What is a Lookbook? 6 Secrets to Designing a Professional Lookbook

What is a lookbook? Lookbook is a term commonly used in the fashion industry and brands that provide products and services that focus on image promotion. At present, this phrase has become more popular among young people, especially those who love taking photos. In the blog below, Mosyne will share with you information about what a lookbook is and the current creative, unique lookbook shooting trends.

What is a Lookbook?

A lookbook is a term in the fashion industry, it is often understood as a collection of images or a photo book that fashion brands create to introduce their products and collections. Initially, lookbooks were often printed and published in book form, like a fashion magazine without articles, focusing on presenting product images.

However, with the development of technology and society, lookbooks are now often created in digital form and shared on the brand's website, mobile applications, and social networking sites. They can use features such as scrolling and clicking to make it easier for customers to view each photo page, or come up with more creative ways to enhance the consumer experience. The main purpose of shooting a lookbook is to convey the new fashion collection that can attract customers to shop.

For fashion manufacturers, shooting a lookbook helps them convince fashion distributors to cooperate and distribute their new products. Fashion designers also use lookbooks to promote their image brand, and have the opportunity to appear in fashion magazines or high-end retail stores.

However, in the modern era, the use of lookbooks is not limited to reaching out to fashion distributors. Instead, fashion brands also use lookbooks to reach customers directly. This helps them create strong connections and interact directly with their buying audience.

The lookbook does not necessarily only use the brand's products, but the model can be combined with additional accessories to enhance the ideal style that the brand wants to show to buyers. For example, when a high-end fashion brand takes photos or videos to introduce a party dress, they often add accessories such as necklaces, sparkling stone earrings to highlight the luxurious style, or a brand advertising swimwear will add sunglasses or headbands to complete the beach fashion.

For luxury brands, lookbook fashion photography is not simply a document to serve communication purposes. It is also a tool to show the sophistication and class of the brand's products.

What does a professional lookbook include?

Depending on each brand, product line, and target audience, lookbook photography will include different elements. Below are the main factors you need to consider to create a beautiful, high-quality lookbook:

Take sharp, clear product photos. The focus of the photo must be the product captured realistically, with high resolution for every detail.
Product descriptions are images or text that describe the fabric, size, composition, or other information for customers.
Styling tips or outfit ideas for customers. This is a guide for them to combine outfits in many different ways.
Brand elements such as logo, color, brand name, etc.
Lifestyle images: including images of the outfit being worn at an event or in a real-life setting.
Product information such as price, availability, launch date, how to buy.
The credit section is to acknowledge the contributions of the photographer, stylist, idea creator, and other departments that contributed to the completion of the lookbook.

Why do customers like to see lookbooks instead of normal photos?

Because customers see lookbooks as a short fashion book of the brand, they want to refer to how the model wears and coordinates accessories and clothes together. Do you want to buy a shirt and then have to worry about which pants or shoes to combine with it?

Customers today tend to buy online, choosing what they want through sight and emotion. A lookbook that hits the right interests and shows the desired image of the customer will make them want to buy it immediately. Consumers sometimes click to buy just because they find sympathy between them and the image of your collection's lookbook. Of course, the product you advertise should not be too different from reality if you do not want to cause an adverse reaction.

Why should you take lookbook photos?

Brands should take lookbook photos because they serve as a powerful marketing tool that enhances brand image, showcases products effectively, and drives sales. A lookbook is a curated collection of styled images that presents products in a visually appealing and aspirational way, helping customers envision how items can be worn or used.

Capture creativity: Taking lookbook photos helps you save all the effort, ideas, and inspiration you invest in your fashion collection.
Make an impression: A beautiful and impressive lookbook can create a strong impression on customers, helping them remember your brand.
Easy communication: Lookbooks are a great way to share your new products with the media, fashion magazines, and potential customers.
Build credibility: A quality lookbook shows that you care about presenting your products, helping to increase brand credibility.

9 elements to prepare before shooting a lookbook

Creating a successful lookbook requires careful planning to ensure high-quality, visually appealing images that effectively showcase your brand. Here are nine key elements to prepare before the shoot:

Capture creativity: Taking lookbook photos helps you save all the effort, ideas, and inspiration you invest in your fashion collection.
Make an impression: A beautiful and impressive lookbook can create a strong impression on customers, helping them remember your brand.
Easy communication: Lookbooks are a great way to share your new products with the media, fashion magazines, and potential customers.
Build credibility: A quality lookbook shows that you care about presenting your products, helping to increase brand credibility.

6 tips for shooting an impressive lookbook

You do not necessarily have to spend a lot of money to create a lookbook. Of course, if your business develops and has a large budget, then being creative will bring more "luxurious" results.

Below, we share some key tips to support you create a unique lookbook that will impress your customers and help you stand out in the fashion world.

Understand your brand

To start, you need to understand your brand. This includes understanding your target audience.

Are you targeting young people or middle-aged people?
Is your brand style youthful and modern, or mature and elegant?
What is the concept of your upcoming collection?

This helps you better define the soul of the brand. You can convey your message and values to customers more effectively.

Aesthetic thinking of lookbook designers

To create an impressive lookbook, your aesthetic thinking needs to be excellent. Many brands spend a lot of money to produce lookbooks, but in the end, they fail to express the spirit they want.

The lookbook you create needs to be unique, distinct and make your image stand out among countless brands different in the eyes of customers.

Identify highlights

Highlights are an important factor in making your lookbook memorable and winning customers' hearts. Here are some tips to help you do this:

Precious Close-Ups

In each photo, make sure that the details of the product are clearly and qualitatively shown. This is especially important in the fashion industry, where details such as stitching, patterns, or special details can make a difference. Use angles and lighting techniques to highlight these details.

Beads and Luxury Details

If your products have special details such as beads, intricate embellishments, or other luxury elements, focus on them. Choose angles and presentation styles that make these details stand out and make a strong impression.

Unique Patterns

If your brand is known for its distinctive patterns, make sure they are showcased well in your lookbook. Use your layout and editing techniques to highlight these patterns, making them a signature of your brand.

Take Care of Details in Production

To get close-ups and special details, you need to make sure that the product is actually made of high quality. The quality of the product is crucial to being able to show these details perfectly in the photo.

Choose the Right Accessories

Choose accessories such as jewelry, shoes, or handbags that match the product and the details you want to highlight. These accessories can enhance the uniqueness and luxury of your brand.

Focus on design, but don't be too greedy

You may want your lookbook to be unique, but remember that everything you do must highlight the product - from the background, the model or the accessories must help highlight the star of the lookbook - the product you want to sell. A standard lookbook needs to limit unnecessary details, putting the subject in the center in a simple but sophisticated background. It depends on the aesthetic thinking of the lookbook designer.

Create a unique story for your lookbook

Creating a unique story for your fashion collection is a powerful way to connect with your customers, giving them a deeper understanding of the brand’s spirit and a sense of the passion and emotion that goes into creating unique fashion pieces.

Here are some tips to help you create an impressive story for your collection:

Emotional Elements Are the Most Important for Your Collection

Fashion is not just about clothes and accessories. It’s about emotions, about how we feel and express ourselves through our clothes. It is especially important in the fashion world, where creativity and personalization are highly valued.

Write a Story About the Inspiration of Creating a Collection

Share the inspirations behind your collection. These could be your travels, encounters, art, culture, or even personal stories. Tell customers about the journey of creating each piece, from the initial idea to the finished product.

This Story Shows You’re Not Just a Product Designer, But a Personal Story

Customers want to know about the values and soul behind each product. They want to connect with the brand not just through the clothes, but through the values and authentic stories.

Shoppers Want to Know About ‘Behind the Scenes’

Share images and stories about the production process, from the choice of materials to the design process and the dedication of the craftsmen. This helps to create trust and closeness with customers.

Finally, let customers understand that your collection is not just a combination of products, but also a true story of personalization, passion, and effort.

Focus on image quality

So what is the quality of lookbook photos? That is the standard that the image must have extremely high resolution. In particular, when you use digital publications, viewers can zoom in and out to observe details or overviews. No matter what action you take, you must ensure that every detail in the photo is not blurred or broken.

In addition to resolution, light, camera angle, camera mode, contrast also affect photo quality. It seems that just changing the color of the light can make the outfit have a different meaning. Therefore, the photographer and photo editor must have a close connection to create the most standard photos or videos in the lookbook.

Conclusion

Through this article, we have explored together how to create an impressive and interesting fashion lookbook photo series. A lookbook is not simply a collection of product photos, but it is a way to express personality and emotions, as well as create a connection with customers.

Remember, aesthetics and creativity play an important role in the lookbook photography design process. Always look for inspiration and share your brand story to create interesting and impressive product photos.

Hoàng Duyên