Before the age of digital media and its convenient accessibility, women relied on the fashion icons of the past to learn about new trends and get inspired.
While immensely sensual, Dietrich’s persona was also strangely androgynous; her fondness for masculine attire revolutionized and redefined women’s fashion (Photo by Don English/John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images)
Today, we have social media influencers with access to a wide range of audiences dictating what is trendy and what inspires women with their outfits of the day. The key difference between the two are that social media influencers are their own self-marketers, putting them in control of the content they spread and how they persuade their audiences.
well-tailored fashion often paired with her perfectly coordinated pillbox hat and white gloves
As times have changed, so have the people behind the luxury fashion trends. Here is how the two worlds compare and how they have transitioned into the model we have today.
Fashion Icons of the Past-Audrey Hepburn and Hubert de Givenchy
Designers have creative license to produce distinct collections. Some are inspired by icons of the past, but most take inspiration from their muses and the attitudes and personality they bring to the table. Designers feel a sense of responsibility for their muses, who must share the credit of their head-turning trends. The relationship of Hubert de Givenchy and Audrey Hepburn, designer and muse respectively, still remain the gold standards for such relationships today. They both shared a reverence for elegance and sophistication, themes which were evident no matter what she wore. With Hepburn’s notoriety, he brought haute couture from Paris to the States. Throughout their four-decade long bond, Givenchy dressed both Hepburn’s public and personal outfits, in which Hepburn said she felt most herself. Hepburn wore his classic designs in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” and “Funny Face,” in the 1950s. Hepburn became more than just his muse –– she became his brand ambassador. She even inspired his perfume collection that gave his brand a boost, and she posed for free, which further cemented their loyalty toward each other.
Brand Loyalty and Dependency
Katherine Hepburn, an American actress who was one of the early female adopters of trousers.
The loyalty between Hepburn and Givenchy made their professional relationship timeless. However, muses often completely depended on their designers, which left room to question who deserved the most credit for their efforts. Designers curated their own styles that were carefully orchestrated for the public eye, but the two parts became interdependent –– they both relied on each other for the recognition they both felt they deserve. However, the designer usually stood to benefit more. Financially, fashion icons of the past received little to no credit for their half of the effort. While they were loyal to their designers and their brands, they found themselves enjoying little of its benefits.
Madonna, wore sculptured costumes
by Jean Paul Gaultier designed with the infamous cone bra. (photo by Herb Ritts)
Business Nature of Social Media Influencers
with 7.5 M followers
Nowadays, designers no longer have full control of the fashion scene; the experts are no longer the only ones with authority to decide what’s in or what’s out each season. Social media influencers have taken that spot and companies are coming around to realizing their value. Bloggers charge large figures if they use a product and recommend it to their viewers. The more influential they are, the more they stand to get paid, especially because they reach such a wide audience in such a short time –– which benefits the brands that work with them.
75% of fashion brands today say they actively market their products through social media influencers. In what’s become known as Influencer Marketing everyone from small boutiques to top fashion houses are utilizing the influence and power that social media influencers have over their audiences. That’s not to say; however, that influencer marketing doesn’t come without its challenges. With the oversaturation of influencers to choose from, fashion brands are having difficulty finding influencers that match their brand values—paving the way for developing digital tools to help brands filter through the noise and find the perfect influencers for them.
Influencers of Today, Trailblazers of Tomorrow
The top-down elite model of designers and muses are a thing of the past. Today’s influencers stray far from the unreachable celebrity pedestal –– there is a diverse array of people of all shapes, sizes, ethnicities and backgrounds who are savvy enough to use social media not only to create a following with large audiences, but to benefit financially with brand deals that give them creative freedom. They are not at the influence of a hierarchy, but they can choose from many brands that they feel will help them spread valuable messages to their audiences and inspire those around them.