This is a guide through my favourite fashion influencers on Instagram at the moment. If you expected to see reality TV stars who promote fast fashion at every opportunity, now's your chance to click off this article. Saving the planet should be everyone’s priority, and only sustainable influencers have a place in this article.
Sophie Seddon - @sophie.seddon (358k):
Sophie is a sustainable queen. Her grungy boho chic look really attracted me to her profile, as I am always looking for ways to incorporate that style into my wardrobe. I particularly like her 'one dress, six outfits' reels, as she shows you can rewear the same dress or piece many times and still style it up differently. You still get that new outfit buzz but without any excess waste and harm to the planet. She also has many pairs of funky patterned tights that I wish I was cool enough to wear.
Sarah Dunk - @sarahdunk (31k):
A small influencer on Instagram but popular on YouTube, Sarah is known for her amazing thrifty finds. You’ll find yourself binge watching her content and wishing to fly across the pond to visit every thrift store in sight. Most of her clothes are secondhand, which enables her style to be retro AF, without the production of more harmful polyester. She also upcycles clothes to make them trendy, giving them a new lease of life. Pieces that Sarah does not choose to keep for herself can be found on her Depop for a reasonable price, encouraging more people to shop second-hand. Now that’s what I call an influencer.
Coral Swindells - @coralswindells (18k) & Reagan Walker - @reganwalker_ (87k):
Both based in Manchester, these two are one of the coolest couples on Instagram. They can pull off any look from any era; whether it’s the groovy 60s through to the bitchin’ 90s, they appear to have walked out of a time machine. Their sustainability is something I admire, with many pieces coming from vintage shops. Coral’s style changes each season – in summer she was more of a sweet, girl-next-door character, with flowery midi dresses and tennis skirts. Now winter has arrived, her style has morphed into an edgy ‘old money’ look, with oversized sweater vests, leather jackets and Chelsea boots. Regan has more of an edgy, grunge look, mainly taking inspiration from the 80s and 90s. He can be found wearing vintage band tees, blazers, and super funky trousers. The first time I visited Manchester, I saw them both in Pop Boutique – a cool retro, vintage shop – and yes, they look even better in person.
Tanya - @taanyarr (383k):
Literally the trendiest person on the internet. Hands down my favourite influencer, hence why I saved the best until last. Tanya is a South Indian influencer based in the USA, and she is everything I look for when I follow someone on Instagram. She regularly posts about the damaging impacts of fast fashion, and was very vocal about it this Black Friday, when many influencers were pushing their brand deals and encouraging their followers to damage the planet. She is not a sell-out, and actually has morals – a rare trait in influencers these days. As an Indian woman myself, I do not see much racial representation on social media of people who look like me. Therefore, when I came across Tanya’s profile, I immediately clicked the follow button. She is a breath of a fresh air in an industry where individuals limit themselves to carbon copies of each other. Her style is risky and seductive, with an edge sharp enough to cut through this vanilla industry. She brings something new to the table with her own individual style, instead of one she has been paid to promote and will never wear again.
Edited by Maddy Burgess