The Future of Merchandising and Fan Engagement

A revolution is coming in how fans show their allegiance and what they wear to show that tribal identity. While it is clear that personalisation and unique designs will form the core of the next wave of merchandise products, the future of artist/fan relationships seems to be one of increasing intimacy and personalisation, powered by highly reactive and flexible manufacturing processes. How close can an artist get to his or her fans in order to leverage the enormous possibilities offered by such levels of customisation, and what does that mean to record labels and their artists, the merchandising industry and streaming platforms?