They found their calling blogging about their sense of fashion and lifestyle – and they’ve gone on to become some of the biggest influencers in the fashion market in South India today. RITZ features some of South India’s most popular fashion and lifestyle bloggers and finds out what exactly makes each one of them tick.
Blogger, Hyderabad
Blog: http://stylemearia.com/
Social media followers: 4000+
Do you feel South Indian bloggers are sidelined by top national designers and big-ticket international labels? And why is that?
I feel South Indian designers are only now making a mark for themselves on the national front. So it’s a matter of time before bloggers follow suit. And personally I want to see myself as a global citizen/professional/blogger.
What do you feel bloggers from Mumbai or Delhi possess as advantages over their South Indian counterparts?
Since there are more designers, events and hence media coverage in Mumbai and Delhi, bloggers in these cities have more work and hence more visibility. I am confident that the playing field will get more even over the next few years.
How lucrative is blogging even as a part time hobby?
Let me be very honest. It is not very easy to make blogging a lucrative business. Probably it is only the top 2 % of bloggers who can make a living out of it.
What are your future plans?
I want to grow from strength to strength in my blogging endeavours. I have just set up my studio from where I will run my fashion consultancy, styling and grooming business. I would like to be able to reach out to all classes of people, be it for day-to-day styling or fashion shoots and wedding styling.
Miroslava Duma has made a career out of her social media presence as the fashion blogger par excellence. Do you see some such figure emerging from India?
Indians are smart and have made a mark in every conceivable field, be it art, or science, business or politics. Fashion cannot be far behind! India will definitely have many Miroslava Dumas.
How strongly are you influenced by Bollywood trends?
Even though Bollywood is very much a part and parcel of most Indians’ lives, I am not one who follows Bollywood trends. Who knows maybe one day Bollywood will follow my trends!
How do you understand what your readers/followers prefer or want?
I very seriously analyse the feedback that I get from my readers and this helps me execute my ideas better.
How do you keep yourself abreast of fashion trends, beauty trends etc.?
Thanks to the internet and social media, it has become easier to get varied inputs. I am an avid traveler and a keen and astute observer; I find that this has also helped me in the work I do.
Who are your favourite bloggers and what sites do you visit for on-trend info?
To name a few – Thegirlfromfuss, Bombaybubble, StyleScrapbook, Theblondesalad, Fashion&I by Aien Jamir; and for on trends information I follow a lot of magazines, online as well as print. I make sure I stay up to date with international fashion weeks.
In an age that encourages the most unconventional career choices, do you see blogging emerging as a viable career option?
Yes I certainly see it as a viable option. It is a great advertising tool especially in today’s digital age!
Who are your favourite brands?
My style is very eclectic and my choices range from high street to high end. I have always been inspired by Alexander Mcqueen and Elie Saab, on the international front. Among Indian designers, I love Anamika Khanna, Dhruv Kapoor, Gaurav Gupta, and Manish Arora to name a few.
What names are you most often seen wearing?
Plantation House, I love my pair of Forever21 ripped denims, TopShop, Zara, Global Desi, Ritu Kumar and Archana Rao to name a few.
