Nepotism has always been rife in the fashion industry, but with the increasing influence of social media, it is now part of the framework of the industry. Whether Instagram, Snapchat or Twitter, the number of followers automatically affects a model’s selling power, which the fashion industry is built on. Large social media followings come naturally to established names in fashion, but these modes of communication have also given way to a whole new world of celebrity; the realm of the ‘Insta-famous’ has slowly taken over, largely among the relatives of those who hold notable positions of power in the industry. Being young, rich and beautiful instinctively attracts followers, but does this justify the success certain names are receiving and the extent to which they are being celebrated?

Earlier this year, Lottie Moss (Kate’s half-sister) appeared on the cover of Vogue Paris alongside Lucky Blue Smith, an established male model in his own right. This sparked controversy. Though bearing similar facial features to her supermodel sister, Lottie has been criticised as too commercial for the world of high fashion, where quirk and edge is key. Moss’ social media standing and her blood relation to others in the industry is the key reason for her success. Another example of this is Kaia Gerber, daughter of the iconic Cindy Crawford. At just 15 years old, Gerber has ‘taken the fashion world by storm’, appearing on the cover of Vogue Paris alongside her mother. However in this case, due to the striking similarity between mother and daughter, it appears Gerber’s success is slightly more warranted.

The biggest names in fashion right now are undoubtedly sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid. Daughters of former model and star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Yolanda Hadid, both sisters were shown dabbling in modelling alongside their mother on screen, garnering immense social media followings, Since, the sisters have undoubtedly become two of the most hyped names in the industry. Gigi has designed her own collection with Tommy Hilfiger and Bella is the face of Dior Beauty. These huge campaigns clearly show the value of social media following and family connections for fashion’s commercial reach. In just the past few months, Gigi Has covered American Vogue, and Bella covered the prestigious September issue of Vogue Paris alongside Taylor Hill.

I’m personally a fan of both sisters. Gigi, with her more athletic figure, has reintroduced something of the 1990s supermodel back into fashion, where, previously, we had experienced a flood of faces who looked like they needed a good meal. Bella’s striking personality contrasts the flat, anonymous ones that tend to frequent the pages of our magazines. Nonetheless, there are those who disagree. Many have questioned Gigi’s more commercial look, while Bella has been reprobated for print work which some have labelled as lacking dynamic.

Kendall Jenner is perhaps the most divisive example of a model that has risen to fame in fashion due to the influence of famous family members. One [k]og of the Kardashian machine, Jenner grew up in the spotlight (much like her pals, the Hadid sisters) on the E! reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians. After minor modelling stints with brands such as Sherri Hill and Forever 21, Jenner caused a huge stir when she suddenly appeared on the Marc Jacobs catwalk at New York Fashion Week in 2014. Since, the 20 year-old social media star has walked and starred in campaigns for Chanel, Givenchy, Fendi and Balmain, in addition to being the new face of Estée Lauder. Jenner has consistently been in the firing line of critics questioning her abilities. She was recently criticised for a ballet-themed editorial in Vogue España. A ballet-themed shoot, Jenner appears draped over a barre and recreating ballet poses in a casual way that some claim disrespect the highly skilled art form that real ballerinas struggle to perfect.

This is the problem with social media fashion stars. Why use a model clearly not trained in ballet when you could instead hire a professional dancer? The commercial side of the fashion world is far more interested in those who possess millions of followers that they can sell their collections to rather than creating meaningful or artistic material. While I understand that brands and magazines feel they have to do this to ‘keep up’, I hope the industry does not entirely lose its integrity and duty to fashion as an art form