Luxury brands, formerly content to stand on the sidelines of social media, are increasingly entering the fray in hopes of wooing consumers with new and edgy content.

Retailers like Saks and Barneys have launched blogs with magazine-like content, including interviews with industry insiders and trend-spotting reports. Gucci, Burberry, and Chanel all have Facebook pages, while brands like Marc Jacobs, Jimmy Choo, and Rebecca Minkoff have all created branded experiences on Foursquare, the location-based marketing site.

These companies have recognized the importance of reaching the consumer where she spends a significant amount of her time � on the Internet � to enhance the branded experience.

"Social media is another manifestation of the customer being in control," says Anne Brouwer, a senior partner with the retail consultancy firm McMillanDoolittle LLP. "It's going to happen anyway. So if the brands don't participate, they miss the opportunity to listen to what their customers have to say."

Saks minds the balance between responding to consumers and creating unique content its consumers will appreciate. Customers can reach out to its Twitter handle, @saks, for questions or complaints, while its recently launched blog Saks POV places an emphasis on editorial content.

In an interview with WWD, Saks Direct president Denise Incandela said initial feedback on the blog has been positive. "We find customers respond well to our editorial content, since they look to us as a fashion authority," she said. "[Saks POV] has been very well received by customers, and we measure that in terms of traffic as well as sales conversions."

Brouwer said that some luxury brands, however, initially had the misconception that social media was only a temporary fad, and failed to recognize its true potential.

Now, though, that attitude has shifted dramatically. "Every generation is using social media in some shape or form," Brouwer added. "It's one of many areas that affect the retail scene, and an extremely important part of having a holistic and thought-out customer experience."

Designer Erin Fetherston has had first-hand experience with social media's ability to close the loop with her consumers. In September, she launched a website with a blog and e-commerce elements for her eponymous brand, and says she's seen a lot of "cross-traffic" between the two.

"I think social media has a lot to offer," Fetherston says. "It creates more opportunity for the customer to connect with the designer, and for fashion to grow into more of a community. It also helps articulate the brand, and frequently updating content brings people to your site more often."

Engaging consumers online is key, as research from the Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle MonitorTM survey reveals that women currently spend more time shopping online than in retail stores � almost two hours (115 minutes) versus one hour and 46 minutes (106 minutes) per month. Among women who shop for clothing online, two-thirds start their online shopping at retailer or brand websites, followed by emails from retailers and brands (29%), search engines (29%), and fashion trend websites (12%).

Though luxury brands have been slow to enter this arena, they are increasingly realizing that compelling content makes all the difference.

"They're working their way through it," said Brouwer. "But when you see blogs that aren't kept current or a lack of response to comments or questions that are raised, you have to wonder how serious they are or how well they understand the power of social media."

In his new report, "Social Media Guide for Luxury Brands," Dan Abrams, founder of the digital and social media agency Abrams Research, is less diplomatic.

The NBC legal analyst's study lauded brands like Tiffany & Co. -- which created a free iPhone app that allows its users to browse engagement rings, choose the carat size and sizing, and purchase online -- that are using social media effectively. But Abrams chastised other brands with less successful efforts, including Balmain, which he cited as having a "sloppy and unpolished" web presence.

"Luxury brands face a choice: influence the conversations themselves or be drawn into the fray through less desirable circumstances," Abrams wrote. "Blogs and platforms like Gilt [Groupe] have, for better or worse, opened up access to luxury to a larger audience. Luxury brands can no longer afford to differentiate purely on higher price points and claims of quality. Brands need to prove their worth online in other ways."

Gilt Groupe is unquestionably a game-changer in the luxury market; it was expected to earn about $500 million in revenue in 2010.

A resurgence in luxury spending may be tied to consumer optimism; according to Monitor data, 36% of women say they are somewhat optimistic about the U.S. economy, while 48% of women say they are very or somewhat optimistic about their own personal financial situation.

Ideally, that optimism will continue to translate to sales at the register. Meanwhile, brands like Louis Vuitton are defining their social media presence in new and unique ways. The storied French fashion house recently made headlines for the launch of a new iPhone app, called "Amble," which allows users to discover and share places relative to their geographical location. The app is tied to a unique website that features City Guides, which are designed to give an insider's perspective on several major cities worldwide.

As social media continues to evolve, so too will luxury brands, as they hone their techniques for reaching consumers in an increasingly fragmented online world.

Phillip Bloch, stylist and author of The Shopping Diet, believes that in order to survive, brands have to "create an aspirational environment" for consumers.

"Social media is a reflection of the times we live in," said Bloch, who hosted a media-sponsored gifting lounge during Fashion Week. "What we're finding is a fusion of celebrities, social media, and luxury brands. There's the expression that �No man is an island.' Well, no business is an island. You have to adapt."