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AN excited scream fell on the crowd at Massimo Dutti’s Seef Mall location after the much-anticipated arrival of Kuwaiti fashion bloggers Hassan Al Mousawi, Yalda Golsharifi and Ascia Akf.
The team arrived (fashionably late) to the recent launch of the outlet’s ‘Must-have Collection’. Upon purchase customers were granted a personal style consultation by the visiting famed fashionistas and attracted a mob of young devotees.
What started as a regular collection launch turned into a fan-frenzy as it became hard to move around.
The surprising part of this event was the amount of attention given to the bloggers who appear to have reached celebrity status. Local bloggers like Sara Abdul Ghaffar, AKA The Modest Belle, Tulin Meric AKA Trestouline, Ashwathy Shyamkumar AKA Askthestylecouncil, Shabana Feroze, AKA thesilverkickdiaries and Ali Albana, AKA thesartoriali, all were in attendance too and had photographers snapping images of them instantly for uploading on their sites.
However, the propitious sign of true blogger success is when you have young shoppers fidgeting with their phones, whispering to each other in excitement and staring wide-eyed waiting for your arrival. And, this is exactly what happened while they waited patiently for the famed Kuwaiti bloggers to turn up.
In the world of social media, bloggers are ‘THE’ new brand ambassadors. They have reached an all-time high of popularity that parallels the pulling power of movie and TV personalities. However, not just anyone can achieve that status. You need to have that ‘it factor’ in order to attract the followers that then attract the brands and consequent big earnings. What sets these social media stars apart from the rest is their unique delivery, the way they educate visitors, inspire, encourage and motivate.
Patience and the ability to keep it about your own style and not about what others have blogged is essential. You need to be iconic first for other people to follow you. My tips are simple; be prepared to work and not just write a few lines. Network with other bloggers and find someone more awesome than you and mentor their skill. Find out what they have done right.
During the event, the honoured visitors from Kuwait were styled in Massimo Dutti’s ‘Must Haves’ and briefed the crowd about their experience with the spring/summer 2015 collection. Throughout the store, customised tags were placed on the season’s most trending items that were hand-picked by these stylists.
Hassan Al Mosawi said: “I am so happy to have been given the chance to launch the new collection. Massimo Dutti is one my favourite brands.”
Yalda Golsharifi also expressed her appreciation of the brand: “All I can say is a big thank you to Bahrain for having us. It is my first time in the country and it definitely will not be the last.”
The Kuwaiti fashion blogger Ascia Akf, who was there to support Hassan and Yalda during the launch, added: “What an amazing turnout and experience. Thank you Bahrain!”
FashionWeekly’s pick of the collection: 100 per cent silk jumper priced at BD49 that was paired with strappy sandals for a luxurious casual look.
