Scorn Republic: Influencer Influenza

We live in the digital age where we are constantly bombarded with uncensored, unverified information from so many directions that after a while, it's all just noise. A new monster rears its ugly head in the form of bloggers and “influencers”. It seems everyone with a camera phone, credit card and Instagram account is one!

Just like people shouldn’t go around giving medical or architectural advice without proper knowledge or training, or stock advice without having a trader's license, I think it’s high time there should be some accountability for these “fashion and lifestyle experts,” who shove their “paid for” advice down people’s throats in an attempt to influence sales.

Once a rich man asked a beautiful woman, “Would you have relations with me if I gave you a million dollars?” And without hesitation, she replied, “yes I would...” The man said, “Alright, how about 20 bucks?” She huffed in anger, “What do you think I am?...” Smirking, he replied, “we have already established what you are ma’am, now we are negotiating the price...”

I think you all know where I am going with this...

Not a day goes by when my Instagram news feed isn’t filled with irritating boomerangs of all the freebies these “experts” receive from various designers. And shortly after, they are seen in pictures wearing the same designers, claiming that not only what they are wearing is the absolute best quality, but unparalleled design genius and just so beautiful. I think they truly believe their audience is dimwitted and to their credit, that’s probably true!

Laugh-worthy are those “best dressed lists” and the people seen making the cut (on each other’s blogs). Let's ignore the fact that they are mostly dressed in borrowed clothes, accessories, bags and shoes. Let’s also ignore the fact that most of them look unoriginal, unfashionable, crumpled and without a single personal style statement. Let’s then applaud the tags and the self-congratulatory captions, the constant fake compliments, and the “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” that goes on in between this group of wannabes.

Beyond fathom is why the industry veterans are given back seats, while these kids are given front and centre importance. They don’t have the buying power, their audience don’t have buying power, the only thing they’re good for is their incessant designer plugs; without an ounce of integrity.

What irritates me is that each of these boys and girls, have thousands of followers each, therefore hold a particular influence over the mindset of these people. Rather than harnessing this power for unbiased opinions,  these people have now made it into their livelihoods to pass compliments on to the highest bidders, and what for? A couple of free lawn joras and invitations to some parties?  Not only is that ridiculous and pathetic but simultaneously sad.

What is perhaps the irony of all of this is, these designers roll out their self respect for these bloggers to trample over, all the while not realising that the majority following their feeds aren’t even able to afford a thread of these designer dresses, let alone an outfit. The biggest paradox is, the bloggers donning the outfits they push cannot afford them either.

We have all seen them at various fashion weeks, huddled together in their cliquey little circle, clicking away pics of each other and ignoring everyone else, smiling their dazed smiles, trying to fit in with the socialites and just waiting for all this to be over so they can go home and check out the loot they managed that night.

The editors at Vogue were recently embroiled in a controversy because they called bloggers “pathetic” but the truth isn’t too far from this statement. Influencers are ruining the fashion business one photograph at a time, and the fraternity is too tunnel-visioned to notice, bowing down to the opinions of untrained bloggers, buying their way into a spot of favoritism, and basically encouraging this cyclical behaviour of morons giving out fashion advice, to morons who might pay heed to it, the classic ‘andhon mein kaana raaja’ situation.

I say enough is enough, that it’s high time seasoned and educated fashion critics be given the limelight and respect they deserve.

Scorn Republic is a bi-weekly satire column commenting on trending topics and societal happenings