IFB (Independent Fashion Bloggers) is a community made up of more than 6,000 bloggers around the world. The Evolving Influence Conference, held at the Helen Mills Theater in New York on February 15th, provided a forum to discuss growth opportunities for this now-highly influential arm of fashion media and sought to address the future of monetization, ethics, and influence for fashion blogs.

L to R: Bryanboy, Tavi Gevinson (Style Rookie), Susie Lau (Style Bubble/Dazed Digital)

The day brought together a global who’s who list of successful independent and corporate-sponsored bloggers including Gala Darling (iCiNG), Tavi Gevinson (Style Rookie), Bryanboy, and Susie Bubble (Style Bubble/Dazed Digital). Representatives from new and traditional media like Business of Fashion and The New York Times also spoke. Minx provided complimentary must-have manicures by day, while the Couturious Cocktail Party capped off the event that night with food, drinks, and a photo booth by Weardrobe.

Highlights

The conference consisted of four panels, each rich in ideas:

Philosophy and Pragmatism

Seated, L to R: Pamela Castillo (Market Publique), Corinne Leigh (Threadbanger), Erika Miller (Elle.com), Melody Biringer (The CRAVE Company), Nichelle Pace (StyleMom), Shubhankar Ray (G-Star Raw)

The Fashion Blog Marketing Workshop kicked off the day. Shubhankar Ray, Creative Director of fashion brand (and conference sponsor) G-Star Raw, provided a refreshing context for fashion bloggers. Drawing a parallel between the inception of indie style magazines like I.D., which began as home-made media in punk-rock rebellion against traditional fashion magazines like Vogue, Ray reminded the audience that blogs represent the “democratization of journalism.” Ray urged independent blogs to “be careful about branding” because blogs’ individualism made them relevant partners for traditional brands looking to be “part of culture.”

Practical marketing advice was also shared. Erika Miller (Elle.com) lent her expertise on SEO, stating that “the long tail is your opportunity if you want to capture traffic.” Her tips for optimizing ranking included tagging images with specific, keyword rich descriptions and adding RSS feeds of blogs within your niche to your homepage. D.I.Y hub Threadbanger’s Corinne Leigh reminded bloggers that a simple call to action like “Follow me on Twitter!” is a surprisingly powerful tool.

A Wealth of Business Advice

The Business of Blogging panel brought together experienced blog monetizers including Gala Darling (iCiNG) and Lauren Dimet Waters (Second City Style). Professionalism, integrity, and relationship-building were key themes.

L to R: Gala Darling (iCiNG), Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond (BlueFly.com), Dina Fierro (Eye4Style, Attention! Agency),  Lauren Dimet Waters (Second City Style), Aubree Nichols (Urban Signals). The panel was moderated by Yuli Ziv.

The panel reminded the audience that their blog was the “first impression” on the web and should be a place that brands are proud to be featured. Bloggers were urged to maintain a high level of professionalism in their blog’s appearance and editorial content, and when participating in social media and interacting with marketers.

Knowing your blog’s metrics, understanding the ad rate marketplace through resources like BlogAds, and devising unique revenue streams (Gala sells podcasts) were all cited as powerful tools for monetization. While ads and sponsored newsletters can be key revenue sources, the panel warned bloggers to “read the fine print” before signing up with ad networks.

Opinions and Outbursts

Navigating Blog Ethics paired bloggers like Jessica Schroeder (What I Wore) and Diane Pernet (A Shaded View on Fashion) with new and traditional media gurus including Imran Amed (Business of Fashion) and Clark Hoyt (Public Editor, The New York Times) to discuss this controversial topic.
Alluding to the strict ethics code of the Times (journalists cannot accept gifts of any kind), Hoyt pointedly asked Schroeder and her fellow bloggers why it was “O.K. to accept gifts from someone you’re covering.”

Schroeder offered up honesty and transparency as the solution to this complex issue. Gina Garrubbo, EVP of women’s blog conglomerate Blogher suggested that a “separation of church and state” can ensure ethical practices, describing the company’s defined “reviews” sections (which are set apart from blogs’ editorial wells).

Amed felt strongly that compromising ethics meant compromising the blogger-reader relationship. He reminded bloggers that “the whole reason blogs have emerged as such a powerful and influential force is because everyone was really saying what they think” without the bias of financial incentive. “That’s why your audience is coming to you.”

The panel and audience struggled with the idea that blogs should be held to a higher standard than traditional fashion press, who receive countless incentives from brands, P.R. firms, and advertisers. A particularly defensive audience member drew gasps with a comment about the age-old practice of “bartering,” an outburst deemed highly inappropriate for its reference to a particular religion. Scandale!

A-List Inspiration

Tavi Gevinson (Style Rookie), Susie Bubble (Style Bubble/Dazed Digital), Phil Oh (Streetpeeper)

The Future of Fashion Blogging panel ended the day on a high note. Featuring blogosphere stars Tavi Gevinson (Style Rookie), Bryanboy, and Susie Bubble (Style Bubble/Dazed Digital), as well as Phil Oh (Street Peeper), Britt Aboutaleb and Lauren Sherman (both of Fashionista.com), the panel’s arrival had the crowd buzzing. The house filled with late-coming luminaries including Garance Doré, Scott Schuman (The Sartorialist) and Rumi Neely (Fashion Toast).

The panelists expressed excitement and confusion about their new place at the forefront of fashion media – all with a sense of humor and recognition of their humble beginnings. Bryanboy joked about the reason for his blog’s initial popularity, saying “Everybody loves a trainwreck on the internet!”

The group seemed unified in their wish to be an integral part of fashion media – neither stars nor pariahs in the eyes of the industry. “It’s not about replacing [mainstream] press,” said Bubble, it’s about being “a part of a fashion consumer’s daily routine.”

Sherman summed up the day with a simple maxim for bloggers hoping to rise to the top: “Don’t do it because you want attention, do it because you love it, and people will come to you.”

Why Should I Attend?

Clockwise from top left: Diane Pernet (A Shaded View on Fashion) and Tavi Gevinson (Style Rookie); Scott Schuman (The Sartorialist) and Garance Dore; Rumi Neely and Colin Sokol (Fashion Toast)

The IFB community has been a forum for sharing inspiration and wisdom since 2007. Like Tavi Gevinson and Bryanboy, the organization was thrust into the spotlight this Fashion Week, and Jennine Tamm (IFB’s founder) rose to the occasion by nearly single-handedly pulling off an event that exceeded expectations. For only a $20 suggested donation, bloggers were able to share stories and advice, learn from experts, and mingle with their heroes and heroines at a cocktail party that became the place to be on a night packed with fashion soirees.

The success of this year’s event sets the stage for future IFB conferences, and though they may become larger than this 300-person affair, they will certainly only become more valuable for the blogging community.

The IFB site is free to join and provides access to events throughout the year.

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