A new variety of brand ambassadors exert their influence on luxury fashion.
Have any content creators or internet personalities influenced you to try a new brand or product? Chances are, the answer is yes. According to Goldman Sachs, the booming influencer industry is projected to reach $480 billion by 2027, all while reshaping consumer habits and how the fashion world operates.
Brands have been collaborating with influencers for around two decades—and with celebrities even longer—but it’s not a case of one-size-fits-all when it comes to the right ambassador. Audiences have become accustomed to macro-influencers (recognizable tastemakers who boast a larger number of followers than the population of a small country) and micro-influencers (individuals more likely to have a niche audience with strong engagement). But as consumers become more scrupulous about paid partnerships and gifting, two new classes of influencers are rising to the fore.
Enter the “anti-influencer”—a creator who started out critiquing the luxury industry but, ironically, now also benefits from sponsorship deals. Trailblazing comedian @GstaadGuy, who keeps his real name secret, helped popularize the concept with his satirical videos that garnered unprecedented interaction. Now, he’s working alongside Loro Piana and Audemars Piguet on projects and is launching two brands of his own.
Isabella Massenet, Stella McCartney, and Lilly Sisto at the 15th anniversary celebration of Stella McCartney’s Falabella bag (Photo by Matteo Prandoni/BFA)
Julianne Elise Beffa, founder of Julianne Elise Public Relations (JEPR) has an explanation for this appeal. “As more influencers emerged, brand deals became commonplace, and the public’s opinion shifted,” Beffa says. “Anti-influencers cater to consumers who don’t engage with traditional influencers, giving them a chance to form their own community.”
In the same vein, Beffa notes the rise in more subtle campaigns, where a partnership is integrated authentically into content as opposed to looking like a typical advertisement. It’s not unusual these days to see the likes of online comedian Amanda McCants, or macro-influencer Alix Earle include discrete or seemingly unrelated product mentions in uploads, and their fans have come to expect it, too. “If a brand wants to ‘humanize’ itself beyond aspirational content or reach a wider audience, then this approach can be effective,” Beffa says. “I encourage influencers to create normal, everyday content, incorporate the product, and ‘bury’ the campaign in the caption. Brands should want partnerships to seem organic. Share key messaging, but let the influencer have creative control. They know their audience and what performs best.”
Left: Gstaad Guy at Loro PianA Fall/Winter 2023 presentation (Photo by Astra Marina/BFA)
Middle: Dixie D’Amelio and Gstaad Guy at Burberry’s The Lola Bag party (Photo by David X Prutting/BFA)
Right: Jenny Walton and Leandra Medine Cohen at the KHAITE Spring/Summer 2023 runway show (Photo by Rommel Demano/BFA)
Another rising class of influencer is the “commerce creator”—relatable yet aspirational tastemakers who attract loyal audiences for their recommendations. Among the newsletter platforms, Substack’s most popular commerce creators are Becky Malinksy, Laura Reilly, Leandra Medine Cohen, Harling Ross Anton, and Lilly Sisto. By integrating affiliate links, they receive commissions on readers’ purchases, while they also work with brands such as Prada, Everlane, Massimo Dutti, and Vestiaire Collective as both consultants and influencers to curate edits or host social media takeovers and events.
Sophie Krakoff, a founder of the influencer agency Friends of the House Group, who represents in-demand fashion insiders like Sisto, says “Brands are looking to partner with creators who have real connections to their audience, and who can drive meaningful sales. Blogs and newsletters are genuine ways for commerce creators to get creative [because] it feels like they’re having a chat with friends away from vanity metrics, such as likes.”
Above all, brands should ask questions to identify “unicorn” ambassadors. “Seek out partners that organically support the brand and share similar values,” Beffa advises. “Nurture relationships with creators by inviting them to events, meeting them in person, and asking them for product feedback.” It all comes down to listening, Krakoff echoes, noting that internal teams identifying prospective partners should be diverse, innovative, and clued-in.
