Live from the catwalk - The Canberra Times

Perez Hilton became a celebrity in his own right after starting his famed gossip blog in 2004, which now gets several million hits each day. But it was only when he started his fashion blog, Coco Perez, and that he could be seen in the front row at international runway shows.

''Bloggers are very influential in the fashion world these days, whereas a few years ago they weren't invited to fashion shows, now they're not only there but they also have great seats!'' he tells S.

Bloggers are a relatively new phenomenon in the crowded arena of fashion journalism and they are quickly becoming go-to sources for information. Founder of the London-based style blog 5 Inch And Up, Sandra Hagelstam, says fashion blogs are an evolution of the industry: ''Blogs are not necessarily replacing the content of a magazine but it is in a way stealing the readers, as many look for quick updates, everyday - instead of waiting for a weekly or even monthly magazine. Plus the fact that a blog can be read by anyone, immediately gives it a worldwide audience.

''I hope magazines are still to be kept separate, they are work of professionals and have a trustworthy audience, while a blog is often only one person's interpretation.''

Audiences also appreciate the human voice that can be found in a blog because personal opinion can sometimes be lost in mainstream media.

Hagelstam thinks blogs have become vital to the industry by broadening the fashion dialogue: ''I think it is the freedom of speech and the fact that anyone can give it a shot; it [is] the modern way of communicating by giving people a voice that otherwise might not [get] the chance to he heard.''

The founder of BryanBoy blog, Bryan Grey-Yambao started his blog seven years ago and now has 100,000 unique visitors each day. ''Blogs and magazines are both really important, I don't think one is more important, it's just a different point of view,'' he says. ''Magazines are informative and tell you what is available but there is no interaction with the reader with a blogger they can relate and interact, which is a great advantage.''

With bloggers now having such big audiences it's imperative for any designer to have them on their side, which is why you will see the likes of 13- year-old Tavi Gevinson (Style Rookie) and Bryan Grey-Yambao now sitting next to editor-in-chief of American Vogue Anna Wintour.

Although there's no doubt that, for now at least, Wintour still has the best seat in the house.

Our top 10 fashion blogs 1. bryanboy.com

Filipino Bryan Grey-Yambao started this as a travel journal but with his eye for fashion it quickly became a hit. He is one of the nine hottest internet celebrities, according to the New York Post, and even has a Marc Jacobs bag named in his honour. 2. 5inchandup.blogspot.com

Sandra Hagelstam began this in London as an online visual diary about the clothes she would wear and the shoes she loved. 3. cocoperez.com

The internet's most notorious gossip columnist, Perez Hilton, gives you the scoop on celebrity fashion. 4. thestylerookie.com

Even members of Tavi Gevinson's family didn't realise the impact her blog was having until she asked for their permission to appear in a New York Times Magazine story. And she is only 13. 5. thesartorialist.blogspot.com

Scott Schuman launched the Sartorialist in 2005 and is known for his beautiful shots of street fashion. The 41-year-old New Yorker has been named one of Time magazine's biggest design influences. 6. stylebubble.typepad.com

Susie Bubble caused quite a stir when she attended Australian Fashion Week earlier this year. Arguably Britain's biggest style blogger, the 27-year-old has a great eye for young designers on the verge of success. 7. jakandjil.com

Tommy Ton's photo blog documents the most fashionable and beautiful attendees of various fashion weeks around the world, so it was a real coup when he also attended Australian Fashion Week. See page 14. 8. stylemeromy.com

Australian stylist Romy Frydman has 14 years' experience in the fashion industry and has styled the likes of Anne Hathaway, Naomi Watts and Miranda Kerr. Now, she is the stylist to Sarah Murdoch, and also finds the time for her beautifully styled blog that provides a real insight into the world of fashion. 9. frontrowsuit.com

Liam McKessar works for Macquarie Bank but has the sharpest of eyes for men's fashion. He started his blog, delivering male-focused style, lifestyle and social news, because he felt men's fashion content online in Australia was lacking. 10. theyallhateus.com

Australians Tash Sefton and Elle Ferguson launched this to provide a daily montage of things they love and that inspire them. The format is straight-up photos of the bloggers' fun and stylish outfits, scans of fashion shoots and vintage magazines, and their relaxed style makes it a must-read.


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