There has been tremendous backlash and criticism surrounding the presence of influencers at Fashion Week, and honestly, I am not surprised; influencers get criticized for quite literally anything they do. Influencers have been attending Fashion Week for as long as Fashion Week has existed. But what has changed is the different channels of influencing. For example, 20 or so years ago, editors, models, designers, and buyers were the people with social status and were considered influential figures at the time. Whereas now, influencers are considered to be people from social media with a high follower count. The purpose of Fashion Week is for fashion designers to showcase their new collections. It all comes down to business; these companies want to promote and sell their product. So, it makes sense that designers would invite digital creators to fashion shows since they are the people that currently hold power in the fashion and marketing industry.
It’s hard to deny that influencers are the future of fashion. We see influencers like Emma Chamberlain on the cover of Cosmopolitan and Dixie D’amelio in Valentino campaign advertisements. But, it’s not just Fashion Week that has become saturated with influencers. Even events like the Met Gala and the Oscars now include influencers. Fashion brands are changing the viewing experience. Instead of waiting for the monthly issue of Vogue to come out, we now have to open our phones and scroll on TikTok to get our inspiration. Designers invite younger creators to their shows because they bring a new audience to the table. For example, just last year at Milan Fashion Week, Charli D’amelio attended the Prada show. At first glance, it does seem odd that an 18-year-old with practically no place in the fashion industry would attend such an elite event. But, Prada is using Charli as a way to reach a younger crowd, one that Prada may not have been able to attract without her. Despite the backlash influencers receive regarding their attendance at Fashion Week, they will continue to be present if the designers are profiting from them.
Featured Image Via Creator: Jonas Gustavsson | Credit: Sipa USA via AP,
Copyright: Sipa USA
