Despite various contributors shaping the meaning of fashion, scholars often reference a pervasive fashion imaginary in the Western industry characterized by a collective stock of images, values, practices, and rules (Mora, Rocamora, and Volonté 2016). This social imaginary, as defined by Taylor (2004), underpins common practices and a shared sense of legitimacy. Within fashion's domain, digital media significantly contribute to this social imaginary's evolution, particularly through the activities of bloggers, Instagrammers, and social media influencers (Rocamora 2011, 2012, 2018; Pedroni 2015, 2016), who emerge as new cultural intermediaries (Bourdieu 1984). They are not only defining and legitimating cultural tastes and trends but also garnering interest from legacy media outlets, further propagating the fashion imaginary. This essay critically analyzes two documentaries emblematic of the rise of fashion influencers, produced in the late 2010s and distributed by major international video streaming platforms: "Unposted" (2019) by Chiara Ferragni, directed by Elisa Amoruso and available on Amazon Prime Video, and "Follow Me" (2017) by Asri Bendacha, included in Netflix's catalogue. It offers a comparative analysis focusing on the protagonists' differing statuses—Ferragni as a central figure in the fashion and influencer marketing industry and Bendacha as a filmmaker not typically associated with fashion. It also examines their distinct objectives: Ferragni's self-consecration as a fashion icon and Bendacha’s semi-ironic take on the commodification of digital personas. Embedded in broader research on fashion influencers (Colucci and Pedroni 2021; Pedroni 2022), the analysis will underscore emerging issues from these documentaries: the commercialization of self and audience, monetization of everyday practices on social media, digital entrepreneurship, democratization of fashion access, and commodification of authenticity. These themes attest to the significant influence of digital personalities in shaping the evolution of the contemporary fashion imaginary. The conclusion discusses the legitimation of the digital turn in the fashion industry as evidenced by both documentaries, notwithstanding their diverse intentions.
Documenting fashion in the era of Instagram: a critical reading of Asri Bendacha’s Follow Me and Chiara Ferragni’s Unposted
Marco Pedroni
2023
Abstract
Despite various contributors shaping the meaning of fashion, scholars often reference a pervasive fashion imaginary in the Western industry characterized by a collective stock of images, values, practices, and rules (Mora, Rocamora, and Volonté 2016). This social imaginary, as defined by Taylor (2004), underpins common practices and a shared sense of legitimacy. Within fashion's domain, digital media significantly contribute to this social imaginary's evolution, particularly through the activities of bloggers, Instagrammers, and social media influencers (Rocamora 2011, 2012, 2018; Pedroni 2015, 2016), who emerge as new cultural intermediaries (Bourdieu 1984). They are not only defining and legitimating cultural tastes and trends but also garnering interest from legacy media outlets, further propagating the fashion imaginary. This essay critically analyzes two documentaries emblematic of the rise of fashion influencers, produced in the late 2010s and distributed by major international video streaming platforms: "Unposted" (2019) by Chiara Ferragni, directed by Elisa Amoruso and available on Amazon Prime Video, and "Follow Me" (2017) by Asri Bendacha, included in Netflix's catalogue. It offers a comparative analysis focusing on the protagonists' differing statuses—Ferragni as a central figure in the fashion and influencer marketing industry and Bendacha as a filmmaker not typically associated with fashion. It also examines their distinct objectives: Ferragni's self-consecration as a fashion icon and Bendacha’s semi-ironic take on the commodification of digital personas. Embedded in broader research on fashion influencers (Colucci and Pedroni 2021; Pedroni 2022), the analysis will underscore emerging issues from these documentaries: the commercialization of self and audience, monetization of everyday practices on social media, digital entrepreneurship, democratization of fashion access, and commodification of authenticity. These themes attest to the significant influence of digital personalities in shaping the evolution of the contemporary fashion imaginary. The conclusion discusses the legitimation of the digital turn in the fashion industry as evidenced by both documentaries, notwithstanding their diverse intentions.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
