‘Heralding The Death Of Style’: Vogue Magazine Had Some Harsh AF Things To Say About Fashion Bloggers

Like them or loathe them, there’s no disputing the fact that in recent years, bloggers have become an integral part of the fashion industry, hitting up catwalk shows across the world, posting hyper-liked street style snaps and even landing brand endorsements with top names in the fashion bizz.

Sadly though, it’s a culture that not everyone is happy about, least of all Vogue Magazine it seems.

In a recap of Milan Fashion Week entitled Ciao, Milano!, some of the mag’s editors posted a scathing critque of blogger culture.

Their biggest bugbears? Apparently they’re none too happy about fashion bloggers being paid to wear certain brands at front row shows.

Here’s what the mag’s editors had to say.

Sally Singer, Vogue Creative Director

“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

“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”

Nicole Phelps, Director of Vogue Runway

“Which brings me back around to Sally and Sarah’s points about the street style mess. 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.”

Finally, Vogue.com Fashion News Editor Alessandra Codinha waded in with this unapologetic bit on the topic.

She writes “Am I allowed to admit that I did a little fist pump when Sally broached the blogger paradox? There’s not much I can add here beyond how funny it is that we even still call them “bloggers,” as so few of them even do that anymore.

“Rather than a celebration of any actual style, it seems to be all about turning up, looking ridiculous, posing, twitching in your seat as you check your social media feeds, fleeing, changing, repeating . . . It’s all pretty embarrassing—even more so when you consider what else is going on in the world. (Have you registered to vote yet? Don’t forget the debate on Monday!)

“Loving fashion is tremendous, and enthusiasts of all stripes are important to the industry—after all, people buy clothing because of desire, not any real need—but I have to think that soon people will wise up to how particularly gross the whole practice of paid appearances and borrowed outfits looks.

“Looking for style among a bought-and-paid-for (“blogged out?”) front row is like going to a strip club looking for romance. Sure, it’s all kind of in the same ballpark, but it’s not even close to the real thing.”

Harsh, right?

Not surprisingly, the blogosphere wasn’t prepared to let the comments lie and bloggers Susie Bubble and Bryan Boy led the debate, taking to Twitter to blast Vogue for double standards and ‘schoolyard bullying’.

Firstly let’s not pretend that editors and stylists are not beholden to brands in one way or another, getting salaries at publications…

— susiebubble (@susiebubble) September 26, 2016

… that are stuffed full of credits that are tied to paid advertising but not explicitly stated as such.

— susiebubble (@susiebubble) September 26, 2016

It’s schoolyard bullying, plain and simple. How satisfying it must be to go for the easy target rather than going for other editors.

— bryanboy (@bryanboy) September 26, 2016

Sigh. Can’t we all just be nice to each other and get along?

Want more? Check out the results of our survey on blogger honesty here. 

Picture credit: sarandaadriana.com

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