How Instagram Influencers Have Impacted Fast Fashion

Fast fashion is what most people believe fashion is. It's the fashion you can buy on the high street and what most people gravitate towards when they start to shop for their own clothes as a teenager. It's affordable, and often trend-driven, which means that even if you can't afford expensive clothes, you can still purchase clothes that represent your individual style. 

All this, however, comes at a price. Fast fashion is cheap because other people are paying for it. Be it through poor working conditions, the exploitation of garment workers, or forced labour picking the cotton that makes the clothes. 

Fast fashion pulls us in through low prices and is carefully marketed to us (specifically young women) as being stylish and sassy pieces for 'independent women' - think of Missguided, who's Instagram bio used to be 'committed to empowering all women' while they simultaneously rely on the exploitation of POC women to create the garments themselves. So much hypocrisy! Their bio has also since been changed... Ironic. Without researching or being exposed to sustainable or secondhand shopping via family, friends or the internet you might not even realise that fast fashion isn't the only type of fashion, and you also might not realise how damaging it is to workers or the planet.

So, how have influencers impacted fast fashion? 

Influencers have had a very significant impact on fast fashion, with many influencers collaborating with the top fast fashion brands to release their own lines. These are primarily straight-sized, white women, who've found fame on reality tv shows, or from YouTube or Instagram. Celebrities like Molly Mae-Hague are the perfect 'influencer' for working with fast fashion brands, because they aren't bothered by the impacts of fast fashion, and prioritise their own fame, success and wealth over the lives of others, which is what fast fashion brands rely upon. 

Before influencer culture erupted, brands would have to invest in traditional or digital marketing, which can vary widely in cost, and results - it can also directly compete against other fast fashion brands as they'd all be competing for the same billboards, google search ranking or social media advertising placements. 

Now influencer marketing is such a huge industry, influencers are providing a direct marketing tool for fast fashion brands and make it easier than ever to get clothes seen by potential consumers. 

A lot of influencers will also provide free promotion in exchange for garments, which means that the brand is getting advertising space and content almost for free, as the cost of the garments themselves would usually be under £2 to make (fast fashion brands do not pay a living or fair wage, which is why they are able to offer such low prices). 

In these circumstances, brands prey on young women's desire for status, free clothes and admiration from their peers and followers, and provide influencers with the chance to align themselves with a fashion brand that in their eyes is impressive. It's very easy to fall into this trap and feel flattered when a brand approaches you to promote something, but all influencers should be held accountable and responsible for what they post online - just like any form of traditional advertising has to adhere to advertising standards. 

By receiving free clothes which they then proceed to promote on their page, influencers are encouraging more sales from the brands they promote. Millennial women are the most likely to purchase off the back of an ad  or influencer post and this is the exact target audience fast fashion brands rely on. 

Without influencers, fast fashion brands, which operate solely online would not have experienced the success that they have. Brands like PLT, Missguided, Boohoo, InTheStyle all have 100's of influencers on their books, with micro-influencers offering the key to success - these are accounts with between 10,000-100,000 followers. This is because those with a larger following often have a lower engagement rate (less likes, comments, shares compared to number of followers) and their content can often be seen as in-authentic as they're no longer relatable or have an attainable lifestyle that regular people can afford to emulate.  

Here's an interesting report on influencers marketing stats. 

But, I'm technically an 'influencer' too, right?

I am technically classed as a micro-influencer due to the number of followers I have on social media. But, I like to think the way I influence people is different to the majority of influencers on social media. What sets myself and other slow fashion advocates and sustainable bloggers apart other fashion influencers?

For me, being a slow fashion advocate on Instagram means I can connect with other likeminded people who prioritise 'people first fashion'. That's fashion that considers the wellbeing and living standards of garment workers around the world before how cheap, stylish or appealing a piece of clothing is. 

There's a great community of slow fashion fans on Instagram and it's been so fun connecting with them all this year and sharing tips on how to shop more sustainably, how to cut down on clothing consumption, or how to flip and item of clothing and turn it into something else. 

Some brilliant sustainably minded but super fashionable grammers to follow are: @sashakathleeng, @izzy_manuel, @sustainthestyle, @annyahdeanna, @ashliebrombley, @yemagz ,@_kerrylockwood_, @nextwearer, @thatcurlytop, @charlbudgen and @theniftythrifter. These are the genuine, good influences you want in your life and on your feed. Not people that promote throwaway clothing. 

What needs to change? 

The future of fashion cannot be fast fashion. It's not sustainable and will continue to damage the planet irrevocably if people don't take a stand against it and demand change. In 2019, the fashion industry was the second-largest consumer of water and the second-largest polluter of water. That's a phenomenal effect on the planet and not in a good way! I'm proud to say I actively reduce my impact on the planet through shopping sustainably or secondhand - with the preference being on secondhand shopping. This is because secondhand items are already in circulation, and by shopping secondhand you increase the clothes lifecycle, rather than allowing them to go into landfill and become waste. 

Aside from the reduced impact my clothing habits have on both people and the planet, I also enjoy the excitement behind searching for secondhand pieces. They're unique, they tell a story and often you can find things for cheap that are brilliant quality. It's a privilege to be able to shop secondhand, and I recognise that. I am a straight-sized woman, not plus size, therefore I do not struggle to find things in my size. I also benefit from time privilege that allows me to spend hours trawling depop, vinted, ebay or swap groups for items that others may not have. Fast fashion is affordable and it is also quick, and for those that have no other choice but to shop there, they should do so. 

Unfortunately, fast fashion is not driven by those who are less fortunate or wealthy, it is driven primarily by the middle class with disposable income who can afford to shop elsewhere but choose not to. This is where education is so important, and through my social media platform, I hope to educate people on how to shop secondhand, where to shop sustainably and why it is so vital to reduce their new clothing consumption.