The festive season is a gold mine for those in the retail sector. Brands with their eyes on buyers’ wallets unleash a sea of commercials on what to do and what not to — trade the leggings for palazzos and ring in the ‘column’ look; try the ‘kurti suit’ look, and so on. But if you need some help to stand out of the anarkalis, long kurtas and palazzos, look up fashion blogs.
In one of her posts on www.thegirlatfirstavenue.com, Chandana Munipalle tries a festive look with a dramatically cut high-low dress teamed with leggings. In www.thatdelhigirl.com, Pallavi Ruhail gives the little black dress a sporty and casual spin with a graphic print jacket and sports shoes.
Why blogs?
Leading names in the retail industry are looking at alternative channels to tap potential customers. Fashion weeks and photo shoots featuring professional models are one part of the game plan. There’s also a clientele that knows what looks great on the ramp or a commercial may not be ideal for regular use. Bloggers help bridge this gap. These young women use new collections to arrive at looks suitable for workplace and casual outings.
Fashion blogs are yet to reach the popularity of food blogs, particularly in Hyderabad. Pallavi and Chandana are a few of the ilk. Aria Krishnamurti is a new addition, with her blog http://stylemearia.tumblr.com/.
Chandana was in between jobs when she started blogging in 2010 as a creative outlet than a business venture. “Eventually, people took me seriously and brands approached me,” she says.
Social media
Brands tap bloggers with a sizeable following on social media — instagram, facebook, pinterest, twitter.
When new collections are rolled out, agencies network with bloggers who can offer tips on styling and create a look-book.
The more the followers and page hits, the blogger becomes a name to reckon with.
The USP with bloggers, as Chandana says, lies in photographs that aren’t heavily post processed. “Women want to see how outfits look on an everyday girl.”
Aria Krishnamurti started blogging on fashion five months ago, armed with what she learnt from a recent short-term course in fashion media and styling in London. Two years ago, she studied fashion styling at Central Saint Martins – University of the Arts, London. “I learnt the basics of using digital media for fashion, how to style an outfit, do photo shoots, and draw more followers,” she says.
Aria is also a fashion consultant and hopes to bring in a Hyderabad element to her posts. “Branded wear is the same across the country. It’s the styling and photographs, which can be shot against heritage monuments, that make it different,” she says.
Does it pay?
It takes some time before blogs become lucrative. Until then, bloggers suggest continuing a regular job.
Pallavi Ruhail has witnessed the benefits of sustained blogging. An epidemiologist who did her masters in public health at BITS, Pilani, she started her blog in June 2013 after moving to Hyderabad from Delhi. For the blog, she preferred the ‘Delhi girl’ identity since that’s how she was referred to by her friends. “I had a reasonable following on twitter and instagram before I started blogging. Some of them who liked what I posted, suggested I blog. I started www.thatdelhigirl. com as a hobby,” she recounts. Slowly, she began blogging full time and it was monetarily rewarding. “I am now careful about the work I do, maintaining credibility,” she says.
The perks of blogging include attending fashion weeks. On the flipside, Pallavi points out to the vagaries of working from a city where fashion blogs are yet to catch up. “A few big labels hesitate when I tell them I am based in Hyderabad, though I have followers across India. Only a niche section here splurges on western brands. Not many would walk into a branded store and buy clothes worth Rs. 10,000.”
