How Fashion Bloggers and Influencers Affect the Fashion Industry
Photo: Darrel Hunter via Popsugar
The rise of the influencer hasn’t decrease since its notorious rise during the pandemic when everyone was home and would look to influencers for inspiration or advice.
Influencers can come from several niches within the fashion industry marketing different products covering an array of areas. Fashion bloggers or influencers are people that style outfits, give style tips, describe new collections, etc. on their blogs. Nowadays, fashion bloggers have additional social media platforms in addition to their main blog website such as Instagram or Tiktok. With influencers at the helm of the fashion on social media and the internet, they lead trends and shape where they will go.
Why they matter? Fashion bloggers or influencers have pull within the fashion industry and influence consumer spending on fashion garments and beauty products.
Photo: Phil Oh via Vogue
Consumers tend to trust influencers and bloggers more than brands themselves. They trust them to be more honest and authentic with them compared to a brand. Bloggers and consumers have a special and personal parasocial relationship that makes bloggers easier for consumers to trust and listen to. Bloggers are seen as more reliable and relatable. These influencers have access to millions of people that want to listen to what they recommend, what they have to say and how they style things. Because of this, brands use influencers to market and advertise their products or garments to gain more consumer profit and trust. It is a win-win for Influencers and brands because influencers can get more eyes on their content, payment, PR boxes, tickets to fashion shows, trips, etc. This is a transaction that has been highly successful at promoting many brands and is a mainstay to social media marketing.
Photo: Phil Oh via Vogue
Fashion bloggers also bring high fashion to the regular consumer opening a communication Chanel where consumers are able to look at new collections, products and fashion shows just a click away. Now, people are able to be a part of the fashion world as influencers make that previously exclusive access available to all. Bloggers also allow consumers to shop for garments from them when they first come out. This is made easier with the shopping features on many social media apps. Now, people can shop directly from an influencer's photo if they link the garment or product. A real modern day shopping experience.
Photo: Phil Oh via Vogue
It is clear that influencers have officially cemented themselves in the fashion world as more brands reach out to them for marketing and advertising. It is no secret that brands have used their marketing and influence on social media to sway consumers into becoming customers and influencers can help with that. Consumers are always in the market to purchase more garments and products, especially if their favorite influencer is promoting it. Now, more than ever, social media is a great bridge between the brand and consumer.
