The Fashion Influencer With Corina Gaffey
Corina has over 15 years’ experience and began working as a freelance stylist over a decade ago. She always wanted to work in fashion and kick started her career while working in retail. It wasn’t long before she was assisting photographers and stylists on shoots. She has built up an impressive portfolio over the years. She was fashion editor at both KISS magazine and Stellar magazine, doing all this while she was also freelance styling some of the country’s top celebrities.
Day to day:
A typical day in the life of a stylist can be very varied. Corina says her days are busy, and you could be doing anything from shooting/styling a celebrity to writing a column or attending fashion shows.
Influencer
Corina has over 30,000 followers on Instagram. When choosing brands she works with, she says it’s important that they match her ideals, are authentic and stay true to themselves.
Social Responsibility
Don’t oversell your product or service. Be mindful of supply chains and consumption, sustainability is key. Shop local and try choosing Irish design when and if you can. Look at the shopping brands that look after their staff.
The Covid Effect
Dublin has lots of vacant spaces, but good retail will come back. Many businesses developed great digital strategies over lockdown which has enabled them to remain successful. A direct-to-consumer approach was implemented by Irish businesses such Nicki Hoyne. A lot of brands also decided to scale back and go with a made to order model, companies like The Suss Edit have done this very well.
Trends in Fashion and Style
Lots of colour and special pieces that spark joy is what we can expect to see more of in 2022. People still want comfort and practicality from their clothes. Brand collaborations will continue, we have seen with the likes of Barbie X Balmain and The North Face X Gucci. Digital fashion and what we will wear in the Metaverse is developing fast, with luxury brands breaking into the market with virtual couture, accessories, and sneakers. The pandemic has accelerated this and now brands are starting to embrace it. Tik Tok is influencing many fashion trends.
Circular Economy
The second-hand clothing market will double in the next five years, reaching $77 billion. Corina believes that it will not replace traditional retail, but it will give it a good run for its money. The rise of Depop, Etsy and other consumer to consumer fashion redistribution platforms and apps, show the draw of the circular economy.
Check out the full IG Live here and watch out for future Influencer Toolkit episodes this year when we will meet other lifestyle influencers to discuss their tips and trends.
