Where once there were magazines, now Instagram accounts such as hidden.ny , aplasticplant, and archivepdf dominate. A rise in social media accounts surrounding fashion has become grounds for the inclusion of the younger generation. The eye-catching graphics and attention-grabbing headlines offered by fashion Instagram accounts are more relevant (and accessible) to a more social media-inclined generation.
Not just an online retailer, the eye-catching graphics of “ssense” on Instagram deliver quick, to-the-point trend forecasts and reports. Utilizing Venn diagrams, four quadrant charts, and line graphs to directly deliver curated opinions about what is trendy, and what’s not. Through one Instagram post in particular, ssense ranked every FW23 trend on a polarity scale, about a 60-second read, but fully delivered the basics of every major trend. SSENSE is just an example of one of the many accounts designed to quickly capture a viewer’s attention.
Far from in-depth (not to say it isn’t still entertaining), these posts hold the reader’s attention for all of 90 seconds, but that’s all it takes to reach the masses. Not everyone has the interest or dedication to spend hours flipping through books or watching the runway shows themselves, for those with a nominal interest in fashion, seeing a brief Instagram post is enough. Allowing these accounts to capture a broader range of interest, not just the fashion die-hards, but also viewers who care just enough to spend a few seconds of their time on a hyper-trendy Instagram post.
While accounts like ssense, and archivethreads heavily promote buying, other Instagram accounts focus on a more accessible take.
Albeit, most likely an unintentional byproduct, it could also be said that mood board accounts like “hidden.ny”, or “ihategum”, discourage consumerism amongst the younger demographic, While both examples are primarily fashion accounts, neither place heavy value on buying nor owning clothing, instead focusing on topics relating to fashion in a broader sense.
Whether it be a series of vintage magazine ads, sports cars, or pictures from Nasa’s space rover, none of which directly pertain to fashion. Still, the aesthetics of their contemporary imagery captures a young audience. What starts as an interest in these cool pictures of nature, celebrities and athletes with good style becomes a basis for exposure to brands like Comme Des Garcons, VTMNTS, Margiela, and Raf Simmons.
Devoid of a blatant emphasis on consumption, the viewer is left to absorb content without the distress of expenditure. This allows a younger generation, who for the most part cannot afford the clothing often talked about, to engage in conversation and culture in a way that’s easy to understand and access- without any pressure to buy or wear any of the mentioned brands.
Additionally, allowing people living outside of fashion hubs to be exposed to brands they otherwise would have no way of knowing about, most suburban public libraries won’t offer a book of archival looks from every Margiela show ever with commentary, but YouTube does. This kind of content offered by digital creators is typically free, or even through subscription services still much cheaper than magazines, books, or buying the clothes themselves.
Taking all of about 30 seconds and 0 dollars to post on Instagram, the rapid turnout rate of digital platforms beats out their print counterparts long ago. By allowing fashion content creators to post as many times as their heart desires, and similarly with the seemingly infinite number of fashion accounts, scroll as far as you desire. Making it easier to access and understand, social media is the most convenient way to reach users from across the world.
Social media serves as a modern gateway into fashion, introduced via YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest podcasts, etc…While typically the eye-catching content aforementioned isn’t the most in-depth, it is what catches the attention of younger viewers, this eye-catching trendy content is just what leads to a further interest into more in-depth content whether that be books, school, show notes, etc… Bringing knowledge and resources to those who would otherwise not be exposed to it.
