Influencers have risen to celebrity status, appearing everywhere from Super Bowl commercials to front covers of Vogue. They influence so much of the entertainment and fashion worlds with everyone wanting to know what they’re doing and what they’re wearing. And brands? They’ve taken notice.
Clothing brands know that if they get the hot, new influencer to rave about their product, sales will go through the roof. They have capitalized on this opportunity as it has become the best way to advertise. Why spend thousands on a billboard when you get more eyes on TikTok?
Companies get paid. Influencers get paid. Seems like a win-win. Well, for everyone except the consumer, of course. Online content creators’ livelihoods rely on these brand deals. Without them, they’re back to their 9-to-5. So, if they aren’t receiving a lot of opportunities, more often than not they are willing to support a brand regardless of if they genuinely believe it’s worth the money. In doing so, they are consciously deceiving their viewers into bad purchases. They have traded authenticity for a check, compromising what fashion used to be all about.
The origins of fashion are based in self expression and creativity. It is a way for individuality to take the front seat and was once a way to express cultural identity, artistic vision and personal style. Early fashion icons and designers were all about pushing the limits, not necessarily making a quick buck.
Now, influencers hold the power. Many of them, who gained followers through genuine and organic style content, quickly transitioned to paid partnerships. The kicker is, they disguise it as authentic. This leads to curated and bland videos. Social media algorithms also push certain trends or products, often at the cost of true creativity diversity. Fashion, as a result, is dying – one sponsored post a time.
Now, it’s all about mass consumption. Influencers foster an environment that is centered around fast and disposable fashion. Small brands, which often offer the most creativity in clothes, can’t keep up. When everyone is obsessed with a dress because Addison Rae’s wearing it, it becomes less about personal style and more about jumping on the latest bandwagon. And, most of the time, she’s being paid to wear it. Individuality is replaced by conformity, all for the sake of a quick sale.
To save fashion, creativity needs to have priority over profit-driven motives. Influencers need to promote products they genuinely love, instead of what is paying them the most. If authenticity doesn’t take lead over the algorithm, fashion will continue just being a marketing machine.
