Perez Hilton became a celebrity in his own right after starting his famed gossip blog in 2004, which now gets several million hits each day. But it was only when he started his fashion blog, Coco Perez, and that he could be seen in the front row at international runway shows.
''Bloggers are very influential in the fashion world these days, whereas a few years ago they weren't invited to fashion shows, now they're not only there but they also have great seats!'' he tells S.
Bloggers are a relatively new phenomenon in the crowded arena of fashion journalism and they are quickly becoming go-to sources for information. Founder of the London-based style blog 5 Inch And Up, Sandra Hagelstam, says fashion blogs are an evolution of the industry: ''Blogs are not necessarily replacing the content of a magazine but it is in a way stealing the readers, as many look for quick updates, everyday - instead of waiting for a weekly or even monthly magazine. Plus the fact that a blog can be read by anyone, immediately gives it a worldwide audience.
''I hope magazines are still to be kept separate, they are work of professionals and have a trustworthy audience, while a blog is often only one person's interpretation.''
Audiences also appreciate the human voice that can be found in a blog because personal opinion can sometimes be lost in mainstream media.
Hagelstam thinks blogs have become vital to the industry by broadening the fashion dialogue: ''I think it is the freedom of speech and the fact that anyone can give it a shot; it [is] the modern way of communicating by giving people a voice that otherwise might not [get] the chance to he heard.''
The founder of BryanBoy blog, Bryan Grey-Yambao started his blog seven years ago and now has 100,000 unique visitors each day. ''Blogs and magazines are both really important, I don't think one is more important, it's just a different point of view,'' he says. ''Magazines are informative and tell you what is available but there is no interaction with the reader … with a blogger they can relate and interact, which is a great advantage.'' http://www.hardenexpress.com.au/news/lifestyle/style/fashion/live-from-the-catwalk/2243181.aspx
