OPINION: Do TikTok stars belong at fashion week?

London Fashion Week is known for showcasing some of the most ground-breaking ideas, making it a perfect time to question your wardrobe. This time around we’re questioning how TikTok creatives have managed to bag some of the most coveted seats of the week.

Worldwide boredom struck and lockdowns came into place – this is where TikTok came in. Creatives turned to the social media app, filming themselves from their bedrooms. Since then, with creativity at its core, the app has influenced everything from dances to the next fashion trends.

TikTok announced earlier this year that they will be working with the British Fashion Council (BFC) as the principal partner for NEWGEN. NEWGEN is known for supporting future fashion excellence and aims to build high-end fashion brands of the future.

TikTok creators in attendance this year included Abby Roberts (@abbyroberts) and Wisdom Kaye, better known as Fashion Boy (@fashionboy). Abby’s success on the app started with her innovative makeup looks, and Fashion Boy is known for his reviews which include a bitesize of fashion history.

But why are they there?

To put it bluntly, style speaks for itself. They use the platform to showcase different looks and make fashion more accessible for everyday people.

Although many in the fashion industry see this as unorthodox, I’m convinced this is the way forward for fashion – it'll allow Gen Z to feel more involved with and represented at fashion week, just by recognising someone sitting upfront.

Major brands, such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton, have jumped at the opportunity to work with social media influencers in the past, knowing their followers are interested in what their favourite influencers are doing and wearing.

But maybe these working relationships no longer look like polished, glossy Instagram pictures with a filter. Instead, they consist of short videos with cool transitions, dramatic movements and lip-syncing to a Harry Styles song (if we’re lucky).

The success of this new type of influencer is undisputable, with them entering other industries like music and TV. Although some people will always separate the social media stars from the likes of Victoria Beckham and her extended family, in with the new doesn’t always mean out with the old.

Let’s leave the ‘she can’t sit with us’ attitude at home next London Fashion Week, because TikTok’s fashion community are here to stay and we’re here for it.

Edited by Maddy Burgess