Vogue vs Bloggers

Recently Vogue editors took potshots at bloggers, who get photographed in "borrowed clothes" and called it "the death of style", to which bloggers like Susie Bubble reacted with a fusillade of tweets. Sally Singer, Vogue Creative Digital Director wrote, "It’s a schizophrenic moment, and that just can’t be good. (Note to bloggers who change head-to-toe, paid-to-wear outfits every hour: Please stop. Find another business. You are heralding the death of style.)" Sarah Mower, Vogue.com Chief Critic said, "So yes, Sally, the professional blogger bit, with the added aggression of the street photographer swarm who attend them, is horrible, but most of all, pathetic for these girls, when you watch how many times the desperate troll up and down outside shows, in traffic, risking accidents even, in hopes of being snapped." To which Nicole Phelps, Director, Vogue Runway replied, "It’s not just sad for the women who preen for the cameras in borrowed clothes, it’s distressing, as well, to watch so many brands participate."

These editors were exchanging their views on fashion weeks.

Blogger Susie Bubble's reacted with a rash of tweets, "Firstly let's not pretend that editors and stylists are not beholden to brands in one way or another, getting salaries at publications...", "Secondly, bloggers who wear paid-for outfits or borrowed clothes are merely doing the more overt equivalent of that editorial-credit system." "It's just that bloggers sadly don't have prestigious titles/publications to hide behind and represent themselves solely."

Blogger Bryanboy posted on Twitter, "It's schoolyard bullying, plain and simple."

On one side you have storied institutions with their way of presenting style on their own timeline and on the other side, you have young voices with the luxury of immediate presentation. Is there a place for both of them? With brands consciously or sub-consciously questioning the role of the media at these times, can both co-exist? In an era when brands like Burberry are taking the offerings to the customers straight away, are bloggers the new royalty?  

'No one as corrupt as magazine editors' - Asmita Aggarwal, Editor, luxury and lifestyle, The Patriot

"Vogue considers itself the bible of fashion and feels it is the only publication which has the right to passage. However, the dynamics of fashion is slowly changing. It is not beholden to just high profile fashion publications it is becoming more democratic and less fascist. Bloggers are doing a wonderful job and they are hugely popular so much so that magazines are featuring those same bloggers. As far as freebies go there is no one as corrupt as magazine editors. They demand stuff and feel they have a right to. Bloggers use their prowess to promote brands and it makes for a healthy partnership. But as Suzy Menkes wrote in her article 'Circus of fashion' that any gifts accepted are like subtle bribes. Best to keep journalism clean and original which is becoming very tough now. Though it remains a tight rope walk for both parties involved as print is losing its sheen and digital is the way forward. So bloggers will rule the world very soon, the fashion world for sure."

'Bloggers are edging out editors from the front rows' - Wendell Rodricks, designer

"Quite simply bloggers are edging out editors from the front rows. They have a huge public following that supercedes magazine suppliers. Finally, they get paid directly by brands unlike magazine editors who depend on handouts. The fashion establishment does not want to recognize that bloggers are the new media royalty. Why just freebie junkies? Editors need to fly themselves in for fashion weeks and put themselves up at hotels.

Bloggers get flown in, put up at hotels AND get paid."

'No quality check for bloggers,' Sujata Assomull, Fashion Editor, Khaleej Times

"Individuals working in magazine and newspaper space go through a streamlined filtering process and have impeccable credentials and journalistic veracity. However, in today's day and age, anyone can start a blog and call themselves a blogger. What I have observed is that most bloggers focus more on the their outfit of the day than capturing the drama unfolding on the runway. Having said that, there are some very commendable bloggers out there, doing well-researched posts.  All in all both the blogosphere and the magazines/newspapers have to work together in tandem. The freebie culture has always been seen across the board in fashion journalism but there's a system like the HR and other bodies, who keep a critical watch on it. There have been instances when fashion journalists have lost their jobs or penalised in this regard. However, there's no quality check for bloggers. Also, today street style is synonymous with being bizarre as opposed to being fashionable. I'd say that compared to a section of bloggers, magazine and newspaper journalists have a more refined and grown-up sense of personal style."

'Everyone wants a piece of pie' - Monisha Jaising, designer

The industry has seen a drastic shift from print to the runway, there's bound to an argument. Some bloggers are good at their jobs while others are just me-toos. Everyone wants to have a piece of pie. However, we have to give credit to self-made individuals who came from nothing and have created a following. Their achievements can't be overlooked. I agree that the street style has become rather ridiculous and unnecessarily attention-seeking.

Don't encourage stereotypes - Shreya Kalra, blogger, For The Love Of Fashion And Other Things

As soon as you feel a strong force emerge, you feel the urge to curb it right away. Our Western counterparts are notches up in the game of fashion blogging and at no point, find themselves seeking validation from the fashion glossies. Their massive following makes them a name unto themselves. It sure looks like the fashion magazines are not taking too kindly to fashion bloggers (a lot of who, have no prior fashion education) doing major book signings, running successful clothing lines etc, all by themselves. Which is so ironic if you think about it since Vogue across the world has been featuring these street style stars all across their pages in various stories and editorials (also covers!). What really confuses me are these mixed signals that these comments seem to send, since blogging from its inception is suppose to be about instinctive style and honing that instinct by putting it across on platforms including 'preening' at fashion weeks, since that is a form of display too. Fashion glossies are doing quite a few of those things that they accuse bloggers of doing and that includes supporting designers from across the world by wearing their garments to fashion weeks as sent across by the designers! If a fashion news editor is going to encourage stereotypes about fashion bloggers being ignorant and clueless about world affairs and civic duties, merely based on the fact that we get paid to wear designers' clothes for fashion weeks, then we have much bigger problems.

'Everyone enjoys freebies'  -Sonu Bohra, Blogger, Fashion Bombay

Don't think Vogue India considers bloggers as competition, I think we're more like newbies in the fashion world to them (and maybe that's correct since blogging only just caught up a few years ago). Internationally, bloggers are if not taking over, they're getting as recognised and making as much/more money than these esteemed magazines. So, I think it is like schoolyard bullying but also a little hilarious. In India bloggers and magazines are different/separate cliques, don't think one can overlap the other. Not soon soon at least. Our opinions are valued and respected. Bloggers are still happy/grateful to be featured in magazine (as we should be). In short, I think there's more harmony here since we aren't direct competition. I mean we aren't playing Monopoly. I think there's enough room for everyone's opinion and talent. Eventually it's a game of survival and consistency only those will survive. Everyone (EVERYONE) enjoys freebies! I think it was just a silly rant on Twitter amongst Vogue editors during a Fashion Week where such scandal is almost a necessity. I genuinely don't think this sort of confrontation (from either side) would happen in India. Best to ignore the bullies in my opinion.