When done well, influencer marketing is still an effective way for brands to get closer to audiences. And today, authenticity is more important than ever. That’s why sponsored content and ads must fit with an influencer’s personal brand in order to be well-received.
Instagram is one of the best social media outlets for brands to discover top fashion and beauty influencers. But landing on the right one to represent your brand can be a difficult task. Lucky for you, we have done some of the heavy-lifting to share our top 11 fashion influencers to keep your eye on.
The best influencers offer followers a refreshing blend of hope and reality. For this list, we looked for Instagram fashion influencers who inspire us with their style and personability.
1. @foreveryoursbetty
Sheri’s, aka Betty’s, signature color and style empowers her followers to discover and rediscover what brings them joy. Her sponsored ads are wide-ranging, bright, and fun (of course @TropicanaJuicesUK partnered with her), and she has really embraced Instagram Reels to showcase her creativity.
She also does not shy away from the tough stuff, raising awareness of important topics like mental health, period poverty in the UK, and fashion sustainability. Her #ThisOldThingChallenge encourages followers to fall in love with their existing wardrobes, spreading the word of how awesome it is to shop vintage and secondhand.
And let’s be honest, her cutie frenchies are pet influencers in their own right. Here for it.
2. @tess.daly
UK fashion and beauty influencer Tess Daly is one to watch. Partnering with well-known brands like @benefitcosmeticsuk and @boohoo, Tess serves up glam makeup and outfits to her 218k followers. Her posts, stories, and video tutorials are infused with humor and wit.
Recently featured in a BBC article highlighting disabled influencers, Tess has a message and spirit that is loud and clear. In one post, she said: “Fall in love with yourself a little bit more each day. Embrace EVERYTHING you are.” A partner for @snagtights #SexyIsNotaSize campaign, Tess encouraged people to embrace their sexuality no matter what size or shape they are.
More than just an Instagram influencer, Tess has almost a million likes on TikTok too.
3. @afuarida
Fashion influencer Afua Rida’s colorful and vibrant Instagram is a feast for the eyes. Glamorous dresses, artful staging and home decor, and her gorgeous smile inspire her 127k followers. Beyond being an Instagram-style influencer, she also maintains a loyal following on her blog.
Her style story marries the personal with the relatable. In the About section of her blog, she shared: “I adapted elements of my mother’s confident style, my North American and global experiences and Ghanaian cultural influence, to create my own process, which I would like to share with you.”
4. @declanchan
Proclaimed “globe-trotting pro-fashion-al” Declan Chan is a stylist, art director, and creative consultant. The angles and close-up focus of luxury fashion pieces in his photos celebrate color, cut, texture, and print. Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Chanel lovers alike can delight in and be inspired by his modern styling and layering.
If 2020 put you in a style rut, male fashion influencers like Declan are fresh inspiration for your next campaign. His daily feed posts will always be a welcome addition to his followers’ feeds.
5. @roseybeeme
Rosey Blair is a fashion Instagram influencer, style icon, and sleuth of all things on sale. She uses a consistent mix of posts and stories to share fashion inspiration and recommendations with her followers, who often ask her advice on size-inclusive brands.
Her “Sunday Steals” stories are a weekly curation of the best plus-size fashion deals across the internet, showcasing a variety of styles, fits, and cuts. Need a swimsuit suggestion? She’s got it. A dress for a spring wedding? That too.
6. @kennyethanjones
Writer, advocate, and consultant Kenny Ethan Jones is known for his activism and sleek style. The first trans man to front a period campaign, Kenny encourages his followers and the LGBTQ+ community to show up in the world as themselves. And he looks good doing it.
Partnering with a wide range of brands from Revolundies and the Sunglass Hut to Firefox and PrimeVideo UK, Kenny shows us that fashion influencers bring more to the table than the clothes they style; the conversation is just as appealing.
7. @greceghanem
With more than half a million followers, top instagram influencer Grece Ghanem shows us that fashion is timeless. Switching between pops of color and calm naturals, her aesthetic is classy and chic and her captions short and sweet. With brand partnerships like Calvin Klein and Dior, Grece is a style influencer worth following.
Visit her story highlights for more than just fashion inspiration. She also shares her fitness routines, skincare and beauty favorites, and travel diaries.
8. @karenbritchick
When you think of trendy lux fashion, you think of Karen Blanchard. A British influencer in New York, she constantly reminds us of what makes the city’s style so iconic. She’s not only a top fashion instagram influencer. She’s also an entrepreneur and fashion YouTube influencer with more than 252k subscribers. Her video series “What Everyone is Wearing in New York” gives us a glimpse into what’s hot right now.
A luxury lover who can’t get enough inspo? Follow Karen for your daily dose of Hermès, Chanel, Dior, oh my!
9. @brightbazaar
Will Taylor is the perfect two-for-one influencer. He’s known for his bubbly, bright fashion and home decor that changes with the seasons! Located in NYC, Will is all about “design and style to make you smile”.
With the hashtag #MakeYouSmileStyle, he brings together a community of fashion lovers who want to share their passion. Brands looking to partner with this vibrant and joyful persona will also tap into this community. He closes every post with the hashtag.
10. @aylinnheredia
Ailynn Heredia is a Mexican fashion, beauty, and lifestyle influencer based in Vienna, Austria. She’s also an artist, cellist, and midsize queen. Her bold styling and bright hair light up any feed! A mix of full-body shots and close-up detail images make her profile varied and aesthetically interesting.
For brands that are all about celebrating the individual, she’s a standout choice. Also, as a micro-influencer, she’s just right for generating interest with her loyal and growing follower base.
11. @best.dressed
Ashley is one of the big influencers on the list. With 1.6M followers on Instagram and 3.75M subscribers on YouTube, she combines fashion and beauty content with relatable commentary that is truly a #mood.
With a crafty, do-it-yourself mindset, Ashley shows us how she modifies vintage clothes and home decor to make everything she owns truly original. In 2020, she moved from Los Angeles to New York City, bringing the best of both worlds to her corner of the internet.
The takeaway
Fashion influencers are both an escape and an inspiration for their followers. Finding the perfect fashion and beauty influencers that are right for you can be quite a task. When looking for influencers, it’s important to look for authentic content and genuine personalities. You also want to find content that resonates with your brand, or with your audience.
Putting all these requirements together can be tricky, and quite an undertaking without a little help. Luckily, we have an influencer marketing tool to help with that. Need more influencer inspiration? Check out the Top 21 Beauty Influencers Brands Need to Watch This Year.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on socialbakers.com. Any statistics or statements included in this article were current at the time of original publication.