LCF MA Fashion Media Production alumna Natalie Grogan has founded SEARCH STYLE, a digital platform for a community-led street style website showing real fashion trends from around the world. In light of our #LCFDigitalFashion season before the launch of the Digital Anthropology Lab on the 16th October, we’re featuring the digital work and production of LCF students like Natalie.
SEARCH STYLE, which was the product of Natalie’s final MA project at LCF, has become an multi-award-winning social network that uses social inspiration to bring together the latest global street style trends in a unique interactive worldwide fashion map. Natalie says that without ‘Fashion Media Production and her amazing tutors,’ she would never have had the drive and encouragement needed to get this project off the ground.
LCF MA Fashion Media Production alumna Natalie Grogan has founded an online digital platform to share global fashion trends.
The digital platform allows fashion lovers can share their style through street style photos, and follow, comment on and share the styles of the people, designers and brands that inspire them. This fashion footprint updates in real time so users discover the latest trends as they develop no matter where they are, from the glitzy stores of Paris to the gritty street styles of Manila. Natalie answered some questions from LCF about the site, her MA and the future of fashion technology.
Why did you choose to study MA Fashion Media Production at LCF?
After my BA, I decided to look into UAL fashion masters courses. I wanted the opportunity to direct my graphic design background on fashion. Fashion Media Production seemed like a perfect fit for me. It naturally utilises new media and innovative technologies - something that I’ve always been interested in, but never had the chance to explore. There can’t be many courses where you’re taught how to build a virtual 3D art gallery! To me, Fashion Media Production is at the cutting edge of fashion and it’s refreshing to have found a course that isn’t restricted by the traditional disciplines of the fashion industry.
Natalie Grogan founded SEARCH STYLE as part of her final year project for MA Fashion Media Production
In what ways do you hope new technologies will change the industry?
“The best fashion show is definitely on the street. Always has been and always will be.” Bill Cunningham
This quote has stuck with me, I first heard on a documentary I watched in a lecture on the MA. This quote by Bill is my mantra and for the first time I am seeing street style fashion overtaking preconceived avenues of influence through the rise of social media and instant global sharing possibilities.I am a style lover. But I love the idea of us, the consumers, wrestling back our style from flashy catwalks, fashion powerhouses and glossy magazines to put it back where it belongs – on real streets worn by real people.
What is the most exciting thing about progress in new technologies?
The most exciting and valuable thing for me was how the course enabled me to identify an industry changing shift in influence and that’s really exciting. In our socially connected world, fashion trends aren’t influenced from the catwalk down anymore, but from the streets up. Social networks and instant sharing have made consumers more influential than glossy magazines, giant fashion houses and catwalk shows. Through the simple act of sharing photos we are constantly influencing each other with purchases, ideas and styles. Online shopping is about to be a social activity, and that’s why I created SEARCH STYLE. I want it to be on the cutting edge of this paradigm shift in consumer nature. I want to pioneer the future of fashion retail, closing the gap between social inspiration and social shopping in the space of just a few clicks. None of this would have been possible without my time at LCF. 
- Find out more about MA Fashion Media Production
- Find out more about other postgraduate courses at LCF
- Find out more about other courses available
- Find out more about the Digital Anthropology LAB and book tickets for the event
- Find out more about SEARCH STYLE
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