can make purchases immediately and you do not have to worry about large crowds or long lines.
There are more perks shopping online than in the stores. In many cases, retailers offer broader selections and more deals online. A big part of shopping is finding the best deals, which comparatively brick and mortar stores do not have. Brick and mortar stores have fallen behind because they are unable to offer anything that will set them apart from online shopping.
While brick and mortar is dying, live streaming has become more popular than it already was. Usually, concerts and festivals would be right around the corner. Since those things can not happen, artists have turned to Instagram and Facebook live to hold virtual concerts, the most popular being the battles. These live battles have caused artists’ streams to increase at a rate no concert would be able to do. With so much free time, people are more open to listening to artists they never heard of or cared for, which artists have taken advantage of.
Platforms like Hulu, Netflix, and Prime Video have also seen another spike since the beginning of the pandemic. With movie theaters being closed, many people have turned to these streaming platforms. While most movies and tv shows on these platforms are not new, they do have some original films that have competed with movie theaters and cable in streams. For example, Netflix has produced films like Tiger King, Money Heist, When They See Us, and Orange Is The New Black. The digital space is in the process of redefining the social world. Change is inevitable and now that we’re in the middle of a pandemic, change might come quicker than expected.
Report: Brionna Thompson
At the rise of Covid-19 many of us first questioned the timeline of fashion week and would we see the regular calendar continue - the question weighed over many of us for months! It was refreshing to see design houses and designers across the globe take advantage of the uncertainty and plow into production mode - thus my interest in Jerri Reid New York - The Black Designer based in Brooklyn New York wow’d instagram with his latest collection paying homage to the Black Is King film which debuted earlier this year in July. I was taken aback at quick of a turn round the young designer produced and released his well crafted designs reflecting some of the films most memorable moments.