Fashion Digital Influencers: Evolution, Features, and Critical Issues of a New Profession

This case examines the notions of influence and influencers in the light of the rise of a new professional figure: the digital influencer. Over the last two decades, influencers have gained an increasingly prominent role in the fashion industry. The evolution of influencers from humble beginnings in early fashion blogs to high-profile TikTok fashion accounts highlights the process of integration of these professionals into the institutionalized field of fashion. The growth and popularity of social media illustrates the critical potential of digital media. However, the commercial nature of fashion influencing, and the consequent restriction of their editorial freedom, consti- tutes an obstacle to the establishment of social media profiles as authentically alternative me- dia. Students will be asked to reflect on social media influencer profiles, also outside the field of fashion, to understand their characteristics and potential both on the production and consumption side of digital editorial content.