How Does the Media Influence Fashion?
The media influences fashion by developing public interest and excitement in the latest styles and trends through the wide publication of glamorous photographs, celebrity endorsements and informative articles. Media acts as a fashion barometer, measuring the high and low points of celebrity styles, indicating the changing fashion elements reflective of the iconic views and lifestyles of relevant popular celebrities, public figures and role models.
Although fashion journalism has been around since the turn of the 20th century, social media has expanded its range of influence by giving the public an up-close, personal view of the fashion world. Events such as New York Fashion Week, previously accessible to an elite few, are now available to a worldwide audience through ongoing postings to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media sites. Photographs, celebrity tweets, editorial comments and fashion advice provide online audiences with inspiration and expose them to cutting-edge runway trends that influence personal style choices.
In the competitive world of fashion, designers are increasingly utilizing sites such as Instagram to keep their designs in the public consciousness. The wide exposure made possible by the Internet, the strong marketing value of images and the connection between public figures and style trends all contribute to the media’s impact on the world of fashion.