BY Ksenniya Grisé

A lot has been said, written and discussed about fashion bloggers. Some want to write them off the fashion week claiming they have turned this much respected and closed event “into a zoo”, some tend to protect them stating they have become an essential piece of the fashion puzzle, which we can not ignore any more.

The next fashion week is on its way to New York. And so are the changes… 

We all remember Catherine Bennett's, Senior VP of IMG Fashion, statement that this season only the “carefully selected industry professionals” will have the chance to see the show beneath the door of the Lincoln Center. The debate is still raging as to whether these “back to basics” tactics will eventually return fashion week to its luxurious status.

Many fashion insiders have long considered current Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week  a carnival. Maybe it is at some point, but I personally still think that fashion week itself is the most important platform for fashion business insiders to get together and to exchange knowledge, ideas and get inspiration for the following season. It is about “showcasing vision” as was once correctly put. But what is even more important – fashion week is about exploring new talents and names.

I must agree that “blogger” has become somewhat of an insulting word these days. But being a blogger does not mean that you are simply posting thousand of pictures of yourself on your free blogspot.com account and discourse about the ups and down of the fashion world. Many fashion bloggers are young industry professional that have obtained a strong voice in the world of fashion and who eventually are more important for the business than some editors and buyers, as they are more closely connected to the end consumer through their Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages. As a result, a lot of fashion bloggers are the ones who are dictating the trends. Looking at them and analyzing their style is now number one priority for many buyers.

Bloggers, as the representation of the Young and Creative class, should stay part of the fashion week on the same rights as the young, emerging designers, who are given the opportunity to show their talent to the world and be recognized and heard. Fashion week gives the opportunity to many young designers to open up to the world and be able to attract attention of sponsors and potential investors. Why should this very industry ignore fashion bloggers who also have much to say?

There are many other people except for the bloggers who turned the New York fashion week into a carnival these years. There should be a more strict control of who are the people who eventually get the tickets to the shows.

In many ways bloggers are the future of the fashion business, they are the representation of the new era, of the digital age and the power of social media, though not all the industry admits this fact. Fashion week has the responsibility of raising fashion specialist not only on the runway of Lincoln Center but also on its rows. And who knows, may be a few of those young and creative individuals standing behind the last row will be the most respected ones in the front row next season? 

Let’s wait and see.

Please follow all of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week February Shows (Here)