The world of fashion blogging comprises a community of singular voices on style; whose influence and impact has transformed fashion into a global conversation writes Kate Lawson.
Thanks to the internet, there are now a number of platforms dedicated to pioneering personal style and offering opinion on mainstream fashion. As a result, bloggers have become an increasingly strong force. Their recommendations can create overflowing waiting lists and, in some cases, cause a product to sell out.
Many bloggers have capitalised on their power and become business savvy, with some sites earning thousands of pounds each month in advertising and sponsorship. A site that typically receives 600,000 hits per month could expect to sell ads on that page at £12-15 per thousand impressions. This turns blogging into a paid occupation.
Blogging is clearly no longer considered the hobby of bored students who want to tell us how they made their old pair of faded denims morph into an on-trend 80s version through bleaching. Neither is it simply a channel for aspiring fashion journalists and stylists attempting to persuade us that they are the next Hilary Alexander or Rachel Zoe. Rather, the blogging world is now filled with niche movers and shakers who make up fashion’s new frontline, with some even becoming celebrity style icons.
Many brands and designers have also embraced the changes in the online fashion landscape and now interact with their customers directly via official blogs such as Inside Jigsaw.
H&M teamed up with Swedish blogger Elin Kling this year to launch a one-off S/S collection designed by Elin herself and Marc Jacobs named the BB Ostrich bag after Bryan Grey-Yambao (Bryan Boy). Tavi Gevinson (The Style Rookie) provided the inspiration for Rodarte’s line for US brand Target, while Susanna Lau (Style Bubble) and Navaz Batliwalla (DisneyRollerGirl) have collaborated with brands including Browns Focus and Topshop.
Fashion Editors have also tapped in to the power of bloggers and have realised that they play a key role in helping to sniff out the next big trend. US Vogue’s 2010 ‘Power’ issue featured the most influential style bloggers in the world, including Garance Dore, a first generation blogger who captures street style on camera and who also happens to be the partner of Scott Schuman (The Satorialist).
Talking of first generation bloggers, Diane Pernet is also a name to note. Originally a fashion designer and film costume designer in the 80s, as well as fashion editor for Elle and Vogue Paris, her blog (A Shaded View on Fashion) was named one of the three most influential fashion blogs in 2008. This helped Diane earn a place on the Metropolitan Museum NYC’s blog-mode panel.
However, it is all very well inspiring audiences with their personal reviews on fashion, but can bloggers actually monetise their craft and potential celebrity status? If you are thinking of starting your own style diary, hosting advertising affiliations on a blog is one way to generate some capital; but don’t expect a pot of gold to rain on you every time you publish a new post.
A successful blogger is lucky, but also savvy. Take Sasha Wilkins, who started LibertyLondonGirl in 2006 and was listed as one of the 100 most influential people in fashion online by Leon Bailey Green of the Independent.
Originally Sasha remained anonymous whilst blogging, but after an exclusive interview with Grazia Magazine in 2010 she revealed herself as the face of her popular website, which attracts 250,000 page views per month, with readers from 138 countries. Since revealing her identity, Sasha has written for The Sunday Times, Elle and Vogue and is the voice of Mercedes Benz London Fashion Week’s official Twitter account. She also became the face of Hunter Wellies.
For others, blogging has opened doors directly into the fashion industry. Alice Kelleher is Features Assistant at PRIMA. She gained a valuable insight into working on publications like YOU magazine, The Evening Standard and Fabulous Magazine through internships that she attained as a direct result of the success of her blog. Alice explains her progress; “I freelanced for other websites through my fashion blog. I am now a full-time paid writer, which is something I would never have achieved without my blog. My blog taught me so much about what I enjoy and about my writing style. The experience I gained has helped my writing career."
The blogging market is more competitive than ever and we are now in an era where established style icons like Alexa Chung (who appeared in a “Today I’m Wearing” blog feature for Vogue UK Online) and Olivia Palermo (who plans to launch her own style diary this summer) set a high precedent. However, there is always space for new talent to emerge and if you think you have what it takes to become an online power player, here are my tips for a successful blog.
- First and foremost you need to have a passion for fashion! Although that sounds an obvious point to make, I am surprised how many blogs I read where they start off about one fashion topic and, mid-paragraph, digress into another about cupcakes!
- If you’re serious about your blog, invest in a domain name from the word go.
- If your intention is to build a business from your blog, write a press release stating your social media links, statistics, and how many followers you have. You need to be honest and savvy.
- Bloggers are almost always offered incentives by PR’s to write about their brands, or paid to endorse a product. Think carefully who you choose to work with and consider your reader and whether the brand is compatible with the style of your website. I can spot a blog that’s just full of freebie product endorsement and no actual content from a mile off!
- Promote your blog. Utilise social media like Twitter and Facebook to direct followers to your site via links and ask other bloggers to re-tweet them. That is how you build your community and more importantly, the traffic to your site!
- And my top tip: Say something new! Be original and engaging. Don’t just take pictures of yourself in your bedroom mirror in a floaty dress and title it, “Today I Felt Like Florence Welch”. It’s all about adding something different to the reams of content already out there.
Remember; it is your voice that will drive the fashion community to hear what you have got to say. So think big and think loud!
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Tags: Alexa Chung, Blogging, Diane Pernet, DisneyRollerGirl, Elin Kling, Fashion Blogs, Garance Dore, Jigsaw, Kate Lawson, Laura Toogood, LibertyLondonGirl, Sasha Wilkins, Tavi Gevinson, Today Im Wearing, vogue