#blogging

Tell a fashion magazine editor ten years ago that an eleven year old girl, who posts her personal diary and musings online, scored a spot in the front row at the most exclusive fashion shows at fashion week, and they might have fallen off their chair, Manolo Blahniks in air. Yet one miss Tavi Gevison has led the next generation of fashion influencers and was on the cusp of a new age in fashion. The so- called technological revolution has created the dawn of personal style which can be uploaded and expressed in the format of a blog or vlog, and even in a mirage of tiny squares on Instagram. The over saturated business of blogging has turned fashion shows, previously exclusive events for a select few, into frenzies of street style photographers, influencers and bloggers changing outfits for every show, standing conveniently outside of venues hours before shows (invited or not) to get their picture taken.

The ability to posts photographs of what you are wearing, what and who inspires you as well as creating your own content has broken down the esoteric barriers between magazine editors and us mere mortals who can only deign to wear the clothes spread across fashion magazines. Fashion has become more accessible, and anyone with a computer and access to Wi-Fi can have a say. Yet with this accessibility has come a fever of bloggers and influencers trying to make their way as entrepreneurs in this constantly changing industry. The break neck speed at which we have become accustomed to receiving information through our overstimulated eyes dryly blinking at bright screens, has created an intense industry. This industry is so affected by the number of followers one has as well as the amount of collaborations a blogger can muster, that the hustle is harder and faster.

After Milan fashion week during 2016, a few Vogue online editors took a rather nasty dig at the ever prevalent influencers. One such editor is quoted saying “'Note to bloggers who change head-to-toe, paid-to-wear outfits every hour: Please stop. Find another business. You are heralding the death of style.” Other than being a cliché, by perpetuating cattiness synonymous with the fashion industry, this remark may be a commentary on the circus that fashion weeks have become. Yet seem rather hypocritical coming from someone who works for one of the most famous fashion magazines in the world. A person, who no doubt, benefits from Vogue’s relationships with certain fashion houses and access to clothes would be a given. A dislike of the attention grabbing atmosphere that must surround fashion shows throughout the week is understandable. However the attack on the booming industry and its leaders, is misinformed and naïve. Most of the outcry against these comments , by famous bloggers themselves, were that most successful influencers and bloggers work hard, and produce quality content which perhaps threatens that of huge fashion magazines.

Overall I think that the fashion industry should just play nice, and realise that despite its obvious superficiality, social media is here to stay. Losing sight of the frivolity and fun of fashion is unnecessary, and magazines can only have the moral high ground when it comes to lambasting influencers, if they swear never to feature nor photograph them to capitalise on their thousands of followers.

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