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The business of influence: Fashion’s original creators grow up

Before social media, street style and brand partnerships, fashion’s original influencers found their voice through personal style blogs. Vogue Business spotlights who’s still in the game and how their approach to monetisation is evolving.
Image may contain Clothing Apparel Aimee Song Human Person Coat Overcoat and Skirt
Camila Coelho and Aimee Song at fashion week.Photo: Chrisian Vierig/Getty Images

This is the first in a new series, The Business of Influence, charting the evolution of fashion’s creator economy, where there’s profit to be made and where the industry is headed next.

Influencers. Creators. Cultural tastemakers. For even the most traditional of fashion brands these individuals have become a major and unavoidable part of marketing strategies. And, there are plenty to choose from: 50 million creators globally now monetise their social media following, according to a 2020 report by venture capital firm Signalfire. More than half a million operate in the fashion, lifestyle and beauty sectors, says social data analytics provider Launchmetrics.