; it was just about how this hyper-curated, glamorous look on Instagram was really feeling out of touch to a lot of Gen-Z consumers. I think this whole pandemic has accelerated that; people still want aspirational content from fashionable people, but they want it to be more authentic. The fashion world is in a bit of a reckoning — as the old influencers lose relevance, these new influencers are coming up that are more of the moment.
"'Refreshing' would be the right word to describe the new wave of homegrown fashion TikTok creators. Our community embraces authenticity and are shifting away from highly stylized and staged photos to more authentic and enjoyable video content. What sets TikTok apart is the freedom to embrace Gen Z's quirkiness and their heightened creativity in fashion, whether it's about a self-made runway show, disproving fashion myths, or an amazing DIY project showcase.
"The reason influencers have any power at all is because they have a following. And if people continue to keep watching — keep following — they're going to retain their power. People love drama and messiness; it's almost like a double-edged sword that gives it more notoriety when someone messes up, and then they get called out by these accounts because everyone rushes to their Instagram Stories and their comments to see what's going on. And so it keeps them in business.
"Influencers sell the fantasy of the 'American dream' because society is rooted in capitalism. People who have things that you don't are seen as admirable. And that's just the way that it goes. But the more I look at luxury fashion and the way they operate, the less interesting it becomes to me, because so much of what draws us to luxury brands is the message that extends to others about our status.