The Rise of the Blogger
The trend that started in the early nineties as a personal hobby and creative outlet has now become the primary ticket to access the most exclusive events and meet notable influencers of the fashion industry.
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The ‘Blogging Boom’ has disrupted the fashion world. 16-year-old bloggers such as Tavi Gevinson (@tavitulle) are getting preference to front row seats during Fashion Week as opposed to their magazine-editor counterparts.
Many magazine editors believe these local celebrities are ‘just famous for being famous’ and do not realize the influential power they hold in a virtual world where value and trust is based on Instagram posts and live stories.
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Swedish photographer, Carin Olssen who came to Paris in 2013 for four months, reflected in the name of her blog, Paris In Four Months. Olssen ended up staying and building her fashion empire both behind and in front of the camera.
With a total of 940 thousand followers, Carin’s Instagram stories allows viewers a look into her life. We become a part of her photo shoots at beautiful Parisian landmarks. We accompany her to quaint and up-market coffee shops and are allowed VIP seats at fashion shows like Berluti and Dior. This is the beauty of blogging, the ability to be part of someone’s life and to have the opportunity to experience the fashion world.
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Australian blogger, Margaret Zhang is a 22-year-old law student who started her blog at the age of 16. She was named one of the ‘20 most influential personal style bloggers’ and has relationships with designers such as Dior and Louis Vuitton. Zhang believes that her blog and Instagram post are a vehicle for her voice and does not believe in receiving monetary compensation for her posts.
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She is a firm believer in journalistic ethics and says that bloggers should use their own set of skills such as photography, styling, make-up or editing to show viewers a snippet of their daily life.
“The currency of blogging is authenticity and trust.” -Jason Calacanis (Internet Blogger & Entrepreneur)
Other dominant bloggers amongst many is Blair Eadie (@blaireadiebee) and Jessica Stein (@tuulavintage) who are both leaders when it comes to Instagram followers. Stein has an army worth of 2.5 million followers on Instagram, which has the same country population as Jamaica!
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Both Stein and Eadie have different styles of blogging; Eadie’s Instagram page is quirky, cute and colorful with posts of her in vintage style dresses while eating ice cream in Columbia. Where as Stein sits on an old fashioned VW minibus showcasing the New Zealand landscape in the background. Each blog appeals to a different audience whether their focus is on fashion, beauty, interiors or travel.
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The evolution of blogging is a fascinating journey from the ‘personal diary’ to the ‘public community.’ Blogging permits us to share, connect, create and inspire. It is a social medium that has caused waves in the fashion industry.
