It’s no secret that Instagram is THE social media for fashion. Often when we think about the platform, we see it as an outlet for people to express themselves through outfit posts, photography, short videos, in brief anything pleasing the eye. Even fashion houses gave in to find talents through Instagram. The on-going collaboration between Gucci and the Unskilled Worker is a perfect example of it. Since then, the Maison has been championing many initiatives to promote young artists discovered on the grid.
Instagram has become the perfect combination of simultaneously showing your professionality and character, the way you want. And it doesn’t matter which area of fashion you are working in. As long as you have an interesting story to tell and are good to engage a conversation, your Instagram could become your portfolio, an extension of your CV.
As I started freelancing, my vision of Instagram shifted. So far, I only used it like everyone else did. An outfit here, travel pics there, occasional Fashion Week images here, my Instagram was just an average one and still is :D. Nonetheless, the thing about freelancing is that you need to promote yourself and Instagram is the ultimate place for it.
Over the past year, I have realised I started following people that mattered rather than following cool people, rightly because of the shift aforementioned. The influencer, the street style photographer, the fashion editor with a lavish lifestyle, ultimately if I can’t relate professionally and personally to their posts and Instagram stories I can’t care less about following them.
Thanks to some people, I have discovered Instagram could be an outlet to promote my work as a fashion professional as well as showing bits of my personality that my Linkedin profile doesn’t show. I believe whatever the field you are working in, it is important that people see you have a point of view and Instagram is a good place to do so. So here’s the list of some people whose profile I find inspiring to understand how to promote yourself as a young fashion professional
Moorizla, the journalist
Alya Mooro is an Egyptian born, London raised journalist and writer I discovered listening to the Lifestyle Edit podcast in which she was talking about how she is making it as a freelance journalist. Her story intrigued me and since then I have been following her on Instagram.
Alya has an impressive CV, she writes for publications of the likes of The Debrief, Dazed and Refinery29. Between pictures of a sunny holiday and moments with friends, Alya’s Instagram feed is punctuated with posts about her last article, a milestone or a cause she is supporting. As for her Instagram stories, they are a mixture of her daily life and behind-the-scenes of her journalist life. I could have chosen someone like Pandora Sykes who is another journalist I enjoy following, but Alya resonates more with me because her background is bi-cultural, like mine, and it shows in her feed and the stories she is writing.
Lastly, a journalist/writer is usually an avid reader and I love seeing her sharing the latest books she read and how she felt about them. As someone who writes in a language that is not mine, it’s important to have various references.
What to learn from Alya:
- Don’t be afraid of promoting your work on Instagram
- Invite your followers to discover your working life
- Don’t be afraid to write thought-provoking captions to express your point of view
- Use Instagram stories to poll your followers if you need a different point of view for your work
- Share what inspire you to do your job
Gabriele Hackworthy, the fashion insider with a shtick
I know Gabriele Hackworthy more for her famous #shoeworthy shots at her Net-A-Porter desk than for her job title. They started showing in my feed as more people seemed to re-gram them. So I started looking to whom these beautiful shoes belonged to.
Scrolling through Net-A-Porter and Porter Magazine Global Editorial Fashion Director Instagram feed is a real treat to discover the life of a fashion insider in and out the office. Her lifestyle is million times away from mine but still, I enjoy following Gabriele Hackworthy because she is the only person holding such a position who has created hashtags and posts I want to see.
I don’t relate at all personally but professionally, I enjoy her fashion point of view. If they are few pictures with celebrities, Gabriele’s Instagram is more of a mood board. Between quotes of high profile people, behind-the-scenes of NAP and a scene from a movie, Gabriele is inviting you to her world. She also helps you find it with #hauteworthy, #shoeworthy or #quoteworthy – all hashtags she coined after her last name.
What to learn from Gabriele:
- Create a routine for which people will recognize you
- Create hashtags that will make you noticeable and through which people will find your content
- Use your feed as a mood board of what inspires your work. In an interview to BoF, Gabriele mentioned how important it is to be cultured in fashion and her feed is definitely a demonstration of it.
Amy Sall, the stylish thinker
Amy Sall is the founder and editor-in-chief of Sunu Journal, a publication dedicated to everything African. And her Instagram is a reflection of it, on top of showing she is the ultimate style icon. Amy has been featured in publications like Kinfolk and Vogue and appeared in campaigns for J. Crew and Kenzo, and seeing her pictures you’ll understand why. But her Instagram is far from being the one of an it-girl. Amy uses it as a tool to present Africa as a cultured continent. You’ll find references to books, movies and artists all from the continent mixed with pictures of Africans and Amy’s after all, the girl has style.
What to learn from Amy:
- Use style as your weapon to spread your message
- Your Instagram is not only about selfies, outfits and quotes, post mini videos that will trigger conversation between your followers
- Posts pictures and caption them to educate or start a conversation with your followers
- Make your feed a place people would like to scroll to learn something
Don’t hesitate to visit their Instagram to see how they use it. I think in this time where everyone is doing practically the same on the platform, it is important to stand out by having a point of view. Especially if you want to use the platform to promote your work.
Do you use Instagram to promote your work? If so, how do you use it?
