Keywords: - Instagram, Fashion Editorial, Social Identity, Validation, Influence

Abstract

Situated as the front row insight of fashion to the consumer, the visionaries of fashion used fashion editorial to try out new styles of photography, styling, art direction and models. Being a prestigious and select medium and extremely influential in how fashion is consumed and produced. The producers of these magazines are influential taste makers. Functioning as a 'look book' of producers and contributors' work, providing a reference point in the field of fashion. 

Technology has revolutionised the capabilities of the fashion editorial, social media platforms such as Instagram creating a new marketplace for creative visionaries of fashion influencers. With this new generation of social media, regular people have become famous for showcasing their daily outfits in a similar fashion of a dress diary, revealing daily beauty routines, and sharing luxury lifestyle experiences, offering their own set representations that speak to their following. This research acknowledges that human behaviour of influence has not changed, but the tools consumers use to find It have.

 Repercussions for printed media due to COVID-19 pandemic highlights that consumers search for influence has changed.  Fashion editorials completed months before release. Meaning when the world froze, the pandemic changed societal values – the April editions due on sale were no longer relevant. 

My research questions whether historical theories such as Barthes Fashion system (1967) can support contemporary understanding of British female millennials use of Instagram as a fashion editorial. And whether British female women perceive Instagram as a fashion editorial to inspire and influence the fashioning and validation of their social identity and social status?