News, The Business
Tumblr is Sending 20+ Bloggers to New York Fashion Week
By Lauren Sherman
What I Wore's Jessica Quirk
Tumblr, the image-heavy platform beloved by top fashion bloggers like Tavi Gevinson and Jessica Quirk (What I Wore), is focusing more of its energy on the fashion industry.
In fact, it’s sending more than 20 of its bloggers to New York Fashion Week. Participating Tumblrs include What I Wore; Peace, Love, Chanel; SaraZucker.com. About eight hail from New York, but the rest will be flown in for the nine-day event. They’ll receive complimentary flights, accommodation, and will be whisked off to lunches, dinners, and cocktails with a roster of to-be-confirmed brands and designers. And of course they’ll receive access to several New York Fashion Week shows, says Rich Tong, Tumblr’s newly-annointed fashion director. (Specific shows are also yet-to-be confirmed.) They’ll also be attending the the Independent Fashion Bloggers’ conference, the Bloglovin awards, and an end-of-week party. To make the bloggers’ coverage of events and shows even more visible, Tumblr will host a real-time feed of their content at Tumblr.com/nyfw, mixed in with content from other “media partners.”
Tumblr hired Tong–founder of user-generated street style site Weardrobe–in December. He launched Weardrobe in 2007 and sold it to Like.com in 2009. (Which in turn sold itself to Google in 2010.)
Why does Tumblr need a fashion director? And why do they need to send 20 bloggers–not five or six–to New York Fashion Week? According to Tong, it’s all about the demographic. Tumblr’s fashion bloggers aren’t just personal style bloggers–most are more driven by editorials, runway images, and product shots. “They’re inspiration-based blogs,” says Tong. “They’re not all taking photos of themselves.” And Tumblr fashion bloggers–who Tong says are re-blogged quite a bit–prove valuable to brands. (In case you’re not that familiar with Tumblr, re-blogging other people’s posts is a big part of the experience. And the more you’re reblogged, the more important you are on the Tumblr totem pole.)
“I’ve never seen a community with such an appetite for content,” says Tong. “They just love looking at photos. If you give them 100, they want 1,000.” For brands who want their products, editorials, and other marketing initiatives to go viral on the internet, Tumblr seems like a good platform. See you guys at Fashion Week.
Tags: Peace Love Chanel, Rich Tong, Sara Zucker, Tumblr, What I Wore
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Comments [148]
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wow was my comment about who I think deserves to go really taken down?
come on, there was nothing negative about that.
the point of commenting is to allow people to express their opinions on something, so taking down comments that don’t say anything rude just defeats the entire purpose.
am I not allowed to have an opinion on this site?
I agree that Tumblr is a great platform for brands to advertise their brand/products. It’s amazing how quickly one image can spread through Tumblr. Although a majority of the people who use Tumblr use it mainly for just sharing photos, there are some who actually BLOG. I don’t think people should knock those lucky 20 who are going to NYFW. Maybe it’s just more motivation to keep working on your craft. Congrats to the 20 & I’m looking forward to the coverage!
-Nicole
I think looking at a mix of the person’s Tumbler/Twitter/Blog shows some consistency, longevity and social media savvy. For great shoes and more I say:
http://princesspoochie.tumblr.com/
@ShoeDaydreams
http://www.shoedaydreams.com
I don’t see the point in sending bloggers who do not create content other than, ‘i love this’, to fashion week. I mean, it’s cool and all and nice that tumblr’s giving these people an opportunity, but what will the tumblr community gain?
Just created my own fashion Tumblr (today!) Congradulations to those who get to go to NY. I definetly wish I knew about this ealier. Hopefully this isn’t a one time offer, and continues to go through out Tumblr’s fashion blogs! Pick me next time! :)
Tumblr: http://ford-elite.tumblr.com/
I think I just passed out of jealousy too :)) but it’s a pretty great idea for the ones deserving it
visit wwww.iscariotteh.wordpress.com
and my accessories line http://www.iscariottehandmade.wordpress.com
http://www.jlovesjewels.tumblr.com,
Congratulations to those lucky twenty!!
I”m still relatively new to tumblr and looking for more followers.
http://www.jlovesjewels.tumblr.com
Wouldn’t it be far more constructive to both Tumblr and the fashion industry for Tumblr to send bloggers who comment on fashion, i.e. review shows/collections and write not only beauty or shopping tips but articles that address other fashion-related issues such as the relationship between fashion and sexism? As far as I can tell, the majority of the bloggers who have been chosen to attend NYFW are the owners of popular photoblogs and while they might love fashion, I think there would be a far greater benefit for Tumblr to send bloggers with more, and I say this at the risk of sounding incredibly bitchy, comprehensive posts or at least a mixture of the two… because right now it looks like they just went for the most popular.
Hopefully they’ll continue this next season so that some others get a chance to attend.
I just wish I could go to the Independent Fashion Blogger Conference..that’s a treat on it”s own.
that is the dream…guess I should start a Tumblr…[bossabou.blogspot.com]
These people will get the chance to actually experience living life off the internet! Praise the lord and Rich Tong, we’re potentially saving lives here!
Great. Maybe now they’ll finally take their own photos and won’t have to steal.
Whats the point in talking crap about this whole thing and the 20+ when you don’t even know who is all going? You have no idea all everyone knows about is the three listed up there. I have a feeling a lot of you just talk crap cause it’s not you going.
They totally should’ve sent that lovely girl that runs FuckYeahFashionWeek.tumblr.com (ahem, moi). <3 Oh well…
They totally should’ve sent that lovely girl that runs FuckYeahFashionWeek.tumblr.com (ahem, moi). <3 Oh well…
damn! i don’t have tumblr…i only have blogger. hey blogger, send me to fashion week! http://beatricecatchesfashion.blogspot.com/
Kudos to Tumblr for mixing it up and not only going with the top 5 elite.
Ryan
http://www.fashables.com
Wow! This is an amazing opportunity for all of the fashion bloggers! especially those bloggers who uses tumblr. I want to congratulate everyone who got chosen for the NYFW! good luck and make tumblr fashion community proud!
tumblr: grazingfashion.tumblr.com