What really goes on behind the scenes? Industry experts share their knowledge

Antonia Thompson is director of consulting at Wednesday, an agency that offers innovative digital expertise to high-end fashion and luxury labels, creating  online advertising, social media strategies and mobile and e-commerce technologies for brands including Chanel, Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen.     

What makes a good Tweeter?
A good tweeter is immediate, relevant, funny, succinct – 140 characters means that every word should count – and only uses hashtags when appropriate. 

What is the 'next big thing' in the online fashion experience?
We have yet to realise the extensive possibilities of personalisation. It may not sound groundbreaking, but we're still waiting for the technology to catch up with us on this one ... personal curation, tailored experiences and behavioural innovations will have a huge impact on the online fashion experience.

It seems that video and fashion film is becoming increasingly important, doesn’t it?
When we released the 32-second short on YouTube featuring Lara Stone for the launch of the Calvin Klein Push Positive bra we generated 10 million views and 450 million site impressions in a matter of weeks. It was the single best bra launch in the brand's history. It's important though to be selective and strategic about what you put out there. Remember how much time it takes for people to sit through an entire clip – you better have a good reason to ask them to watch one. From an e-commerce perspective, video is huge. In the absence of customers being able to actually touch and feel the product, smart retailers are leveraging video and rich media to enhance the online shopping experience to bring it closer to – and beyond – the physical one.

British people are the biggest online shoppers in the developed world. Why do we like it so much?
I'm actually surprised to hear that statistic... If only for the reason that it’s so difficult to arrange for pick-ups and deliveries at home here! That’s coming from a New Yorker! But maybe it has something to do with being able to run free online – the Brits are far too reserved to go wild in the stores so love the freedom of online shopping!

How can you convey high-end luxury on a website? 
It’s more about translating an experience than it is about communication. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that it’s as simple as slapping brand assets online, like a 'digital brochure', but it’s important to consider every aspect of the brand experience. From the graphic elements to a customer's journey through the site to the smallest customer service details. All of these combined must translate into an experience that feels every bit as high-end as the one you'd get in store.