From the humble beginnings of a place where individuals could express their unique style and a creative outlet on the side of their day job, blogs starting in the early to mid 2000’s. We could never have predicted the level to which they would rise in popularity and influence. The exclusivity of luxury fashion has been disrupted by fashion bloggers. These outsiders or ordinary consumers have infiltrated the once restricted industry by sharing their own opinions with the online world. With ever increasing followings, these bloggers are gaining celebrity-like status, launching books, and even collaborating and working with luxury fashion brands. However, this rise to fame and influence has not come without dissatisfaction from tradition fashion insiders. Fashion editors of magazines are hitting out about blogger culture.

Blogs, formally known as “web logs”, started modestly as a public, diary-like space where individuals could express their ideas and opinions. On fashion blogs, people would post their outfits and review fashion, with those that were popular quickly gathering a large following. Previously, it had been up to journalists, retailers and brands to deliver this kind of fashion coverage. As blogger’s audiences grew, brands realised their power and took to partnerships for marketing reach, using them as a gateway into the world of the consumer due to their relatability. Fashion bloggers started to be seen in magazines, campaigns, front rows of shows for fashion weeks the world over. Collaborations with major brands including Marc Jacobs, Estee Lauder, Chanel, Mulberry and Louis Vuitton proves blogger influence with fashion designers.

Successful fashion blogs now an incredibly lucrative career option

So how to bridge the gap between writing for passion and making a living? Fashion bloggers have a myriad of ways in which make their blog into a lucrative career. Diversifying with podcasts and videoblogs, the rise of social media with Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat all broadening reach, dabbling into print media and producing ‘best of’ books or original publications have opened the door to more followers and a wider readership. This in turn leads to more advertising opportunity (with higher website clicks), paid reviews of brands, clothing and product and collaborative opportunities with fashion houses. “An influencer with 500,000 followers and good engagement might earn $5,000 to $7,500 per Instagram photo” Says James Ford, co-founder of Fohr Card, a platform that links influencers and brands.

Reward Style has made fashion blogging more lucrative than ever, by way of compensation to bloggers referring consumers to online stores. Amber Venz, Reward style’s co-founder and CEO, was herself a blogger and jewellery designer before launching this business that drove more than $60 million dollars worth of sales in it’s first year in 2011. The affiliate program came out of the realisation she (and other bloggers and style influencers) was inadvertently referring customers to online stores and brands, without getting any credit – or money for the connection. Stores including Net-A-Porter, Nordstrom, Neiman Market and Topshop have all signed to Reward Style, dishing out between 13-20% per sale in commission to the blogger that the customer was referred from. Top performing bloggers get paid between $20,000 and $80,000 per month for the sales they are generating. Venz’s latest avenue is a similar model for Instagram, named Like to Know It, allowing consumers to be sent an email of the clothing they have liked on Instagram, and where to buy it.

Conflict in the blogosphere – will the fashion blog prevail?

Public criticisms by fashion media insiders including Vogue editors, makes it evident fashion bloggers are causing ripples in the traditional fashion world and a shift in power within the fashion industry. After Milan fashion week this year, Vogue posted this article about the “blogger paradox” on Vogue.com, where 4 members of their staff publicly voiced opinions about bloggers at Milan fashion week, saying they were “heralding the death of style”, “pathetic” and that it is “distressing, as well, to watch so many brands participate.” Bloggers reciprocated, pointing out that bloggers and magazines are both paid to represent brands but bloggers are simply doing it as a person rather than an entity so therefore “don’t have titles/publications to hide behind”. Model and influencer Caroline Vreeland pointed out that Vogue frequently has bloggers and influencers on the cover and within their magazine, making the comments from Vogue appear quite hypocritical.

These criticisms highlight the changes fashion blogs are having on traditional fashion media, making it clear that blogs are now important medium for fashion news. The increasing popularity and reach of major bloggers has forced the blog space to evolve – making dynamic websites, having multiple social media avenues and work outside of the blog as trusted stylists and consultants.