A mix between an influencer and a photo gallery brings us a new way for fashion to be shared online.
To call an Instagram curator an influencer would be quite an oversimplification. As opposed to influencers constantly posting photos of their life, curators post aesthetic art and fashion at the same frequency. The practice seems very unorthodox at first, however, due to the millions of followers, large brands are beginning to notice.
Instagram curators such as @liljupiterr and @hidden.ny have risen and post various content from nostalgic 90s TV to quality sneakers. The accounts resonate with younger generations and have even become an area to decide what is popular in fashion.
History of the Curator
JJJJound was a blog with the sole purpose of sharing various types of images. The blog became a hub for internet users and It quickly rose in the late 2000s. It was eventually able to work with people such as Kanye West and Virgil Abloh. The blog has since become a major brand selling branded bags for high prices.
Instagram definitely set up a new field for curators as people can post anything anytime. Curators have set a precedent in which having the most “clout” comes down to good taste rather than expensive clothing.
The Influence of Curators
Instagram curators have caught the eye of major fashion companies and have begun to collaborate. German luggage brand Rimowa has been seen on large curator pages such as @liljupiterr and @90sanxiety and stated in an interview with HIGHSNOBIETY,
“We wanted to work with those where these different audiences are. We wanted to go as broad as possible while staying niche. I think we’ll keep doing it, just to expand our horizons.”
Rimowa has highlighted the importance of these accounts and the impact that these creators have. These curators lead and almost dictate what is “cool” within a younger market. For any product, having validation from these curators can go a long way.
A unique aspect of these collaborations is the fact that they are mostly non-profit. The curators will rarely participate in advertisements and will usually promote within their own standards. This builds authenticity between the curator and their audience.
A Career in Social Media
As seen with the previously mentioned JJJJound, brand curators do have a chance to grow and make a career out of posting online. Running and organising these accounts have created a skill that is useful in modern society. These jobs aren’t exclusive to media either, some curators have been able to tap into creative industries. In an interview with GQ, curator @hidden.ny spoke about the potential of curators within creative industries,
“Hidden aspired to convince designers to create clothing he identified with by showing them that there was an audience for his specific aesthetic preferences. Now he’s seeding Drake with a regular supply of rare pieces after the rapper reached out via DM.”
Instagram curators are now becoming are a large part of social media and we will probably see more of them pop up on our Instagram feeds.
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