Fashion Bloggers Break Down Traditional Obstacles

Tavi Gevinson, from Illinois, describes herself as “a tiny 13-year-old dork that sits inside all day wearing awkward jackets and pretty hats.” Proud of her unique style, she instructs others to “dress however you please and embrace rude stares.” Last year Gevinson launched Style Rookie, a blog devoted to fashion. A few months later, she sat in the front row at Mercedes Benz fashion week, alongside Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, celebrity fashion icon Victoria Beckham, and actress turned designer Sienna Miller. 

As one of Gen Y’s creative and techni-saavy bloggers, Gevinson used her blog to land among fashion’s elite. While Gevinson’s case is quite extreme, she is not alone. This year blogging is the new black, and more teen bloggers are gaining opportunities and visibility in the fashion world.

Appealing to a Larger Audience:

“It doesn’t surprise me to see more of Gen Y relying on blogs to break into the fashion industry,” says USA Today Reporter Jayne O’Donnell. “This is a generation that is used to having their opinions heard and valued at home, so blogs are another way for them to speak out, just to a larger audience.”

With her eclectic fashion sense, Gevinson caught the eye of Rodarte’s designing duo, Kate and Laura Mulleavy, whose line merges tradition with modern edge. She inspired the designers to take her on as their muse for their up and coming line. Blogging during the months leading up to Fashion Week enabled the teen to correspond with the designers, and shortly after, she scored her front row seat at Rodarte’s show.

This year, teen bloggers from all over the world have maneuvered their way into the fashion world. The pack includes Filipino BryanBoy, who recently prompted the creation of the Marc Jacobs’ “BB Bag,” and 16-year old Rumi Neely, from California, who will assist the design of RVCA’s upcoming clothing line.

The New Professional Bloggers:

Originality and self-motivation drove them to start their own blogs, but they are not alone in the blogosphere. In the past months, magazine editors have freed their Gen Y interns from the fashion closets and set them to work as so-called “professional bloggers.“

“The interns can relate to the reader more so than an editor could, so we always value their opinions,” says Tina Langley, accessories editor at Seventeen Magazine. “It is always interesting to have the point of view of a fashion savvy teen.”

Recently, New York University junior Emily Gaynor was recruited to blog for her Teen Vogue internship. She made the jump from behind-the-scenes, to writing for the online beauty blog.

“Being able to mix fashion with my studies of journalism at NYU has provided me with an incredible peek into what I hope to do as my career,” says Gaynor.  “But I would also have to say that gaining backstage access to the fashion shows in order to cover hair and makeup for the blog has been one of the most amazing experiences.”

At designer Yigal Azrouel’s show, she found herself face to face with famous makeup artist Bobbi Brown, and even snagged an interview for Teen Vogue’s blog.

“I remember how excited I was when I was thirteen and my mom bought me an autographed copy of her [Bobbi Brown’s] book,” says the Indiana native, “So seeing her in action was a huge thing for a girl like me, from the middle of nowhere.”