DIARY directory recently caught up with full-time fashion, beauty, life and travel influencer Stephi LaReine. The rainbow-haired blogger resides in the North of England and aims to provide not only an insiders view from the fashion industry from backstage at Fashion Week with her own style diaries, but also daily views surrounding her global travels, encounters with tastes, textures, sounds and scents across fashion, beauty and lifestyle sectors. Her daily adventures are also documented on her social media channels, while her most private moments can be viewed on Snapchat. Stephi has been featured in a number of publications and has worked with a variety of renowned beauty and fashion brands, including launching her own fashion collection with Gap.

UK fashion, beauty & lifestyle blogger

Launched fashion collection with Gap

"All my rates are dependent on the brief" 

Listed in DIARY directory in the digital influencers subsection, along with 1000+ categorised influencers for PRs to work with, Stephi talks all about her collection with highstreet brand gap; how she thinks magazines and bloggers can work harmoniously together; tips for growing a social following and how traditional blogging platforms are fading out in favour of bitesized video content.

What got you into blogging, how long ago did you start?

It's a quite a strange one, I started in May 2014 during my first summer of university. The blog was intended to be a photography based one, as that was my passion and drive at the time. I knew a lot of bloggers that often told me how I could document my style, and express my thoughts to the Internet, as I often felt there was a lack of resources for advice around fashion, beauty and lifestyle. I wanted to resonate with people in a way that would make them successful, whether that's building their confidence or aiding their ambitions for success.  

 
Who are your core readers?

On my discoveries from constant feedback online to meeting my readers in person, I've learnt that they're incredibly similar to me. A great percentage are females between the ages of 18-30; these women are creative and out of the box, and usually distant from the mainstream trend orientated woman. I also attract a lot of bloggers who are more likely to read my evergreen content. I always get a mixed batch of women and men who read my posts, variety is the spice of life. 

We LOVE your signature rainbow hair, do you think you’ll ever change it or will it remain one of your key brand identities?

Thank you! It's a huge part of my image, I've always been extremely experimental with my hair. After years of dabbling with every colour under the sun, I returned back to my natural colour a few years back and felt I lost an intergrel part of me. I feel like I'm a colourful person, who's creative and expressive, and found sanctuary and balance in showcasing my personality through the medium of hair. It's an ode to my teenage rock'n'roll self that I secretly never want to grow up. The hair is also a statement for others to say that it's 2016 and the modern woman can express herself creatively without any limitations except yourself.  

You’re a graduate in photography and graphic design, how do these skills translate into your work as an influencer?

I found it's aided my ability to think outside the box. I always seek the undiscovered and tailoring a creative mind, into words and photographs gives a fresh outlet for content. Visually there's been a dramatic contrast in my workflow, and how whenever I look back I strive to be different and refine things. Even though I'm usually in front of the camera and not controlling it I can direct situations, gauge how I like my post processing, lighting and ability of story telling. Fortunately I've been very well informed in Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom and Final Cut Pro for over a decade, but in application to the blog it's massively sped up my ability to churn out content at a rapid rate.  Throughout my degree I used fashion portraiture as a form of narrative, and that's still very relevant to me since graduating recently. I work very visually so any aspect of that within the blog has worked wonders in correlation to my degree. I'm hoping to utilise more graphic design skills as I'm currently undertaking a blog transformation. 

"Blogs remind me of a family member that you're more keen to listen to, as if the advice you're getting is very personal. This is where I think magazines are slacking...I'd like to think magazines will start to contact bloggers to work harmoniously, not only would it help to cross pollinate readership, but spice up the two very separated worlds."

Do you have any professional help for your blog?

I occasionally hire a photographer for my content, as there's an importance to keep photographs as beautiful, cinematic and relevant to the topic. Having a degree in photography I've also taught my boyfriend some of the best techniques over the years, so he's a great help. I also have an amazing designer for my site, Pipdig who sees to all my creative needs as my html skills were only relevant in the days of MySpace. I have full control over every aspect from retouching to scheduling, which is very fulfilling for someone that likes to keep themselves on their toes.  

Has the signing of a digital influencer agency been useful?

I'm signed to Role Model Agency, who have been massively helpful in my journey from taking a passion of mine and making it into my full time job. I'm visual and adaptive to a creative environment, but when it comes to negotiating figures you have me stuck. I was already very business minded, and savvy to how to create content that will always remain relevant but my agent has been a great help in the organisation, workflow and consistency at which the blog and social media functions. He allows me to get on with the best bit of the job which is to have fun, talk about interesting topics and be creative.  
 

What have been your favourite sponsored collaborations to date?

One of my recent favourites was launching my own collection in Gap for the #DoYou campaign as it allowed me to meet hundreds of my readers, in a fantastic and friendly environment. Curating a collection was always a goal of mine, and something beautiful I managed to fulfill alongside their creative team from the posters, to the event design.  Another favourite is the ability to work at my favourite festivals - I truly flourish as a person when I'm around music, and have been very fortunate year after year to be on the road and flying out to incredible countries to take in independent music, fashion, food. For me the best sponsored posts are experiences, and this summer in particular was a none stop experience. 

You’ve got a great following across both Twitter and Instagram, what are your top social media tips for growing a following?

I would really pay attention to the content you're posting. My inner photographer always thinks the most important part of posting on social media, is the story you're trying to tell. Selfies are great, but to give current and potentially new viewers food to fiest on, you need to mix up your images and give them something they've never seen before. Organically people tend to follow individual personalities for different reasons, so it's discovering who you are, and what you're about that will help you define how to structure the future. Most importantly be you, and not what someone else wants you to be - this is vital! 
 

How do you think brands/PRs can work better with influencers? Any pet peeves?

My one pet peeve is the impersonalisation of emails, to really capture my attention, do a bit of research on me, and get to know what I'm about. Because I lead my life very openly about everything you'll soon gather if your brand is right for me, and whether I'd be more accepting. It saves the brand faffing around with emails and follow ups. 
 

Do you have a rate card? Can you tell us an example of a cost?

All my rates are dependent on the brief, my agent Casey from Role Model Agency would always be delighted to fill in brands on my pricing, as all my posts across my social streams and blog is specifically tailored. Also dependent on the quantity of work he can do special deals if the work is long term. 
 

Are blogs the new magazines? What are your thoughts on the future of publishing due to the rise of blogs and digital/social platforms? 

Now more than ever, blogs seem to be the focal point of news, so yes they're the new magazines. It's a real shame that magazines are declining, I still read print magazines as I love the tactile nature of picking up a good print. Blogs remind me of a family member that you're more keen to listen to, as if the advice you're getting is very personal. This is where I think magazines are slacking, that it's no longer resonating with people on a level that has them captured. I'd like to think magazines will start to contact bloggers to work harmoniously, not only would it help to cross pollinate readership, but spice up the two very separated worlds. When Anna Wintour put celebrities in Vogue it was ground breaking, so if magazines adapt a new tactic like Anna's the future of magazines would stay preserved. 

Do you think traditional blogging will fade out in favour of YouTube and social channels like Instagram and Snapchat?

I get this question quite frequently and I hate to admit it, but I really do think we're currently undergoing the fade out process right now. The blog will always be where my heart is, but alike magazines, people will get eventually bored of blogging unless us bloggers strive to keep every post as fresh as the next. Evergreen content will never be available on Snapchat or Instagram until they have searching options, so relevant blogging will always be available but that's not the majority of blog posts nowadays. In regards to Youtube I think the future of blogging is cross pollinating your blog with video whether that's Youtube, Vimeo or a new platform, the use of short videos will be the future. 

What other bloggers / influencers do you follow and why?

Luckily a lot of my favourite bloggers are close friends of mine, who I will support to the ends of the earth.  I absolutely adore Labels For Lunch. She's a revolutionary Chanel fiend, her style and persona is perfect and so likeable. Song of Style is a wonderful blogger, and she's been acing the blog game for years - she's even got a book now. Right now I've slightly tuned out of bloggers and been loving instagrammers, mainly travel, as they're just good sources of inspiration and mainly visual. 

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Stephi LaReine in 'digital influencers'