This period also marked the widespread acceptance of online shopping. Style enthusiasts from all over the world now have access to more brands than ever, from the convenience of their homes. The internet also allowed for more start-up brands than ever, marketed using social media and funded with online resources like kick-starter. In a way, we’re starting to see the re-surgence of the small brand, fueled by the power of the internet and the desire for consumers to have something limited and exclusive. The best part is, middle men are getting cut-out every day. Department stores, who’s business is marking-up goods that have already been marked-up by the wholesaler, are losing their stranglehold on the market as designers now have a scalable solution to sell their products directly to their consumers.