The Top 5 Fashion Authorities to Follow for Industry Insight

Do you know who to follow in fashion? That’s the question, isn’t it? The world is full of people claiming to be fashion authorities whether you look on Instagram or in the news, but there are significantly fewer who can actually live up to that calling. As trends change and fashion greats rise and fall, it can be tough to know who to keep your eye on when you want to stay ahead of the curve. We’ve done some deep dives into the world of online fashion to find five top fashion influencers who are absolutely killing it lately. Here they are, along with their background and what’s put them in our good graces.

Zendaya

Are you familiar with Zendaya? If the name is new to you, then you must have skipped seeing The Greatest Showman (an unfortunate mistake, in our opinion) or Spider-Man: Homecoming. She stunned in both as a beautiful trapeze artist in the former and a snarky genius in the latter. But this rising star didn’t just burst on the scene – she’s been gaining fashion credits since she was a literal kid.

As a young girl, Zendaya got her start as a children’s clothing model and backup dancer, later getting her big break in TV at a young age. You can say she’s been raised on fashion and you wouldn’t be wrong. . When we use the term “triple threat,” her picture would very neatly appear under the definition of the term.

At only 22 years old, she makes regular red carpet appearances and absolutely stuns every single time. Since her very early public appearances, she’s played with her sense of style by making bold and experimental fashion choices.  As she matured, her looks became more experimental with bolder patterns, big statement pieces, and unique shoes.

These days, she’s gone full-on designer stunner with gorgeous gowns fit for everything from the red carpet to the Met Gala. She’s unafraid to go big and bold without ever losing her edge of femininity and class. Even her hair makes a statement, and she’s been in the news for wearing dreadlocks to the Academy Awards in 2015. The choice sparked criticism and a resulting conversation about culture and how we view the hair of women of color, a conversation in which she came out strong and clear.

There’s simply no denying that she offers some of the best looks on the red carpet these days, and she’s definitely a fashion authority to watch.

Known For: Unique combinations and brilliant colors. Her fearless ability to mix styles and experiment with bold choices that make her stand out.

Demna Gvasalia

When it comes to the top fashion trendsetters, we’d be simply remiss if we failed to mention Demna Gvasalia, who is possibly the single hottest name in fashion design right now. This remarkable 37-year-old man hails from Georgia (the Eurasian country near Russia, not the American state) is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. He cut his teeth leading the design teams at Margiela and Louis Vuitton in 2013, which is certainly no small feat.

These days, he operates as the creative director of Balenciaga and the head designer at Vetements, the latter of which is a company he founded himself along with other up-and-coming fashion designers. Both of these names should ring plenty of bells, Balenciaga in particular. The Spanish company has existed since 1919 and is well-known for its unique takes on high fashion, especially in its feminine-yet-modern suit looks for women. Vetements, on the other hand, showcases Gvasalia’s own vision, which is more down-to-earth “street fashion.”

In an interview not long after his appointment to Balenciaga, Gvasalia is quoted as saying, “I don’t think elegance is relevant.” He remains very firm in his choice to focus on “the fashion of the street,” which is a style that is more feasible and attainable by the average person, rather than the luxurious fantasy of Parisian runways. These are clothes that feel effortlessly cool and easy to wear in the day-to-day, with an emphasis on hoodies, stylish jackets, and pants you can actually wear on your day off. The rise of this luxurious style of streetwear is causing ripples all over the fashion world, and Gvasalia is one of the fashion influencers right in the center.

Known For: Unpretentious dedication to styles that feel like something people on the streets of his home would wear. Street fashion and relaxed style while maintaining a definite sense of cool.

Emily Weiss

You likely know Emily Weiss best as the founder and CEO of Glossier cosmetics and beauty company and one of Fortune’s 40 Under 40. Before she was conquering the beauty world, however, she started as a beauty blogger. Her blog, Into The Gloss, focuses on skincare and makeup, but she’s an absolute stunner when it comes to fashion, too. She’s described as the “Estee Lauder of the Millennial Generation” for good reason -- she embodies a sense of luxury and fashion, creating cosmetics that have been described as “skincare for people who are already pretty.”

Aside from her makeup, skincare, and fragrance lines, she loves to embody luxury. You can spot her in Saks Potts jackets on her Instagram, a red lace Valentino dress to the grand opening of a pop-up shop for her newest fragrance, and is often photographed casually lounging around her luxurious home in stunning green dresses and strappy heels -- you know, like you do. Her life is the epitome of “extra,” as they say, but she wears it well. She’s the queen of maximizing her natural beauty and highlighting it even further with fresh, understated makeup looks that play up her natural good skin and beautiful clothing that showcases her hair, coloring, and image. When you want to put your best foot forward without looking like you’re trying too hard, Weiss has it down to a science.

For a more casual style, she embraces the down-to-earth look embodied by her beauty line and often opts for simple sweaters, denim, and understated jewelry. This is a woman who works hard and knows how to look effortlessly flawless doing it, whether she’s wearing designer dresses or a pair of jeans with boots.

Known For: Being a “natural” beauty whose natural look takes a lot of work, but is absolutely worth it. She balances designer fashion looks with casual comfort better than just about anyone you know.

Virgil Abloh

Speaking of streetwear and Louis Vuitton, Virgil Abloh should absolutely be on your radar. He has very recently taken up the mantle as the head of Louis Vuitton’s menswear division, notable not only because he’s the first man from the rural Midwestern United States to take up the position, but also the first black man to release a menswear line in the company’s history. That’s pretty huge.

It’s not all about making history, of course. It’s also about fashion. Abloh’s passion for clothing that edges on industrial and “street” is largely rooted in his background in engineering and architecture. He has direct ties to Kanye West, a king of street fashion in his own right, and the rise of streetwear thanks to Balenciaga and Vetements (led by the aforementioned Demna Gvasalia) gave him the in he needed to know he could make it in high fashion.

He has his fingers on the pulse of youth culture, paying close mind to people who are out on the street living in the clothes they wear. He takes it a step further into the art world, making statements along the lines of, “The obligation isn’t to buy Off-White, it’s to just look at it. It’s just to be conscious of the concept. That’s what I’m doing, making a concept around streetwear, which feels very modern to me.”

Known For: Being in tune with the younger generations and creating clothing that speaks to them, then elevating it into an art form. If comfort is your goal, he’s one of the authorities out there making it fashion.

Chiara Ferragni

Fashion bloggers can come and go, but someone like Italian beauty Chiara Ferragni really sticks around in people’s minds. Her blog, The Blonde Salad, was originally founded in 2009 when she was only 22 years old. She rapidly came into her own, earning the attention of New York Magazine as one of their breakout street-style stars. In the years since, her popularity has skyrocketed thanks to her impeccable fashion sense and connections with brands like Guess, Tod’s, and Pantene. She’s modeled, walked the red carpet, and appeared at several Fashion Weeks. These days, she’s in high demand for Instagram shout-outs and offers her own fashion lines.

Her style tends toward casual-but-put-together street style, where she errs toward black, denim, and neutral tones with some ventures into more daring territory. She tends to favor comfortable dresses, oversized shirts and sweaters, and form-fitting denim, whether in a skirt or jeans. She’s unafraid of taking risks and made waves by wearing a sheer dress to a Dior show in Paris, and she’s married to Italian rapper Fedez, with whom she’s unafraid to experiment where style’s concerned. They welcomed their first child earlier this year and she hasn’t stopped for a moment, still rocking enviable fashion everywhere she goes.

Known For: Eclectic and casual-chic street style with a daring edge. If you’re a put-together professional who enjoys letting your hair down on the weekends, you’ll find a lot to mine here.

As you can see, we found ourselves some top fashion authorities that would make anyone proud. Each of these selections balances upcoming fashion trends with variety, whether it’s casualwear or sophistication galore. Who are your top fashion authorities right now? Which fashion trends are you loving?