How people with a phone took a seat at fashion’s table.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 15 November 2026
How did fashion blogging start?
In the mid-2000s, when sites like Scott Schuman’s The Sartorialist (2005) and personal style blogs let anyone publish photos and opinions about fashion. Bryanboy, Tavi Gevinson’s Style Rookie and Chiara Ferragni’s The Blonde Salad (2009) built huge audiences. By around 2009, brands started seating bloggers in the front row, which shocked the traditional press.
What did Instagram change?
Everything. From the early 2010s, blogs moved onto Instagram, and “influencer” became a job. Affiliate links let creators earn a commission on what followers bought, and brands began paying for posts. Street style outside the shows turned into paid advertising.
And TikTok?
TikTok made video and personality more important than polished photos, and its algorithm can turn an unknown creator, or a single product, into a hit overnight. It also sped up trend cycles: “cores” and aesthetics now rise and fall within weeks. Commentary creators who review shows have become a new kind of critic.
Are there rules for paid posts?
Yes. Regulators in the US, UK, EU and India require paid partnerships and gifted products to be clearly disclosed, for example with “#ad” or a paid-partnership label. Many top creators now launch their own brands, and big houses sign them as ambassadors alongside actors and musicians.
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