Evolving Influence - Independent Fashion Bloggers

This season at New York Fashion Week one of the most exciting events didn't even take place on the runway at the tents. Yesterday I attended the Independent Fashion Bloggers conference, Evolving Influence. IFB, started by the lovely and talented Jennine of The Coveted, cultivates a community for fashion bloggers to share their experiences and create a resource so everyone can build a better blog. And they're not kidding when they make this statement. They post helpful articles, host a community linking group, forums and their newest feature, LittleBirdie, a platform to connect bloggers and PR.

If you were to think about a "fashion blogger" it would definitely not be me. I think in blogging there really is no such thing as a "traditional blogger" - we're constantly evolving and changing the playing field, creating content and a dialogue in whatever area it is that we're blogging about. I love fashion and fashion is art. I blog mostly about art and photography so of course fashion occassionally makes an appearance on here.

While the Evolving Influence panels were geared toward fashion blogs, the panelists at the talks that I attended were making points that were relevant to blogging in general. At the first panel, a really interesting discussion started about the meltdown of the traditional system of content presentation (ie. paper magazines and newspapers, etc.) and the mass evolution of a community of unique voices on the internet expressing ideas - according to the panelists, the power has in a sense shifted to individual people out there on the world wide web.

A few of the points that I found helpful at both of the panels that I attended (the first and the second) were the panelists tips about building brands, sharing RSS feeds, search engine optimization, becoming a resource in your blogging area, creating a niche in your area, creating relationships with other bloggers, having something to say, engaging with your audience, and this idea of becoming "Glocal" - all important points in order to maximize your exposure as a blogger.

Did you go? What did you think? Was there anything that you found particularly helpful or interesting?

Oh, and by the way, the crazy talented and always inspiring
Wendy Brandes blogged about it here. You should check it out since Wendy always has her finger firmly on the pulse of all things fabulous and she moderated the third panel...she definitely has the inside scoop on the conference.

Here are some photos that I took during the event...not many since I mostly spent time talking to people and then had to run out after the second panel.













Deanne of Dream Sequins was interviewing a bunch of people and I was more than happy to oblige...I'm a bit self-concious of having my photo taken by other people (I always prefer to be behind the lens) but I love these because you can catch a glimpse of my bump! :) And doesn't everyone else look simply fabulous?! I think definitely!









I was so happy to meet the Bon Bone Rose Girls - Kristin and Megan and see one of my favorite people
Midtown Girl (love!) with the Bon Bon Rose Girls being interviewed right behind her!



I was happy to meet so many other fabulous bloggers and feel sorry that I wasn't able to take a photo with all of them.

Here is a copy of the day's schedule.

Evolving Influence
Date: February 15, 2010
Time: Conference 10:00am-6:00pm
Couturious Cocktail Pary 6:30pm-8:30pm
Place: Helen Mills Theater, 137-139 West 26th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues), New York City

In 2009, fashion bloggers came under the media spotlight. Our readership has grown and our influence has expanded to the point where high-profile brands increasingly seek us out. We’ve expanded the possibilities of online conversation well beyond anyone’s imagination. So what next? How do we handle success? IFB — with the help of American Express, G-Star RAW and ModCloth — is proud to present EVOLVING INFLUENCE, a conference for fashion bloggers to discuss where we go from here.

Here is the entire schedule of the day...

Fashion Blog Marketing Workshop
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Learn how the pros promote their sites. The experts will guide you through various strategies to build your readership including:

• Branding
• Community building
• Search engine optimization and link building
• Networking

Corinne Leigh -Threadbanger | Erika Miller –
Elle.com | Pamela Castillo- Market Publique | Nichelle Pace – StyleMom | Melody Biringer – The CRAVE Company. With Influential Blog Presentation from YM Ousley Signature9.
Moderated by Jordana Bruner

The Business of Blogging
1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

People say, “Do what you love.” Do you love blogging so much that you’re ready to go from hobby to career? In this panel — brought to you by Style Coalition — you’ll get expert advice on the business of blogging from those who’ve made careers in the blogosphere, as well as those who work with bloggers on a daily basis. They’ll cover:


• The future of blog monetization
• Working with companies
• Ads, product endorsements and sponsored posts
• Federal Trade Commission guidelines and their effects on the blogosphere

Gala Darling-iCiNG | Lauren Dimet Waters – Second City Style | Dina Fierro – Eye4Style, Attention! | Aubree Nichols-Urban Signals | Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond- BlueFly.com
Moderated by Yuli Ziv

Navigating Blog Ethics
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Is blogging really the “Wild West?” You hear stories of freebies, corporate seeding, unethical bloggers… you’re trying to be good, but what does this all mean? Get the scoop on ethics, lessons learned and how bloggers cope in the ever-changing media landscape.

• Creating original content
• Maintaining editorial integrity in an increasingly corporate space.
• Should journalism’s code of ethics apply to blogging?
• Fact finding, sourcing and crediting
• The ethics behind the Federal Trade Commission ruling… is it necessary?

Imran Amed - Business of Fashion | Diane Pernet – A Shaded View on Fashion | Jessica Schroeder – What I Wore | Gina Garrubbo, EVP – Blogher | Mary Scherpe - Stil in Berlin | Clark Hoyt - Public Editor, New York Times
Moderated by Wendy Brandes

The Future of Fashion Blogging
5 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Getting past the hype … Many of today’s great fashion bloggers started out with a passion and an obsessive nature. Now, some are them are seated front row and featured in the press. Do the news stories give a distorted view of “overnight” success? What happens tomorrow? Discussion topics include:

• How has blogging changed our lives?
• The blogging hype … is it good for our community? for our blogs?
• Professional vs. personal blogger
• Staying inspired in the long run

Susie Bubble - Style Bubble/Dazed Digital | Tavi Gevinson –
Style Rookie |
Bryanboy | Phil Oh – Street Peeper | Britt Aboutaleb & Lauren Sherman – Fashionista.com
Moderated by Jennine Tamm Jacob

Today's Soundtrack:
Phoenix - Lasso