How Fashion Influencers Have Changed The Way We Shop

Less than a decade ago, the fashion industry had two sides—there were the writers, editors, tastemakers, and then the designers. Like so many things, that line’s started to blur with increasing regularity. From Lauren Conrad to Carine Roitfeld, those who’ve worked at magazines, styled photo shoots, and covered runway shows have tried their hand at if not designing, at least collaborating with brands and retailers on one-off capsule collections or full blown fashion lines. While celebrity collaborations used to be the novelty move, the rise of bloggers, photographers, and slashies at the center of the rapidly evolving fashion industry have given brands way more to work with.

Garance Dore is the most recent influencer to jump into the retail fray, via her recent collaboration with Vince. Instead of designing new sweaters, the Corsican blogger picked out past favorites to curate a new capsule collection. “I think people these days are looking for a little guidance,” Doré says. “There’s so much choice today. Stores are so big, and they try to offer so much—it’s hard to shop because you’ve got to spend a lot of time curating and editing. So if someone whose taste you trust is doing the work for you, that’s pretty cool.”

Those legions of followers looking for guidance have also played an important role in getting big brands on board. “Working with fashion influencers is a great tool that allows brands to reach a new customer base,” explains Vince’s Vice President of Marketing, Lindsey Worster. “Partnerships can offer a fresh perspective to an established brand, and introduce the influencer to an audience they may not have otherwise had access to.” What’s more, any company that taps a member of the fashion industry benefits from his or her expertise in other areas of the business. Garance, for example, has a career that takes her from front row at NYFW one day to shooting a luxury campaign the next, so she’s built up an innate sense for which pieces go with what. “She is a true professional, and views clothing with both a critical and creative eye, making her an excellent curator.”

Some insiders have taken things a step further, parlaying their taste and influence into solo design endeavors despite a lack of formal training. When Fashion Toast blogger Rumi Neely launched a label based on her signature Cali-chic style, ARE YOU I AM, in 2014, her limited experience was not a concern. “I don’t have that technical background, but I know exactly, to a crazy degree, how I want something to look. That’s how the line started: I feel like I’ve seen so much, and I still thought there was all these things that I wished existed. So I have an amazing production manager and pattern maker that I can convey these very specific ideas to; together we make this very well rounded, very capable team. [Lack of experience] hasn’t been an obstruction whatsoever.” So do customers feel the same way? “I feel like people just want to see you doing something that’s pure, and you’re truly excited by, and they can pick up on that—the majority of our customers come back for more because they get that this is its own thing. Even my friends that work in the clothing industry tell me, ‘You’re doing something that doesn’t exist.’”

As a consumer (and fashion lover), I get the appeal. Whereas I’ve always felt that something about celebrity-backed lines rings false (mainly, the great disconnect between a certain star’s wardrobe and the pieces she’s shilling), there’s an undeniable sense of authenticity when someone who really, truly loves and understands clothing is involved. When you look at the pieces Garance handpicked for Vince—oversized textured knits, muted button-down shirts, slim black trousers—it’s easy to imagine she’s got more than a few in her closet already. And the slinky, silk separates Rumi Neely’s created over the last year and half feel so much like something you’d spot on her site or Instagram feed, it’s hard not to imagine her face hovering above each one. Considering the completely overwhelming, ever increasing number of options for shoppers out there, looking to those we admire for direction makes creating a well-rounded closet much easier. Of course, it wasn’t always that way. Above, we’ve compiled a timeline of fashion influencers in retail, starting with early pioneers in the movement to those leading the pack today.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.