How being a micro-influencer is changing Fashion Week

February and September mean just one thing for fashion fans: London Fashion Week.

It’s a jam-packed week of famous faces, glamorous parties and, of course, getting the low-down on what everyone will be wearing next season, from heritage brands and emerging talent.

With entry strictly reserved for insiders and VIP’S the audience at London Fashion Week famously bursts with buyers, editors and stylish stars.

However, in recent years the guestlist is changing as we are seeing more and more social media influencers and micro-influencers in attendance each year.

 

How is Social Media Changing Fashion Week?

WHO ARE MICRO-INFLUENCERS?

A micro-influencer would normally have a social following of between 10k-100k followers, (less than mega -influencers) but you don’t need to have millions of followers to be influential.

Micro-influencers represent “everyday people” and they have a very strong, dedicated, and loyal following to their name. This makes them perfect for promoting new labels.

Some fashion influencers have thousands of loyal followers who trust the advice and recommendations from them so much, that they only buy what is promoted by that influencer.

Micro-influencers are the new stars of web advertising!

HOW CAN MICRO-INFLUENCERS HELP FASHION BRANDS?

As celebrity endorsements and sponsorships grow, so does the gap between brands and their customers.

We all know celebrities like Charlize Theron have the money to buy luxury brands like Dior, or Angelina Jolie for Louis Vuitton. So, when they endorse these luxury brands no one really bats an eyelid.

On the other hand, if you saw a micro-influencer promoting a brand, suddenly, being able to buy and wear it becomes much more realistic and believable.

Using endorsers who aren’t rich and famous is a much more effective way to stand out and is a great way to build trust with your customers.

Influencers and micro-influencers also make fashion accessible and friendly with online tutorials on how to achieve desired looks. As well as fashion inspiration, great captions and high-quality photos.

BRANDS USING MICRO-INFLUENCERS

Fashion brands are increasingly utilising micro-influencers as part of their marketing campaigns, but there are a few brands that have really mastered the art of influencer marketing.

ASOS

These guys have nailed their use of micro-influencers from different corners of the globe who are known as ASOS insiders. The “insiders” use their own social media accounts to promote everything ASOS.

They will share a picture of themselves promoting a product (clothing, accessories and beauty products), and then list the code of the product underneath. This way followers can use the code to find whatever the insider is promoting.

Every “insider” has their own individual style, which means there’s an ASOS style out there for almost everyone – from 70’s Boho to Scandi cool.

NA-KD

Another great brand who has set the standard for influencer marketing is a Swedish fashion retailer called NA-KD. They realised early on that having a large group of influencers with a smaller following was better than having a smaller group of influencers with larger followings.

NA-KD gifts thousands of micro-influencers every month with free products, in return influencers promote their products on Instagram. NA-KD’s influencers keep their products in front of new, engaged audiences – much like ASOS insider’s.

As a result of their influencer marketing efforts, NA-KD is one of the most mentioned fashion brands by social influencers.

So, what does this all have to do with Fashion Week?

Well, while Fashion Week certainly doesn’t disappoint with must-see famous heritage brands, there is also a lot of emerging talent to see.

There’s no question that influencers and micro-influencers are very effective in promoting brand awareness. So clearly, they could be particularly invaluable to emerging designers at events like Fashion Week, which is perhaps why we are seeing more and more influencers make an appearance.

HOW DO YOU GET INTO FASHION WEEK SHOWS?

While Fashion Week is still by invitation only, some lucky fashion influencers now have the opportunity to attend the star-studded events, but there are a few requirements.

You need at least 10,000 blog visitors and a combined total of 10,000 followers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You will also need to submit an outstanding portfolio of your fashion content. Make sure you head to the LFW website early to apply and bag yourself an exclusive spot on the guest-list.

Time for Change – A New Kind of Fashion Week

Fashion Week is opening its doors to more and more “everyday people” who have a love for fashion, an outstanding portfolio of fashion content and an impressive number of dedicated followers – but this isn’t the only thing that’s changing.

Traditionally we see brands showcasing their latest collaborations exclusively to buyers and editors ahead of when they will be available for purchase. However, this year we saw Burberry break away from traditional Fashion Week practice, as they unveiled their runway-to-retail business model. Burberry fans were able to make purchases from the new collections immediately after the show.

Could this be a sign of things to come? Are micro-influencers paving the way to making Fashion Week more inclusive? Could we be seeing more fashion influencers on the front row at Fashion Week?

Influencers – Sandra Reynolds Social Media Stars

We are lucky enough to represent some absolutely fantastic influencers. Visit our influencers division to have a browse!

If you are looking for influencers to celebrate your product or service through great content then get in touch, and we will help you find the right influencers for your brand.