Fashion Bloggers In China Gaining Industry Traction#
In the US and the UK, fashion bloggers have long been considered ahead-of-the-curve influencers, and are fixtures at fashion-world openings, runway shows, and other events. With China’s growing appetite for luxury, there’s room for China’s fashion bloggers to gain industry traction as well.
Xinhua recently reported on this trend, identifying a new demographic of bloggers: young women who readily spend on luxury goods and have begun sharing their style, opening their closets and photographing themselves in their latest purchases. Although for the moment these bloggers are focused on global luxury brands, up-and-coming domestic luxury brands would be smart to start courting these local influencers. Domestic clothing label Izzue has already set an example in this regard, having invited selected fashion bloggers to their Spring/Summer 2010 show earlier this year.
As China-based fashion bloggers gain in influence — and start turning up in the front rows of local runway shows — here are five to watch (in no particular order).
1 .#
Nels Frye, Stylites in Beijing#
Unlike some of the other bloggers on our list, Frye’s focus is other people’s style, not his own. He snaps and posts street-fashion pictures, aiming his lens at many of Beijing’s fashion-industry players. Posting in English and Chinese, Frye — also the editor-in-chief at Lifestyle magazine — uses his personal Stylites blog to curate style photos, post industry job listings, and offer an inside look at exclusive art- and fashion-world events.
In touch with the local fashion scene, Nels has an industry following as well as insider knowledge of upcoming trends.
Previously: Nels Frye on Jing Daily's "10 for '10" feature
Run by Erica Ji, this blog features local designers and fashion as well as global trends. An extensive blogroll of global and local fashion blogs reflects Ji’s sophisticated approach to style.
As someone in tune and knowledgeable about the international fashion scene, each item she features from local designers naturally places them in a global fashion context — a valuable aid in helping domestic designers build followings among the most fashion-savvy young Chinese women.
3. Nini#
http://blog.sina.com.cn/u/1291021104
Nini is an online Taobao store owner as well as the current trend advisor for online luxury outlet Glamour Sales. She exemplifies the prototype of the independent, elegant young woman that young Chinese women look up to.
Blogging about her life, Nini is a natural fashion influencer; her posts typically rack up 30-40,000 views apiece, and 100+ comments.
4. Iris
Iris’s personal blog is an ongoing portfolio of style influences: celebrities, magazines, the latest runway looks, and the design world. Among the draws here are her one-of-a-kind ‘inspiration’ boards, similar to the tools designers use in planning a clothing line, or to the layouts that magazines put together to underscore trends.
An added draw: Iris’s fangirl tributes to model and TV host Alexa Chung.
5. Sammy#
www.wodeyichu.com/space/iam_smallfry
Featured in the Xinhua article, Shanghai-based Sammy is one of the most popular posters on Wodeyichu, a fashion community site whose title roughly translates as ‘My Wardrobe.’ The active Wodeyichu community reflects the trend—common elsewhere and rapidly growing in China—of young women self-posting personal wardrobe sites.
Sammy’s style blog includes images of herself in clothing and accessories by labels ranging from Alexander Wang to H&M. Average browsing rates on her site: over 10,000 per post.
Article by Felice Jiang