Article Written by Barbara Malone

It seems fitting that an app as broad and expansive as Instagram would foster so much creativity and originality in the fashion world. As of 2020, Instagram reports to have approximately 1 billion monthly active users, which makes it the perfect platform from which to start, run, and promote business of any kind. With the Covid-19 pandemic, small businesses based on Instagram have skyrocketed, attracting tons of attention. With people having so much free time to aimlessly scroll through the app or to cultivate their artistic abilities and create brands, the social media-based boutique clothing world is finally getting the attention it deserves.

When I was 15, I visited a thrift store in NYC and bought a 70s era denim jacket. To this day I still get compliments about how unique the jacket is and how people haven’t seen anything like it. That denim jacket inspired my love for vintage and rare clothing. The feeling of being completely original, with a particular style attached to my name, was something I yearned for. However, for the next few years, I rarely purchased clothing that satisfied this desire. Truth be told, finding original, unique clothing is easier said than done. Few people have the ability to jaunt into NYC and spend the day perusing the many vintage shops that Greenwich Village has to offer in search of hidden gems. The most prominent and easiest to find clothes are the mass produced big chain brands located in the neighborhood shopping mall. With the exception of my awesome jean jacket, most of my wardrobe was indistinguishable from any number of my contemporaries. I craved originality but in reality, I blended in.

The pandemic lockdown, as surely the case for many, was a turning point for me by allowing me to discover the endless world of Instagram-based clothing brands. Trapped in my flat, bored to death, and with nothing but time on my hands, I spent what was surely an unhealthy amount of time on Instagram. It didn't take long for me to go down the rabbit hole and begin to follow hundreds of new clothing brands, each with beautiful and uncommon fashion offerings.

My first Instagram-based clothing purchase was the amazing matching sweatshirt/sweatpants set pictured on the left, from a small brand called @ghostedclothing, which had only around 5,000 followers. The set, which was customised specifically for me, is inspired by the lyrics of one of my favourite songs, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” by Tears for Fears; as well as the spacy, galactic vibes I get when listening to the song. I’m the type of person with no shortage of creative ideas, but absolutely no artistic ability to pull them off. Instagram’s ecosystem of boutique small brands enabled me to connect with people who understood my fashion vision and could turn my thoughts into reality.

Customised orders of this nature are a fairly common theme for Instagram’s small brand clothing world. With a smaller and more intimate clientele, there is more flexibility for special requests. While made-to-order requests like this cost more (the set above was priced around $200), considering the time and effort required to truly personalise the product, it seems more than fair. Most brands specify if they can do custom made clothing in their accounts bio and they are generally very responsive to direct messages you send them about specific requests. One time the brand @mindblown.nyc, which has about 1,700 followers, made a pair of pants (pictured on the right) that I was obsessed with. They were not selling a version of the pants in my size, but when I asked them if they could custom make a pair for me, they were more than happy to do so.

When my birthday came around last July, I used the occasion to expand my spectrum of small brand providers. I explored and ultimately purchased clothes from numerous types of brands ranging from as small as 1,000 and up to 20,000 followers. It was a beyond exciting experience. Not only did I enjoy the search for the brands, but I was in awe of the number of original and unusual clothes these brands offered. The clothes presented by these brands are almost always stuff you could never hope to purchase from big chain brands. By not mass-producing clothing, these brands have more room and creativity to explore and try out new styles of clothing. One of the most original works I purchased was from a brand with 20,000 followers called @skyco.studios, from whom I purchased a limited edition top made entirely out of tapestry (pictured on the right). Talk about unique - only 5 other tops were made from this material. I never thought about using tapestry as clothing prior to this purchase, but by simply happening upon this site, my view on fashion was broadened. And in case you are wondering, the tapestry top is very comfortable!

The world of small fashion brands on Instagram is beyond amazing. It provides one with a refreshing break from the somewhat repetitive world of big chain brands and allows us to foster and enhance our love of fashion in a genuinely innovative way. Additionally, it is truly great to be able to support these small, creative brands. The brands work tirelessly to create new and exceptional clothing and by giving them our support, we are enabling the fashion world to continue developing for the better. In addition to the brands referenced already, I thought it would be fitting and beneficial to share some more of my favourite small brands from Instagram, all of which I’ve purchased from and have had very pleasant experiences with.

Some small brand Instagram accounts:

@Freefromdeath
@Tonyrainwater_
@Skidznyc
@2012co
@hieromaar
@lukeslaundry
@Disruptingnirvana
@royalvseverybody
And many, many more :)

A look into the Creative and Unique World of Small Fashion Brands on Instagram