{"id":171659,"date":"2026-10-07T10:02:02","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T14:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/?p=171659"},"modified":"2026-10-07T10:02:02","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T14:02:02","slug":"how-fashions-creatives-are-finding-independence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/how-fashions-creatives-are-finding-independence\/","title":{"rendered":"How Fashion’s Creatives Are Finding Independence"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fashion media is changing. For decades, editorial prestige lived inside gatekept systems governed by traditional media institutions like Cond\u00e9 Nast, Hearst, and Fairchild Media. But now, amid relentless budget cuts, layoff cycles, and a broader shift toward digital platforms, the industry\u2019s essential reads\u2014Vogue<\/em>, Harper\u2019s Bazaar<\/em>, and WWD<\/em> among them\u2014have seen an exodus of talent. Authority is no longer confined to a select few publications. Instead, influential voices are emerging in increasingly independent ways, with journalists, writers, content creators, and cultural critics taking up space on their own terms and directing their influence into newer ecosystems.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think a lot of creators and writers are finding themselves switching to their own independent platforms, more so out of necessity because currently the landscape is very bleak,\u201d says Shelcy Joseph, founder of the Substack newsletter Market Appointment<\/em>, which covers the collections and Joseph’s experiences as a creative during a moment when masthead positions are few and far between. \u201cThe jobs and salaries are not as high as people are expecting, especially for senior editors. Anything over $100k feels like something that\u2019s almost in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n

The readership numbers that once sustained print have dwindled, and legacy publishing has felt the effects. According to Statista, total print and digital magazine and newspaper readership is estimated to shrink to 1.1 billion by 2030. Pew Research Center reports that only 7% of U.S. adults rely on printed publications for their news, while 56% say they often get news from a smartphone, computer, or tablet. Vogue<\/em> is now printing eight issues a year in the U.S., down from 12; GQ U.S.<\/em> announced earlier this year that it would release six issues a year, while Teen Vogue<\/em> has moved to a digital-only model. Separately, Hearst has also begun altering its yearly print output: Harper\u2019s Bazaar<\/em> and Elle<\/em> now release 10 issues a year, while Cosmopolitan<\/em> releases eight thematic issues. Seventeen<\/em> has halted print issues altogether.<\/p>\n

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Shelcy Joseph of Market Appointment<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For many, this contraction has created a financial ceiling, leading to an exodus away from traditional media cities. Fashion and culture journalist Shelton Boyd-Griffith relocated to St. Louis from New York City after noticing \u201ca lot of Black journalists and writers being sequestered to freelance.\u201d By choosing to build their own independent platforms, he says, writers can \u201ceconomically reshift\u201d and become the truest version of themselves.<\/p>\n

The figures with pull have evolved beyond journalistic writing alone, moving instead toward multi-channel platforms that encompass long-form video, deep dives into cultural trends, newsletters, and even experiential events. Fashion critic and historian Rian Phin, for instance, has accumulated 115,000 YouTube subscribers by creating meaningful videos that showcase her expertise. Last September, Emilia Petrarca, former senior fashion writer at The Cut<\/em> and founder of the Substack newsletter Shop Rat<\/em>, which has 32,000 subscribers, hosted an event featuring panels at Printemps in partnership with Substack.<\/p>\n

“I think a lot of us are realizing: why do we want a seat at that table when we can just build our own table, [or] our own form of media? We\u2019re seeing a natural evolution of the fashion cycle.” – Shelton Boyd-Griffith<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That shift is also evident in the careers of Lauren Sherman and Amy Odell, journalists contributing to a new era of independent fashion writing. Sherman, a lauded fashion correspondent and newsletter writer for Puck\u2019s \u201cLine Sheet,\u201d has cultivated a supportive audience of subscription-based readers through the news she breaks daily. Odell, previously of Cosmopolitan<\/em> and BuzzFeed, writes \u201cBack Row,\u201d an independent fashion and culture newsletter with 69,000 followers.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Currently] there is the notion of ‘pull yourself up by your bootstraps’ coming to life in this newer ecosystem,\u201d says Joseph. \u201cYou\u2019re really just a paid subscription away from consistently paying your bills or maintaining a certain financial momentum,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

Joseph\u2019s career trajectory echoes the broader trend, moving from traditional editorial roles at publications like Popsugar and Essence toward independent publishing while maintaining a foothold in the wider media industry. In 2016, alongside her sister Christy, she began posting on Instagram @nycxclothes as an outlet to showcase the sisters\u2019 polished take on personal style. This was right on the precipice of editors waking up to the idea that they were influencers\u2014and an apt time for experimentation on social media. The sisters\u2019 bet on themselves paid off. Their Instagram account has since amassed more than 50,000 followers, built around thoughtfully crafted campaigns and events, in addition to Joseph\u2019s carefully written stories.<\/p>\n

By 2024, she had launched Market Appointment<\/em> as a way to continue building the audience she accumulated alongside her sister. Now, Joseph is focusing on content creation, writing for Market Appointment<\/em>, and serving as an Editorial Content Associate at Macy\u2019s. Over a phone call, she expresses that the newsletter offers her creative freedom.<\/p>\n

Joseph also notes that in her independent work, she is able to move away from corporate metrics of success like views and traffic goals. Her Substack is dedicated to writing about fashion at the intersection of race and identity. \u201cI have a loyal readership. Knowing that my story has an impact in the world, and having real-life conversations\u2014that to me is what\u2019s important.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three categories running rampant and seemingly doing well in traditional media, according to Joseph, include shoppable affiliate roundups, gossipy journalism, and celebrity-driven content. Outside of these parameters, she says, there is room for stories that feel innovative and informative. In February, she spoke with Haitian designer Pierre Laborde about his sold-out, viral handbags for her Substack. In the exclusive interview, Joseph felt he was forthcoming, reinforcing for her the value of publishing in-depth, niche stories.<\/p>\n

Knowing that my story has an impact in the world, and having real-life conversations\u2014that to me is what\u2019s important. – Shelcy Joseph<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Formerly a sports correspondent at The Business of Fashion<\/em>, Daniel Yaw-Miller now runs Sportsverse<\/em>, a paid newsletter he launched in 2025. On the platform, the editor and consultant offers breaking news on the intersection of the sports and fashion industries, showcasing his reporting on figures including creative director Grace Wales Bonner. In August, a scoop he reported in his newsletter revealed that On was slated to launch a soccer category. Days ago, Yaw-Miller confirmed the previous On report while also breaking the news that Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 had left Nike for a long-term deal with On after a 20-year partnership with Nike.<\/p>\n

Through Sportsverse<\/em>, he\u2019s able to dig further into the fashion and sports markets in a manner that points to the breadth of his investigative skill set and contacts. \u201cWith Sportsverse, I am able to go after every single story I want at a quicker pace, without having to wait for pitches to be approved or for input from editors,\u201d Yaw-Miller declares over email. \u201cThat freedom and agility has led to me getting several big scoops and breaking news that the whole industry speaks about,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

Julian Randall, writer, critic, and Tibi\u2019s newly appointed Editor-at-Large of its media platform and Substack The Creative Pragmatist<\/em>, views newsletters as accessible journalism. In-house publications at brands including SSENSE\u2019s eponymous editorial site and Net-A-Porter\u2019s PORTER<\/em> exist within their own universes\u2014and appear to be thriving. Running the gamut from high-minded extensions of luxury retailers to multimedia vehicles for major commercial brands, these publications require a constant stream of content. Existing outside of algorithms and over-filtered digital taste levels creates a lane where editorial teams can shape content they care about while showcasing ultra-personal essays, in-depth fashion tips, and compelling interviews with celebrity talent.<\/p>\n

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Julian Randall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Randall also believes it\u2019s possible to combine academic theory, brand strategy, and critical writing. To him, writing that is available to a writer\u2019s personal readership is a form of public scholarship. \u201cBeing able to take some of the theory, methods, and critical perspectives from my doctoral research and turn around and make that accessible to a mass audience was always the goal for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

He explains that readers and clients have come to Tibi having engaged with his independent journalism for publications like ESSENCE<\/em>, Family Style<\/em>, GQ<\/em>, and The Business of Fashion<\/em>. Randall says they also initially mention his self-published work\u2014a dynamic he believes points to the value of independent publishing. Randall holds a Ph.D. in Fashion and Clothing from Manchester Metropolitan University.<\/p>\n

Outside the confines of traditional media, editorial voices can bloom, according to Randall\u2019s vantage point. No brand voice or style takes precedence over a writer sharing their innermost thoughts and taste level, as he has done in his personal newsletter. \u201cThat\u2019s as generative for you as a writer as any formal [story],\u201d Randall says. Beyond autonomy, there is also a level of conviction that independent writing for Substack or personal newsletters allows for. The rigid systems and editorial standards within legacy institutions, he argues, do not determine what deserves to exist: \u201cJust because an editor didn\u2019t commission it doesn\u2019t mean it doesn\u2019t need to exist. It boils down to trusting your own instincts as a writer, not over-relying on established media to do that for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust because an editor didn\u2019t commission it doesn\u2019t mean it doesn\u2019t need to exist. It boils down to trusting your own instincts as a writer, not over-relying on established media to do that for you.\u201d \u2013 Julian Randall<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

With legacy media\u2019s institutional dominance waning, Boyd-Griffith, who previously served as fashion editor at ESSENCE<\/em> in addition to writing for Vogue<\/em> and Artforum<\/em>, says Black writers and content creators are able to break free from narrow institutional job titles. When one enters journalism, he explains, there is an expectation that they are contributing one skill set to the industry, which can feel limiting and push individuals away from their \u201cintrinsic resources\u201d and \u201ccreative outlets.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stepping away from gatekept establishments to reclaim and build independent infrastructures can be rewarding. Boyd-Griffith says he enjoys seeing creators, including Rian Phin and fashion researcher and digital archivist Kim Russell, creating their own opportunities rather than waiting for the industry to co-sign them. “I think a lot of us are realizing: why do we want a seat at that table when we can just build our own table, [or] our own form of media? We\u2019re seeing a natural evolution of the fashion cycle,” he notes, pointing to how writers are claiming agency over their own work.<\/p>\n

While this cyclical realignment toward creator-led media feels trendy, it might also be exactly what the media and journalism industry needed. Boyd-Griffith says we\u2019re living through the blog era again, particularly as people take ownership of their voices while recentering community.<\/p>\n

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Shelton Boyd-Griffith<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In this newer and ever-evolving landscape, traditional media hasn\u2019t died out. Instead, editorial cachet and clout have shifted into the hands of a distinct class of writers, journalists, and content creators. Gatekept systems have struggled to accommodate those with expansive methods of thinking and creating, and the monopoly that once existed can no longer keep out those who spent decades yearning for acceptance. During this transition, these individuals are expressing their deep dedication to the craft of fashion, as Joseph has written about countless times in Market Appointment<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Taste-making and sharp, independent critiques now have a life of their own because of the opinionated and fearless individuals who make up this new class of media\u2014and their followers are taking up space alongside them. As Boyd-Griffith puts it, people are taking ownership of their work to build something lasting on their own terms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For decades, editorial prestige lived inside gatekept systems governed by traditional media institutions but now new voices are emerging in refreshing and innovative ways. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":457,"featured_media":171720,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,15361],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171659"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/457"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=171659"}],"version-history":[{"count":37,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171659\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":171715,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171659\/revisions\/171715"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/171720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=171659"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=171659"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=171659"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}