Chiara's Salad Days are getting bitter

    Last month, I participated in a contest organised by lingerie brand Yamamay. In order to celebrate it's 10th anniversary, the brand choose the image of the italian blogger Chiara Ferragni from The Blonde Salad. At the end of the contest, three girls were to be chosen, the prize being spending two days with Chiara in Rome:  massages, relooking, restaurant... So I jumped on the occasion, eager to meet the intriguing Chiara Ferragni. Unfortunately, I was not selected and am left with my interrogations. The Blonde Salad is the first italian blog I have read, and although it is not my favorite, I read it on a regular basis, intrigued by the national and international notoriety she acquired. I want to understand its success over other blogs that are more meritorious. 

Chiara Ferragni, The Blonde Salad blogger

     

    What a surprise then, when I saw the title of the italian magazine "A" while waiting for my train in Bellionzona, Switzerland station. "Chiara Ferragni. Why do you resent her so much ? The phenomenon of an attack against our blogger". The article was writen by Maria Latella, the director of the magazine. She thought it was good to name it  "All against Chiara". The tone of the article is clumsily ironical; Chiara is described as a poor little martyr because she's pretty, blond and rich, and to seem objective, were added to the article a few comments from frustrated readers about the young blogger.

    Mrs Latella wrote that article in response to numerous letters of critic against Chiara Ferragni's articles in "A", since the young blogger got her own column in the magazine. On reading the director's lines, I felt very irritated because of the lack of respect she demonstrates to her readers by choosing to publish only the less constructed critics when I had read very coherent ones on A's website. Irritated also because I cannot understand how a journalist can be so poor at writing. 
    Then I pondered on the use of writing such an article. It appeared to me that instead of defending Chiara, it stigmatized her even more because of the clumsiness of the ironical tone.  Indeed, Mrs Latella highlights the fact that Chiara attends la Bocconi, a private university which tuition fees cost between 10 000 and 15 000 euros per year and which is a lot of money here in Italy. Only privileged kids can afford to go to those types of colleges. Moreover, she explains that Chiara studies law but her thesis seems to be more about economics and marketing. Chiara has money so Chiara only wears brands. Chiara, by using her fiancé managed to make a business of her blog. So by exposing all of these facts, what were you trying to prove ? 
    Actually, I am not irritated by Chiara but by the lack of professionalism of Maria Latella.

    Like I said, I visit The Blond Salad on a regular basis. In her interview for Yamamay, Chiara thanks her readers and insists on how important they are to her. She talks about readers but she almost never writes ! Seldom do we find a post in wich she explains her choices in clothing. She's always travelling but never does she gives her "readers" the opportunity to discover the country and its  atmosphere by describing it. She only posts photos. That is why I asked myself how she was chosen to write in  "A" when her blog does not account for her journalist abilities. 
    I understand when Scott Schuman is featured for a photoshoot for Vogue Magazine since his blog shows his great street style photos. I understand when Garance Doré is asked to create drawings for a T Shirt line since she is an illustrator. But what I understand for Chiara is that more that her abilities, it is her name and her image that some want.  Indeed, her blog gets 90 000 visits a day. Collaborating with her is then synonymous with publicity. But is her image that beneficial ?

From the 1st row to the runaway, Chiara walking for Pitti Uomo

    In her home country, Italy, Chiara is a subject of debates. Chiara comes from a wealthy background and she became even more wealthy when she created her own shoe brand. On her blog, one can only see her wearing brands when according to me, the role of the fashion blogger is to ally fashion and style, high fashion and ready-to-wear, trendy and vintage. People read fashion blogs because they feel like the world of fashion is more accessible that way. When I view (and not read), I feel like she has nothing I can afford, even the shoes she created . They all costs between  224 et 300 euros. Can you imagine a regular 20-something student spending 300 euros for a pair of high heels ? 300 euros is the minimum rent for a bedroom in an appartment in Bologna..

Chiara Ferragni High Heels

    Therefore, Mrs Latella, more than wondering why people resent Chiara Ferragni, you should wonder what she represents to the public opinion first. 

Shug'A'Very
(translated from French by Absolute B.)