Youtuber Fashion and Beauty
In today’s society, we are constantly looking to social media for fashion inspiration-- whether that means obsessing over Fenty Beauty’s newest matte lipstick line or desperately trying to find an affordable version of Kendall Jenner’s outfit in her latest Instagram post. Fashion and beauty trends are always rapidly evolving thanks to the rise of social media stars, Instagram models, and even Youtuber lifestyle and beauty gurus.
And Jenn Im is exactly one of the lifestyle Youtubers who also touches on topics of fashion and beauty. Jenn started her channel back in 2010, focusing mainly on hair and make-up tutorials as well as fashion and style advice in general. Nowadays, she’s branching further and further into the lifestyle category with monthly vlog posts while still maintaining her original passion for beauty and fashion. With over two million subscribers on Youtube and one million Instagram followers, the Los Angeles based Youtuber has definitely cultivated a certain influence and social media presence, transforming her into an idolized fashion and beauty icon. With the debut of her fashion line Eggie in 2017, Im exemplifies the growing trend of fashion collections launched by trusted and highly admired social media stars, signaling a shift in consumer interests and a potential upheaval of the fashion and beauty industry altogether.
Jenn Im’s Eggie Shop carries cute, ready-to-wear, affordable clothing designed by Im herself. The brand is definitely indicative of Im’s personal styles as well as her personality itself, which is especially evident in her graphic tees that say “Hot Cheetos Anonymous” in red lettering, a cute and cheeky reference to Im’s love for hot Cheetos. Small details and personal references like these make Im’s brand truly unique and particularly appealing to her fans.
Another popular beauty blogger is Michelle Phan, who started her Youtube channel in 2007 doing voiceover makeup tutorials. Similar to Im, Phan has a huge following (over eight million subscribers on Youtube) and many consider her the original online beauty guru. In 2017 she re-launched her cosmetics line, EM, focusing on streamlining the brand specifically to her fans’ interests. The collection is filled with Michelle’s personal staples such as liquid eyeliner and creamy liquid lipsticks in a variety of colors and shades. The collection is limited to lip and eye makeup in an attempt to keep her brand simple and practical.
Additionally, these Youtuber collections, like Eggie and EM, are moderately priced and very affordable without sacrificing quality or style. Eggie’s tops range from $20-$30, and larger pieces like jackets and dresses never exceed $80. EM’s eyeliner is priced at $15, and lipsticks at $16, making them significantly cheaper than brands sold at Sephora or Nordstrom.
The rise of these Youtuber-created fashion lines like Eggie and EM has effectively changed the way people shop and the way trends and styles are created. The collections are generally successful because fans really value and look up to Youtube “celebrities,” and as fashion is becoming increasingly driven by social media, these Youtubers have created a new way to shop. Gone are the days of flipping through J. Crew catalogs and reading style tips from Vogue because, now, with the rise of fashion bloggers and internet beauty gurus, fashion and beauty tips are becoming readily accessible, increasingly interactive, and directly relevant to consumers’ needs. Jenn Im always does a re-cap of her monthly favorites and talks frequently about her fashion line which makes viewers and consumers feel like they are now part of the process.
Consumers are also more willing to buy from style icons they know and have been following for a while because these Youtubers have grown into a trusted fashion and style source.
I personally follow Jenn Im and the way she incorporates and promotes her clothing line in her videos actually does make me want to buy her clothes. She has videos explaining the thought process behind each piece and how she styles them for each occasion and knowing this makes me feel more inclined to purchase her clothes as opposed to something off Forever 21 or Urban Outfitters. It ultimately comes down to how viewers, me included, feel like they’re being heard and included in the design process as well as how much they relate to the designer (i.e. Jenn Im). Youtubers in particular have a wide-reaching influence because of the video content they produce, which makes viewers feel more connected to them, actively bridging the gap between fashion, beauty, and internet personalities which steadily changes the way we shop and develop our own styles.