A fashion influencer is a personality that has a large number of followers on social media,[1] creates mainly fashion content and has the power to influence the opinion and purchase behavior of others with their recommendations.[2] Brands endorse them to attend fashion shows, parties, designer dinners[3] and exclusive trips[4] and to wear their clothes on social media. If a salary has been involved, the influencer may be required to label such posts as paid or sponsored content.[2] Before social media "they would have been called 'It girls'".[5]
Business magazine Forbes identified fashion influencers as "the new celebrity endorsements". However, influencers seem to have a closer relationship with their audience than traditional celebrities. As marketers Jung von Matt, Brandnew IO and Facelift point out: "Daily interactions across multiple channels, through photos, stories or live sessions, create a form of closeness and trust" that make influencers "often more tangible than traditional celebrities".[6]