Top Fashion Influencers: How To Become One & Get Paid In 2022

You may have noticed that the past few years have been great for fashion influencers. The advent of social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok has allowed them to become more popular than ever.

People love following their favorite fashion influencers on a daily basis as they show off the latest clothing and makeup trends. In fact, these influencers are making so much money on different social media platforms, especially Instagram, that it’s worth wondering how to become one of the top Instagram fashion influencers and make a living off this too!

In this article, We’ve compiled a list of top Instagram fashion influencers with tips on getting started. So be sure to read all the way through!

What Is A Fashion Influencer?

A fashion influencer is someone who has a large group of followers on social media. They often have either a personal blog or Instagram account, but they can also be models or celebrities. 

The main thing about influencers is their ability to influence their audience to purchase products. 

How To Become A Fashion Influencer?

It is possible to become a fashion influencer and get paid! But first things first – before we jump into how exactly you can make this happen, let’s talk about the first steps you need to take.

To become a top fashion influencer, you need to create an online presence that will attract the attention of the people who will follow you. Follow these steps to get started:

#1. Pick A Social Media Platform To Start

When you know your industry and the audience you’re trying to reach, it becomes easier to decide which social media channels will help you best. 

Fashion-related businesses have found great success on several social media channels, including Pinterest and Instagram. The reason is that fashion is about creating great visual experiences for users.

The chart below shows the top social media platforms influencers use. Instagram is currently the most popular among them, and it’s becoming increasingly trendy to be an influencer on this photo- and video-sharing app.

Since Instagram is the most popular social media platform among fashion influencers, we will discuss how to become a top fashion influencer on Instagram and get paid in the following sections.

#2. Expand Your Audience

To become a fashion influencer, you must start by getting your audience. But don’t be discouraged if you don’t have millions of followers. Here are some tips for growing your followers:

2.1- Choose A Niche

Once you’ve figured out the kind of social media you want to use, it’s time to hone in on a specific niche. This will help you focus your efforts and connect with potential clients easier. 

Are you passionate about lingerie? Do great photos of shoes make your heart skip a beat? It could be anything—but the more specific, the better.

Here are the most popular fashion niches you can choose from:

2.2- Optimize Your Business Account

Want to make the most of your Instagram account? Then, it’s time to optimize your Instagram fashion accounts! Your business account gives you access to Instagram insights, demographic information about your followers, and other marketing tools.

2.3- Pick The Best Name For Your Instagram Account

You must choose a username that people will remember and easily associate with your business or personal brand. 

You can also consider including a word related to fashion in your username. This will make it clear that you create fashion content. In that case, other users will be more likely to follow you.

Here are some catchy Instagram usernames for fashion influencers you might find inspiring:

• Dream in Fabric 
• Trendy Threads
• Spotlight on Style 
• Vintage Corner
• Catwalk Juniors Clothing
• dress.me 
• Sleek Style
• Porcelain Apparel 
• Fashion Science 
• Budget Beauty
• Lovely Lady Fashion
• Brave Dress Place
• Expensive Sportswear
• Neat Wear Co 
• ConsistentFashion 
• Sleepwear Place
• Glorious Garment
• Wardrobe Spot
• GlobalTrends 
• Unravel Apparel 
• LightClothing 
• Friendly Fashionless
• Slashing Fashion

2.4- Make Your Profile Picture Perfect

When people arrive at your Instagram account, they see your Instagram profile picture first. It’s an opportunity to showcase yourself and build trust with potential followers. Show them a shot of yourself to build credibility as a top fashion influencer.

2.5- Make Your Instagram Feed Consistent

When using a platform like Instagram, you need to consider your Instagram aesthetic. 

Make sure the theme you choose for your Instagram feed design matches the branding of your business and is visually appealing so followers can easily recognize you.

If you want your photos to appear harmonious, apply the same effects or Instagram filters on all of them.

2.6- Make Use Of Story Highlights

If you want to save your Instagram Stories for longer than 24 hours, you can use the “Highlights” feature on Instagram. Highlights are different from Stories in that they’re saved forever on your profile.

You can also add fashion-related images to your Instagram Highlights, using fashion icons and choosing a font and color scheme that matches your Instagram’s aesthetic.

There are some fashion icons on the Etsy website. You can also create your covers with Canva or Visme.

2.7- Make Your Bio Engaging

In your Instagram bio, you can include details about yourself that you don’t include in your photos. You might want to write a sentence or two about your interests, what inspires you, or why you use Instagram. 

This is a great place to share contact information with potential brands who may want to connect with you as well.

In your Instagram bio, you can include a link to your blog or shop (as many links as you want) using a link in the bio tool since Instagram does not allow you to include more than one link without it.

#3. Collaborate with brands

In the world of influencers; brand partnerships can be a great way for influencers to elevate their online presence and create a more compelling portfolio. Working with brands can also give influencers greater visibility, more financial opportunities, and even open up new creative possibilities.

Suppose you want to be one of the top IG fashion influencers and take your influencer to the next level by collaborating with niche-related brands. In this case, you need a quality influencer marketplace.

Ainfluencer is an influencer marketplace that helps brands and influencers connect and collaborate to execute influencer marketing campaigns easily and fast.

Influencers can explore thousands of brands’ campaigns, see the campaign details, make offers to the brands, and use the built-in chatbox to negotiate their terms, all on Ainfluencer’s app.

Give Ainfluencer a try

#4. Interact With Other Top Fashion Influencers On Instagram

It’s a good idea to follow other accounts in the same niche. Choose three to six accounts similar to yours but preferably slightly bigger than yours. Follow these accounts and interact with their content regularly.

You can get to know them and make friends by following them, liking their photos, leaving comments, and asking questions. Most fashion influencers are happy to answer any questions you have about their work or the industry in general.

On the other hand, linking your account to larger ones might make it easier for people who follow those accounts to follow you as well.

#5. Never Buy Followers

A big part of being one of the top Instagram fashion influencers is posting engaging content that will capture people’s attention. People tend to follow those they feel they can relate to and add value to their lives.

So instead of paying for tools that artificially inflate your number of followers, spend more time creating content that will attract real people to your page.

However, suppose you are busy handling different aspects of your fashion business and can’t spend enough time engaging with your followers and growing your account.

In that case, you can get help from an authentic Instagram growth service. 

#6. Build Targeted Audience With A Growth Service

Fashion influencers, fashion stylers, and fashion bloggers can benefit from an Instagram growth service in several ways. They can all use such services to create a successful Instagram fashion account and increase their followers and their accounts’ growth.

Many services claiming to increase your Instagram following will harm your account and hinder your organic Instagram growth.

Instagram growth hacks are quick and simple to use- but the best growth hack is a safe, organic service that won’t get your account banned.

AiGrow is the perfect Instagram growth service for businesses and influencers alike. They provide a high-quality, organic, and safe Instagram growth service. All at an affordable price so you can easily scale your Instagram marketing.

Watch this video for a quick overview of AiGrow’s growth service interface:

AiGrow has a team of experts ready to help you attract targeted audiences on Instagram. You can sign up and schedule an appointment with your account manager to start growing your audience today.

#7. Create Compelling Content 

Knowing what kind of information and content will pique the interest of your followers helps ensure success later on down the road; once those initial followers become raving fans who would give anything just so they could see more pictures from their favorite influencer every day!

The following tips can help you with your Instagram content creation strategy:

Top Instagram content creation tips and strategies

#1. Make The Most Of Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories is one of the best features on Instagram to help you connect with your followers. The feature allows you to share photos and videos that will disappear after 24 hours, giving you a way to send out daily updates in an organic way.

Here are some ideas:

1.1- Share Your Style

Show off some of the things that inspire your personal style by posting what’s in your closet or on your bookshelf, or show off some of the pieces you plan to wear for a special occasion.

1.2- Show What’s Going On In Your Life

Whether it’s where you’re traveling or what new food item caught your eye that day, sharing these details about yourself will give people insight into who YOU are.

It increases engagement by giving your followers something interesting and relevant enough for them to care about (and comment on).

1.3- Interact With Followers 

Engage with your followers by asking them what they like about certain outfits or pieces of clothing, etc. Answering these questions will allow other users to feel like they’re contributing something valuable.

Instagram poll stickers are an effective and fun way to interact with your audience! We recommend using them.

1.4- Add Shoppable Stickers To Your Stories

Even if you have less than 10,000 followers on Instagram, you can now lead viewers to your product shopping pages using shopping stickers in your Stories!

1.5- Post Outfit Ideas 

Some of your followers may follow you for fashion inspiration. Posting outfit ideas can be an effective way to do just that! Sharing inspiring looks and tips and tricks of the trade can help attract more interest to your account. As a fashion influencer, it is important to stay connected with what’s trending while also keeping things fresh and unique.

1.6- Share Behind-The-Scenes 

Share photos and videos from photoshoots or events you attend.

Note: AiGrow Postmate service allows you to create, design, and schedule all the posts on your Instagram account without being constrained by time or resources. All you have to do is sign up, and an Instagram manager will take care of everything for you!

#8. Well-Written Captions Are Important

A good Instagram caption should be fun, engaging, and easy to read. If you have a lot of followers, consider making it funny or personal so that people feel like they know you better as a person.

Be consistent with the tone of your captions. It’s best if you try to stick with one or two ways of writing; this way, it won’t confuse followers who are used to seeing certain types of posts from you in their feeds.

#9 Use Hashtags To Reach More People

Instagram hashtags allow people who share similar interests to find each other, so it’s important to choose hashtags that are specific enough for your audience but broad enough so that others will see them as well.

#10. Be Consistent With Your Posts

Followers look at the frequency of your posts as a sign of how much you care about your brand, and they’re more likely to trust you if they see that you’re posting consistently.

If there are too many gaps between posts – even if everything else is great – then there will be less of a chance that people will come back later on down the line. 

Consistency is key in any business venture, whether that means posting 2-3 times per week or 1-2 times per month; just ensure consistency within those parameters to avoid confusing potential followers.

Tip: AiGrow’s Instagram scheduler lets you schedule posts and stories in advance. You can create a content calendar for your business with its numerous features.

How Do Fashion Influencers Make Money?

There are different possible ways for top fashion Instagram influencers to make money on the platform. 

One of the easiest ways is working with brands. 

#1 Collaborate With Lifestyle Brands

If you’re looking to make money on Instagram by collaborating with brands, it’s important to ensure that the brand isn’t too out of sync with your personal style. 

Ideally, you should collaborate with companies whose products are aligned with your social media posts. 

For example: if I started dressing like a Disney princess 24/7, my followers who were used to seeing me in athleisure would stop following me because they wouldn’t recognize me anymore!

Here are some ways you can earn money from such partnerships:

• A brand will pay you to advertise its product with your personal recommendation and link to where the user can buy it from. This means you have earned yourself some commission from selling their product.

The more followers an influencer has, the more opportunities there are for sponsorships!

Note: Influencers can now tag brand products and make sales directly from their own accounts. Instagram’s latest feature, checkout, allows shoppers to make purchases without leaving the app!

• It is also common for fashion influencers to be offered the chance to show off their outfit or share photos of themselves at an event or destination.

People might book tickets or accommodations if they like what they see, so you’ve made quite a bit of money!

• Affiliate links are another way an influencer can earn money online – these usually involve inserting links into their profile captions (using a link in bio tool), which direct people to another site where they can purchase items.

#2. Sell Your Own Products & Services

Some fashion influencers sell their Lightroom presets and Instagram filters to help others edit their photos. Some use Etsy to sell pitching templates. 

A few fashion influencers have written books or guides to help people figure out how to achieve their dreams. (like Patricia Bright, the author of Use your passion. Build your brand. Achieve your dreams). You can also have your own line of clothing or accessory!

What Brands Work With Fashion Influencers?

If you are looking to become a fashion influencer, here are some fashion brands looking for influencers:

1- Fashion Nova

If you’re an Instagram user, you’ve probably seen Fashion Nova influencers’ posts in your feed. The company has built a reputation for using influencers to market its clothing on social media. 

It’s common to see someone posing in a Fashion Nova outfit as you browse through your explore page; this is how fashion nova shot to fame using the influencer strategy.

Fashion Nova has partnered with over 5,000 high-profile celebrities and top Instagram influencers, including Kylie Jenner, Cardi B, Khloé Kardashian, and Kourtney Kardashian (fashion nova brand ambassadors celebrity influencers).

If you are wondering how to become a fashion nova partner, just visit their website and complete the application form. They will get in touch if they feel you would be a good fit for their brand.

2- Zaful 

You can partner with Zaful by wearing their clothes. Zaful offers a wide range of stylish clothes that you’ll love.

“We are looking for some fashionistas to rock their top ZAFUL style across social media. If you are a social media influencer and love ZAFUL, join us!”

3- Know Fashion Style 

If you run a blog or have more than 10,000 followers on Instagram or TikTok, check out their blogger program where you can get free clothes.

“Want To Get Freebies Monthly? Requirements: Female fashion influencers who can rock their top style with KnowFashionStyle. Instagram/Youtube/Tiktok followers over 10,000”

4- Lulus 

Sign up as an affiliate for Lulus, and earn commission on sales made from their website. Plus, as a member of their affiliate program, you might be eligible to receive free clothing from time to time!

“Share your love of fashion and earn a commission at the same time! Join the Lulus affiliate network of fashion-forward bloggers and influencers. We would love to work with you!”

5- Newchic 

You can apply to the blogger program by signing up on the company website. To qualify, you must be a blogger with 1,000 blog-loving followers or 5,000 followers on one of your social media accounts.

“Do you want clothing absolutely for FREE? Then please be free to send us an email about yourself. You could get free clothing that is worth US$30 to US$300 every month to review and write about. All you need to do is sign up for NEWCHIC Blogger Program. Let’s start fashion discovery together, most importantly, FREE CLOTHES!”

Tips On How To Become A Fashion Influencer On Instagram

#1. Stay True to Your Style & Taste

When it comes to being one of the top Instagram fashion influencers, being consistent with your style is key. You want to stand out from the crowd and show off your personal style in a way that makes sense for you and reflects who you are as a person.

#2. You Need A Good Camera & Someone To Assist

A high-quality camera can be expensive, but it’s not the only thing you need to get started. Having a great camera can help you take better photos, but it’s not everything—you also need to know how to use your equipment and have some basic editing skills.

#3. Get On Top Of Trends

You need to have the ability to recognize which trends are popular and which ones are not in order to be among the top IG fashion influencers.

#4. Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously

Don’t let your ego get in the way of being yourself!

As long as what comes across is honest content that shows off who you are (without feeling fake), people will warm up to you quickly enough. If anything, being yourself will help humans connect with what makes them feel comfortable—and nothing does that quite like honesty itself does! 

Top Fashion Influencers On Instagram

Now it’s time to get to know some of the biggest fashion influencers. The following are some of the top fashion influencers you can follow on Instagram and be inspired by their work:

Zoella Zeebo (@zoesugg)

She is a highly prolific fashion and beauty blogger. Her blog, which she launched in 2009, covers various topics related to style and beauty.

Since then, she has built a huge social media following by regularly posting to Instagram and YouTube.

In her channels, Zoella features fashion and beauty tips, along with hauls of her favorite products.

Chiara Ferragni(@chiaraferragni)

Chiara- one of the best fashion Instagram Influencers- is an Italian fashion blogger and designer with a huge Instagram following. She was profiled in Teen Vogue in 2011, which increased interest in her work.

She has made the covers of three different issues of Vogue, and she worked with Christian Dior, Chanel, Max Mara, Louis Vuitton, and Tommy Hilfiger.

GianlucaVacchi(@gianlucavacchi)

If you’re looking for male fashion influencers to follow, make Gianluca your benchmark. He’s an Italian-born businessman with a net worth estimated at $450 million and married to a model.

According to his website, he lives an “independently wealthy” life, which we can only imagine is fun and glamorous!

He frequently posts on Instagram, sharing his style, tattoos, body, and dance moves. He keeps company with celebrities like Mark Anthony and Zac Efron.

Lauren Conrad (@laurenconrad)

Lauren Conrad, an American woman, and former reality star, first gained fame in the ABC TV series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County. 

She moved to Los Angeles and began working in the fashion industry after her stint on the show.

Lauren appeared regularly on magazine covers, including the May 2012 issue of Glamour, which was the bestseller for the magazine that year.

Mariano Di Vaio (@marianodivaio)

Mariano Di Vaio is one of the top male fashion influencers; in addition to working for numerous brands, he has also appeared on the covers of magazines and run his own blog.

He has a blog, which is hugely popular and has a large following on Instagram and Facebook. 

In addition to being looked to for advice on male fashion, he has been dubbed a “Street Style icon.”

Black Fashion Influencers

Among Instagram’s most successful and famous black fashion influencers are:

Precious Lee (@preciousleexoxo)

Curvy model Precious Lee is one of the top black fashion influencers. She is a trailblazing model passionate about race-equity issues and has a multi-dimensional fashion sense.

The model has starred in campaigns for Tommy Hilfiger and Versace, as well as appearing in editorials for Christian Siriano and Area magazine. 

On her Instagram feed, you can expect to see both her modeling shots and images of her day-to-day life.

Arone Cross(@arone_crosss)

He has over 60 thousand followers on Instagram, and his fan base is growing daily. 

You’ve probably seen his posts on fashion pages.

In addition to modeling, model Arone Cross is a professional image consultant in Paris with a business named after himself.

King Levi (@sr.king_dapper)

He’s not only among Instagram black male models but a creative director and activist as well.

Levi also founded Fancy Fashion Week in Mozambique.

He believes his success in the fashion world is due to his good taste, passion for learning, and desire to always innovate his look.

Levi has won several awards for his style and fashion influence, including the Odartey Style and Fashion Awards in Ghana.

Chrissy Rutherford (@chrissyford)

Chrissy Rutherford is an experienced fashion and social media expert with more than 12 years of experience in the industry.

She co-founded her current business venture, 2BG, in June 2020 with another editor named Danielle Prescod.

They advise on how to combat racism and implement anti-racist communication strategies to fashion and beauty brands and influencers.

Plus Size Influencers

The fashion industry is slowly starting to see that many of their customers aren’t built like size 0 models. Plus size fashion Influencers with a following have been helping this happen by increasing awareness of the problem. Here are some of the most famous plus size Instagram influencers:

Alexandra Stewart (@sassyconfetti)

Chicago-based blogger Alexandra Stewart, also known as Sassy Confetti, shares her love of fashion and food with her 26,000 Instagram followers.

Alex is one of the hosts of the Swipe Fat Podcast, which details her dating experiences as a plus-size woman. Her interesting content includes outfits that look like ice cream sundaes.

Sierra Holmes (@eclectickurves)

Sierra Holmes is a plus-size fashion influencer and lifestyle blogger who calls herself the Joy Creator.

 She has more than 24,000 Instagram followers and posts about fashion, beauty, and life.

Stefani Nicole (@hellostefaninicole)

Stefani Nicole has more than 53,000 followers on Instagram. 

Her account inspires many people to embrace their bodies, regardless of shape or size. She also runs a blog where she talks about fashion and body positivity.

Fashion Bloggers Over 40

Deborah Boland (@fabulousafter40)

Fabulous after 40 is devoted to helping women over 40, look and feel fabulous. 

Deborah Boland, the fashion expert and image consultant, dispenses advice on topics like dresses for 40-something women, what to wear with leggings, and clothes for women over 40.

Catherine Summers (@notlamb)

If you are looking for fashion bloggers over 50, Catherine Summers is one of the best fashion influencers in this field. 

She is a British over 50 fashion blogger who is opposed to the term ‘age appropriate’ and encourages women to be fabulous at any age.

Asian Fashion Influencers

Chriselle Lim (@chrisellelim)

Influencer and podcaster Chriselle Lim is an Asian American fashion blogger who has become a mainstay in the fashion world both on and offline.

Irene Kim (@ireneisgood)

Irene Kim has both Korean and American heritage. She currently collaborates with big-name brands like Chanel and Calvin Klein while also building her own line of products.

Aimee Song(@aimeesong)

Song originally worked as an interior designer before becoming one of the biggest Asian American fashion influencers. 

Her style combines Eastern motifs with Western modernity.

Conclusion

So what do you think? Are you ready to be among the most successful fashion influencers? 

We hope so! And we hope that you’ve learned something from this long post. If nothing else, we want it to be clear that there are lots of different ways to make money as an influencer—and there are even ways for people who aren’t especially stylish or well-dressed themselves. 

You don’t have to be a supermodel or have thousands of followers on Instagram; just work hard at building your own unique brand, put yourself out there in whatever way feels right for your audience, and don’t forget that fashion trends come and go. But fashion influencers? They’re here to stay!

Start your Instagram growth journey here.

FAQs on Fashion Influencers

1. How Much Do Fashion Influencers Make?

Fashion influencer rates can range from as little as $50 per post to six figures a year. This depends on your following and the industry you’re in, but more importantly, it depends on how much value you bring to your audience.

Depending on factors such as follower count, engagement rate, and type of product being promoted. A sponsored blog post can range anywhere from $50-$500.

2. How Much Does Fashion Nova Pay Influencers?

Fashion nova pays influencers based on the number of followers they have and the number of views their content receives. However, Influencers are not compensated for weekends or holidays. 

Fashion Nova typically pays its fashion influencers up to  $8,000 for seven Instagram posts in their feed and four swipe-up stories. The payment for multiple accounts, however, ranges from $500 to $2,000.

3. How Influencers Made Fashion Nova Unstoppable?

Fashion Nova has created authentic relationships with fans by partnering with fashion influencers. The brand began working with major influencers, such as Blac Chyna, Christina Milian, Kylie Jenner, and Kris Jenner. These partnerships have spiked sales for the brand and made Fashion Nova extremely successful.

However,  Fashion Nova owes much of its success to the brand’s legion of Nova Babes – women who love the brand’s affordable clothing and show it off.

The brand has worked with a wide range of influencers, from micro-influencers to high-profile celebrity fashion influencers, to spread its reach across the internet and engage customers on a deeper level.

4. How to Find Fashion Influencers?

The best way to find fashion influencers is to work with an agency specializing in influencer marketing. Agencies will have a database of people who make it their business to create content, and they’ll be able to connect you with the best fit for your brand.

If you’re unsure where to start, there are plenty of ways to find Instagram models on your own. Here are some tips:

• Search for hashtags related to fashion or beauty—like “fashion,” “style,” “modeling,” and so on—and then go through the top posts in each category until you find someone whose work speaks to you.
• Look through photos tagged as #model (or similar) on Instagram or other social media platforms like Twitter or Snapchat. You may also want to try searching using keywords like “model” plus any relevant adjective (such as “curvy”).

5. Why Brands Should Consider Partnering with a Fashion Influencer?

Fashion influencers can help your brand in a variety of ways. They have huge followings, which means they’re good at building relationships with their followers and creating authentic conversations that drive conversion.

On top of that, collaborations between fashion influencers and brands tend to bring in more traffic than other types of sponsored content (like ads). And when fashion bloggers collaborate with brands on Instagram stories or YouTube videos, the results are even better: according to data from Buzzoole, 41% of viewers take action after seeing such posts!

“Spotting something on Insta is the modern equivalent of a great recommendation from a friend,” Laura Antonia Jordan

6. How do Fashion Brands Use Influencers?

Brands pay fashion influencers to promote a product through sponsored content or posts on Instagram. 

For example, if you’re an influencer with 100k followers on Instagram and I’m a brand like Fabulive looking to get exposure for my new line of shoes, I might pay you $300 per post to feature my shoes with images of yourself wearing them and tagging me.