Let’s be honest, any spare second we get we are checking Instagram. Whether we are on the bus, chilling in-between lectures or having a quick look before we go to sleep- it’s addictive- and with up to 70 million photos being posted each day, there’s always something new and exciting to look at and get inspiration from.
For some, the photo sharing platform is not just an app but a lifestyle, getting the right angle for your pic of avocado on toast or #ootd, choosing the perfect filter, having a theme to your page- it all contributes to building up your followers, to becoming ‘Insta-famous’. With Instagram being one of the biggest social networking sites in the world it’s no surprise that the fashion industry is jumping on the Insta hype. Huge fashion houses, designers and models make use of the platform to promote campaigns, give followers inspiration and even sell their products with Instagram’s new BUY button that was introduced last year. In fact, recent studies have shown that fashion brands on Instagram get almost 5 times as many interactions and page view, have almost 5 times as many followers and that their followers increase at a dramatically faster rate than those outside of the industry.
Fashion is all about image, about looking and liking what you see- Instagram is the perfect platform to do this. #Fashion is one of the top 10 most used hashtags in the world, typing it in the search bar brings up a copious amount of images, many of which belong to fashion bloggers and the new ‘Insta-models’ that are dominating the catwalks- think Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne…. For these women, Instagram is part of their profession and part of their everyday routine; one small product endorsement on their page can earn them up to $300,000!
However, how fair is this product propaganda spread all over our Instagram feeds? Does Kendall Jenner really use detox tea or is it just a ploy to earn her money and make us spend it? Although models’ and designers’ Instagram’s are great to look at, is there a danger that fashion is becoming more dependent on Instagram that the humble sewing machine? Take a look at the FROW at any major fashion show- instead of watching through our eyes we are watching through a lens, whether it be Snapchat, Instagram or even Facebook live stream.
Whilst I’m not complaining about this new found access to high end fashion brands- I mean when would we ever get the chance to see Fashion Week as it happens without the aid of social media- it would be nice to just take a step back from our iPhone and appreciate the time and effort that goes in to each piece of clothing. Good fashion is about texture, about shape and colour- it doesn’t need a filter to make it look any better. Finally, if any of you are ever so lucky as to get the chance to see a show, really watch it and not through your camera but with your eyes!