The fashion industry has slowly but surely been taken over by influencers. Over the past decade the presence of social media socialites in the high spheres of the fashion industry has been incredibly significant. Not only as guests of fashion shows, but also as brand ambassadors and campaign faces. It’s evolved into a billion dollar industry.
However, this ever evolving marketing ploy seems to have transformed in favour of micro-influencers, as we have witnessed this Paris Fashion Week. Shows were packed to micro-influencers, as opposed to the big influencers of social media.
The shows and the city itself were packed with great street style, and many faces from the social media socialites, including prominent micro-influencers.
High fashion has traditionally been an elitist sector, with top-tier figures deciding on the trends, world-renowned designers shaping the figures, and so on. However, the rise of social media changed the rules for good. Instead of fashion week imposing the trends, now consumers decide on the ins and outs, with the influence of social media figures.
These influencers are not only present as guests in the fashion shows, but they are omnipresent in fashion industry, as brand ambassadors and campaign faces. With the amount of their audience, they have the power to shape their followers’ perceptions with their personal style and the lifestyle they actively live out digitally.
The fashion industry has seized this opportunity in order to benefit from this evolving phenomenon. They translated Gen-Z energy into the runways of fashion week, which marks only the beginning of the transformation. They can collaborate with the style influencers to leave the notorious elitist label that fashion week has carried throughout its lifetime behind.
Having influencers interested in fashion shows has unquestionably changed how people interact with fashion. Now, everyone who follows their favourite influencer has a chance to experience the exclusive events through their handheld screens.
The shows in Paris Fashion Week were packed with micro-influencers who left their mark on the fashion event with their street styles. The inclusion of micro-influencers in traditional fashion events represents a change in society, but it can also be a wise move strategy-wise to increase the event visibility.
However, how can micro-influencers be more influential than the big names?
Efficacy of Micro Influencer Choice
In a world with –almost- endless options, an influencer has to measure their impact on the audience to shine in the industry. Influencers with a vast audience are technically highly influential, as their platform is viewed by millions of people.
On the other hand, micro-influencers have a relatively smaller reach. Still, this gives them the edge over macro-influencers in the fashion business. Fewer followers come with little editing on their content, therefore the end-product can be more authentic.
You know what they say, it’s quality is over quantity. This is also true for audiences’ loyalties in the micro vs. macro influencer cleavage. Micro-influencers have a humble fanbase, their followers are more invested in their work. This creates a dedicated audience with genuine curiosity over the influencer’s future projects.
So, choosing between two types of prominent influencers is totally up to the brands and how they want to present themselves to the world. If their preference is to make brand visible to as much people as possible, they can work with big influencers. But, if they prefer to be known and followed by committed crowd, they should take a page out of Paris Fashion Week 2022. Micro influencers are their best bet.
