The menswear sector is on the up and up and is projected to surpass womenswear in sales in the next two years. Experts say there are a few things to thank for the boom. Millennial men are spending more on clothing per year than men of other generations and the economy as a whole is on the uptick, making room for more “fast fashion” and allowing retailers to scale their offerings.
But perhaps the strongest bolsterer of the men’s fashion market is eCommerce. More people shop online than ever before — 99 percent of Americans, by some estimations — and a quarter of men say that they would buy their clothing directly from social media. This movement, of course, has given way to shoppable social media, which allows consumers to pick out their clothes while they’re browsing Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest.
Marketers quickly realized that male shoppers looked at social as a trustworthy place to browse and shop, which led to a fast rise in menswear influencers. These social marketing pros partner with well-known social media stars to promote their brands, and the results are fruitful. Thousands of menswear moguls, models, stylists, photographers and bloggers are on hand to help promote top brands. With the promising outlook for both menswear and influencer marketing, it’s clear that the two make a good match.
Why Influencer Marketing?
We know that this tactic works, but why is it so compelling? Influencer marketing relies on the social trust factor of social media and user-generated content to deliver recommendations that feel more authentic than typical ads. Influencer posts also serve as a sort of native advertisement — they look and feel much more at home than paid ads, so users are less likely to scroll past them without a second thought. They also draw from an influencer’s existing list of fans and followers, so there’s an element of trust and respect.
Even if you don’t intend to employ an influencer program anytime soon, it’s still a good idea to follow some of these fashion experts to help stay on top of the top menswear trends. Read on for a list of some of the best and most active menswear influencers on Instagram.
Menswear Influencers to Follow on Instagram
Adam Gallagher (@iamgalla)
With over 2 million followers, Adam Gallagher grew his social media presence out of his blog, I AM GALLA, which has been forecasting menswear trends and curating inspiration since 2010.
Nick Wooster (@nickwooster)
Arguably the king of older-guy streetwear, Nick Wooster cut his teeth helping Barneys, Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus develop their street style collections. He runs not only a very successful set of social media accounts but also a popular website dedicated to men’s fashion.
David Gandy (@davidgandy_official)
British model David Gandy, with just shy of a million followers, rose to fame after he won a modeling competition on British TV in 2001. Since then, he’s gone on to represent Dolce & Gabbana, Jaguar, W Hotels and other prestigious brands.
Jonathan Daniel Pryce (@garconjon)
London-based fashion photographer Jonathan Daniel Pryce has shot menswear spreads for Vogue, GQ and Esquire, but some of his best work is on his Instagram profile. His followers love that he approaches fashion with a high art eye.
Fabio Attanasio (@fabioattanasio)
Founder of The Bespoke Dudes fashion blog, Italian fashion fan Fabio Attanasio covers everything from the best men’s style to the art of tailoring. He also launched his own line of Italian-made eyewear in 2015 called The Bespoke Dudes Eyewear.
Making the Connection
If you run a growing fashion business, you might want to consider partnering with some of these influential Instagrammers to help promote your brand. We recommend doing a little bit of research on each potential influencer and creating a “shortlist” before committing to one.
One of the most important aspects of this kind of marketing is finding a partnership that serves your brand voice. Once you make the right connections, you can count on more visibility and boosted sales through influencers.
