By Vivian Fung.
For decades vogue has been the end all be all of all things fashion, but recently with the rise of the internet, the need for fashion magazines has become unnecessary. Influencers are the new name of the game, with apps like Instagram and Tik Tok taking over; information has never been easier to access. Vogue hasn't let this go unnoticed; recently, the company has been featuring famous tik tokers such as Addison Rae and Dixie D'amelio on their site. I can only assume this is their attempt to reach out to the younger audiences who idolize these “celebrities.” But, the feedback from this has not been pleasant. Hundreds of people have recently flooded Vogue social media with disbelief that they would feature Tik Tokers. And I must say I do agree, Vogue is known for its class and sophistication.
To me, featuring Noah Beck and his opinions on the recent Louis Vuitton show is not an accurate representation of that. But, what does this mean for the fashion industry, one might ask. As the need for magazines decline, big companies like Vogue will start transferring more to the internet. Many publications have already begun on websites and social media. All the top dogs have Instagram and youtube channels where they do a multitude of things to garner more views. This has worked in favor of the publications, but it is not enough to entirely rely on. There is still something missing in the equation to consider the online presence of these publications fully formed. Their failed attempts to be more relatable to the younger audience by using relevant Tiktokers and YouTubers have only given them negative attention. People don't take these influencers seriously enough to respect them, but they also dislike them enough to bring in a cash cow of attention. To Vogue, this is probably just a set of numbers, and they could care less about whether they are getting good or bad press. The more attention they receive, the more money they make. That's why I believe that for these publications, drama and shock are the way they must go. Talking about the latest runway shows and fashion advice is no longer a viable source for entertainment. And it hasn't been for at least the past decade. I do hope shortly fashion magazines can go back to being just that. I realize that might never happen because of how our society is progressing, but who knows, maybe reading print publications will become the next big trend. And the future of fashion can be what it once was genuinely made for.