Business of Fashion just published an op-ed about how we shouldn't write off fashion bloggers, which is a response to an article from The Cut that expressed why the powers that be at NYFW have decided that fashion bloggers are turning their precious ceremony into a circus. And back in September, Fashionista ruminated on what a New York Fashion Week restructuring could possibly mean, given that designers like Oscar De La Renta said they would be vastly reducing the size of the guest list at their next show. We even published our response in which Jon Moy took the time to voice his opinions on these matters. He poignantly (in all caps, of course) alluded to the predicament that lies with cutting down a guest list, in that you have to define a "true fashion insider," which isn't as easy as it sounds. But, now that yet another publication has taken the time to discuss this issue, I think the only thing left to do is for everyone in this debate to do themselves a favor and shut the fuck up.
To the uppity fashion brands looking to make their shows exclusive again: Bloggers exist and they're not going anywhere. Quit resisting change like a bunch of assholes because that shit has never worked before in the history of the world. And just like every other part of our society, some of the blogs are good and important and others suck. It's your prerogative to invite whoever you want, but it's fucking 2014. If you can't tell the difference between a blog with an editorial voice and a legitimate social media following from some teenager who adds 12 hashtags to each "What I Wore Today" Instagram photo then maybe your PR department is the problem.
To Renato Certo-Ware of Business Of Fashion: Your claim that "fashion bloggers are a crucial part of the fashion ecosystem" is not totally crazy, but it's not totally true either. And to say that bloggers are the "hardest working people in fashion" is straight up your opinion and, if we're being honest, definitely isn't true. The reason the Internet is so awesome is because you don't have to fucking move from behind your computer. In the time I started writing this very post I haven't so much as lifted a butt cheek. Plus, blogging is free. You know what's not free? Producing a fashion show, or printing a magazine, or designing a collection.
Additionally, your statement that bloggers are fashion outsiders and thus more trustworthy than major publications might be true of small, independent struggle bloggers, but those people also don't have any readers. Major, successful bloggers, on the other hand, have advertisers too, not to mention shit like affiliate links, which are totally fucking deceptive and misleading. These high profile bloggers are just as beholden to their revenue streams as magazine editors, perhaps even moreso because their ENTIRE livelihood and income is dependent on people clicking that link to buy a "soops cute sweater for fall." The only difference is they don't get in trouble when they hide these facts from their followers even though that's totally illegal.
Ultimately, bloggers should be invited to shows if they're good at what they do and offer some value to the brand. Certainly all bloggers shouldn't be written off guest lists because some actually do have real influence within the industry. But, the truth is, most of them blow and are worthless, cultural garbage. That's why it should be up to the labels themselves to become more educated about the blogosphere rather than resist it altogether. That's the easy way out and that just sounds plain lazy.
