Today, with the credibility value they hold, Chinese fashion bloggers are considered to be the center of attention whose influence is still rising.
I. How are they like, the fashion bloggers in China?
For the reasons of the late emerging blogging phenomenon and the different patterns of using the internet, Chinese fashion bloggers and audience are mostly of the young generation between 25 - 35 years old, born post-80s and grown up in the modern China. Unlike the western fashion bloggers who have long been considered ahead-of-the-curve influencers, in continental China, fashion bloggers play roles of fashion educators and first-hand material sharers, besides a large amount of them are fashion lovers whose extraordinary tastes have gained in influence.
II. Who are they & what do they write about?
- Icons
As fashion icons, they travel a lot, attending fashion event all around the world. They focus on styles of their own or their friends. The best example, HanHuohuo, former project manager of Marie Claire, one and the only pure fashion icon in China, who is highly appreciated by Hongkong fashion gurus but in the same time criticized as a controversial figure in the continental China. Young people respect his bolds and follow him like celebrities.
"Beauty is not just the appearance, is an instinct." -- Han huohuo
- Peafowls
They are “fashion talents”, not necessarily professional, but who understand. They have extraordinary tastes that allow them to be trendy and in the same time to dress out their own style. That explain why their blogs are actually their personal lookbooks and lifestyle dairy. Brief, these blogs are all about "my style, my life and me".
"This is one of the outfits I styled for GAP's new spring collection. I'm so into yellow now, so I chose a bright yellow sweater, paired it with a nude leather jacket to give it a tough touch. The two-tone bag is so cute. I think this is so my style."
(citation from blog of Meijia.S 03-19-2012)
- Educators
"The 11s" is a group of style bloggers who work as fashion magazine columnists. Currently live in the biggest fashion centers and frequently invited by fashion weeks and brands’ parties, they seldom show their own face on the blog -- they prefer to keep a distance. They think today's young Chinese are better educated and more worldly than ever, that’s why they believe that their role is to build a bridge between fashion and the public audience.
"I don't want to see myself as a fashion insider or fashion talent; instead, I would be happier if people consider me as spectator. I think fashion is just one little part of our lives, I love fashion, but as a blogger I will put myself totally in the opposite side so that I can show you what does it really mean." (FreshBoy, a member of the 11s, blogger of FreshBoy's Park)
- Trend trackers
They are sensitive to what happen around them, from street-style snaps to beauty advice, sneak previews of new collections or new boutiques opening around the neighborhood. Like the peafowls, they have their own senses in fashion area and they prefer to play "smart eyes" of the fashionable lifestyle so as to benefit their followers.
"I’m more likely to talk about a cool new collection or to say ‘This is where you can buy X’, rather than tell people ‘This is what you should buy and this is how I dress’. I don’t see myself as a typical fashion blogger, more a useful resource." (SandyChu, blogger of Shanghai Style)
III. Why people love to read them?
Compared to the traditional fashion magazines that have their own charms being professional and exquisite, fashion blogs are otherwise more simple and relaxing, more reader-friendly and right to the point.
In brief, fashion blogs are considered as free, efficient, useful and credible sources for the consumers.
IV. Best practices for the brands?
As Chinese fashion bloggers hold an important credibility value, their influence for the Chinese consumers to purchase luxury goods is growing, luxury brands should make good use of this new fashion muse so as to optimize the brand awareness.
Here are three little advices:
1. Know who to pitch, how they are like.
Make a list of the Chinese Fashion bloggers who seem interesting. Just like traditional media, bloggers are interested in providing content that their audience cares about. To successfully pitch them, you need to know their names, understand their style, their audience and their needs.
2. A win-win mode
Be respectful of their time and of the value they provide you. Try to go beyond engagement and become inspiring. Look for ways to bring value to them too.
3. Don’t forget about the microblogging
Blogs and social media are never apart, customize you pitch, make them stay interactive with the brand to achieve sustainability, pay good attention for the follow-ups and keep records, they would appreciate that too because they might be as busy as you are.
The Top 5 blogs worth to read for marketers, if you are interested in Chinese fashion news, point of views or local street shots and you happen to have a Chinese translator beside you:).
1. PopBee
This is the most international fashion blog written in Chinese. She is one of the first and the most popular ones, selected as the Top 100 Fashion Bloggers in the world 2011 (source: hk.pclady.com).
2. the 11s
Yes, there are 11 of them, but I really can’t just pick out one or two since they are all very good, so why not do some reading?
3. FashionDes
A credible source that provides up-to-date fashion information with interesting local interpretation.
4. Street Chic
The best blog of fashion street shots in China, if you want to know how do the Chinese fashionistas dress like, click!
5. 时尚研究院 (Fashion Research Center)
http://spacebandit.blog.163.com
A serious but interesting blog about the social phenomenon related to fashion, sharing his observation and analysis on how fashion influence people’s daily lives.
