What's that you say? You want to read another piece about fashion bloggers? Well, you came to the right place. Financial Times Fashion Editor Jo Ellison explored her personal relationship with the blogging sect and ultimately comes to a fair conclusion: blogs nowadays just aren't the same.
The introspection came on the heels of the split of fashion blogging power couple, Scott Schuman and Garance Doré a few weeks ago. The duo have acted as the figurehead of fashion blogging for almost a decade and when the two broke up, some minor shockwaves moved through the community. Was it earth-shattering? No. Chill out. This isn't when Brad Pitt left Jennifer Aniston. But for Ellison, the sudden break-up provided a lens to examine how she personally discovered, and subsequently fell in love with the fashion bloggers of yesteryear. After Schuman and Doré, there were Tavi, Susanna Lau (Susie Bubble), and others. But, as we are all aware, this nature of discovery didn't last long. While you may have known about The Sartorialist before it was cool, the fashion industry eventually brought most of those bloggers mainstream, courted them to fashion shows, and provided branded content and sponsored posts. We all know what happened next. Blogs became brands.
It's crazy how quickly some things can grow in the presence of the Internet. Ten years ago, "bloggers" were becoming a real community. Five years ago, they'd carved out a solid presence at shows and their blogs earned them some pocket money. Now, full-time bloggers make more money than they probably should. It's a very 21st century scenario. Try telling a retired steel mill worker that people post about clothes, take photos of their outfits everyday, and earn upwards of six figures. It will blow their mind as if they saw the light bulb for the first time. Yet, the tide, even amongst noted bloggers, has changed. A few years ago, if you wanted to make a name for yourself, you'd be incessantly told to start a blog. People would say, "Put your work out there. Be visible." Now, Lau explicitly recommends against it. “I would never start a fashion blog if I was 22 years old again today,” she says. "...Today, people are more likely to see blogs as being a profession: they just use them to get free stuff.” Has blogging become TOO business-like? Or too driven by free product?
It sure feels like it. But the blame must fall on the example bloggers have set. They tell their readers when they get something for free and doing so ignites the fire of the readers who want those free things. If you see someone get a Chanel scarf for free just by posting about it, wouldn't you want to do that? It may not be easy to crack the fashion blogging illuminati monthly meetings, but it's possible to strike gold and have brands come running toward you with branded content. Many of these bloggers are now post-blog. They work for companies doing other duties. So maybe the days of the traditional blogger are over?
Fortunately for all of us, as Ellison notes, the nature of the Internet means new original voices will continue to shine through. So if you're tired of the same old branded blogs, keep looking. Maybe you'll find a new inspiration.
