FASHION and Tribe: How Influence Is Built Today

By: Karl Manrique

Recently, in the middle of a conversation, the question arose: why in fashion do some people achieve so much acceptance and positioning even when their vision does not bring real value or depth to the industry? This question, without a doubt, strongly referred to content creators and media that assume a superficial communication line. To this question I replied that this happened because these people were part of a group that supports them in every comment, piece of content, or project they publish. And how do these groups work? By validating, sharing, and commenting on every post, eventually positioning each one of their members as a relevant figure.

This conversation about the positioning of “Temu experts” in fashion, who have become popular thanks to the support of an established group, made me question this dynamic and what it takes to be accepted into one of these sides. From here arises the question: What possibilities are there to grow in this industry for those of us who do not have the validation and support of these groups? And how do you build one of these with genuine people who align with your vision? Where do you find these people?

The Mexican fashion industry is complicated, and sometimes it still feels as if you were in middle school or high school, where if you don’t belong to a certain established group, it is harder for you to be integrated and accepted, because no one gives themselves the opportunity to listen to you or get to know you deeply, and they hesitate when it comes to giving you a like or follow.

This group dynamic can be harmful and toxic for the industry in the long run, because in the end it works like a mafia where they exclude you simply for not knowing you, for not reflecting what fashion is supposed to be, or even for baseless gossip, and the environment becomes hostile even in the midst of a fake good-vibes attitude. This, without a doubt, is not exclusive to Mexican fashion, but is part of the dynamic in the fashion industry worldwide.

Without a doubt, this is a very harmful practice that can only be eradicated with the interest and judgment of consumers. For this reason, I invite you not to be carried away by appearances, but by content that truly contributes something more to this industry and gives voice to what is really happening, and not to validate accounts simply because someone else promotes them, without questioning who you are giving visibility to.

In the various groups that converge in this industry we can find several personalities: the wokes, who follow all trending social causes and call out those who do not join them; the negative extremists, who focus on seeing everything wrong with fashion (toxic, but very necessary); the old school, who refuse to abandon old ideas (they stagnate the industry, but are essential to establish an experienced base); and the superficial ones, whose mission is to reinforce the superfluous and bland idea in which fashion is held (they function as a diluted echo of what exists in global fashion), and some others.

Personally, I (and my media) do not place myself within any of these, although perhaps I could find myself in some disbanded group of fashion outsiders if such a group existed, just like in my school years. But it is thanks to this that this can be an honest and comfortable space, although slow-growing, where I can define myself and show myself more raw and openly, writing and sharing from my experience about what I think and enjoy. Fortunately, I have managed, thanks to my articles, to connect and build a small but constantly growing community.

Without a doubt, each one of these groups forms an important part of the Mexican fashion melting pot, and it has always been this way, and each one of them is very necessary to see all the nuances of the industry. Some are more critical, others more cultured, and others with zero theoretical or intellectual merit, but all very necessary in their role.

And well, this is why I like to talk and converse about fashion with people who truly know it, because it is from here that these questions arise. And in fashion, which group do you belong to and which one do you validate with a like?