That Vogue Article - Bloggers v. Mag Editors

I never thought we would see some Vogue contributors like the Fashion News Editor Alessandra Codinha and Sarah Mower, during a Vogue Spring 2017 fashion rundown, blatantly discuss bloggers. This has been a long running topic for quite some time and now that conversation has gone into overdrive.

Here is a link to it: Vogue's Milan Editors Spring 2017 Chat

I mean I understand the pandemonium of shows being bombarded and people doing many things for attention, which yes it is moot point that makes the shows more highly trafficked and photo ops looking ridiculous. But I thought the idea is dress to impress, with what you want to wear based on your confidence and gorgeous gams, and see the shows. See and Be Seen. I have seen this with both editors and bloggers, both getting things to wear or sometimes wearing the same Eye popping, eye catching things that street style photographers tend to notice. And sometimes these street style photographers are hired by said magazines to collect the most fashion-worthy outfits.

Hence the NY Mag, W, Vogue, Racked and NYT Fashion sections about who wore what at these shows. To go as far as saying editors are synonymous with the bloggers, not all, I cannot generalize, but there are certain facets of the job that do intersect. Both get paid for reviews (sometimes), paid to attend events, shows, get allowances for clothing, and freebies.

I cannot contend that bloggers are not of value anymore, some again, moot don't really add anything as they are walking billboards that I do so agree but not all of them fall under that generalization. But you have bloggers, like myself, that genuinely discuss pop culture, fashion in said pop culture, try to emulate our interpretation of it (like case laws from established statutes), and we can reach a younger demographic sometimes besides the traditional 25+ buying the magazine since the 1980s.

It is the fact that the business model of magazine publication and new media has evolved to the point that both can tend to have the same effect. We see newspapers and magazines, now have online content and bloggers also have online as well. Hell, we have even seen bloggers who are amazing writers get hired for site editing at publications and solely online publications (ala Refinery, Fashionista, and Racked) kudos to them. But to eliminate or bash either side of the media, I think they can co-exist and should.

Co-existence like our state courts vs the Supreme Court. There is a balance of powers adjudicated to each.  These are my thoughts, I both concur and dissent on certain points.

P.S.- Lets not forget when Vogue was loving the old school bloggers on the scene since 2007 and gave love with a huge article that gave away to the greats like Bryanboy, Tommy Ton and Hanneli Mustaparta, on their March 2010 Power Issue: Style Bloggers!

~Kaye Beeh