By Salma BENCHEIKH, Severin OGAH LAGASSOU, Mélanie Florence BONINSEGNI, and Giuseppe CATENAZZO

On Instagram, TikTok or YouTube, millions of users follow fashion-focused content creators every day. Their daily outfits, shopping tips and brand collaborations shape trends. Beyond promotional codes, one question remains: how do these influencers turn simple recommendations into genuine purchase triggers?

Research conducted by IPAG Business School in Paris among consumers and industry professionals sheds light on the psychological and relational mechanisms behind this phenomenon, now central to the fashion industry.

From advertising to relationships

Unlike traditional campaigns, often perceived as intrusive, influencers’ content blends into users’ everyday feeds. It takes the form of personal stories, practical advice or snapshots of daily life. The product is no longer simply displayed: it is staged within a universe. The influencer does more than promote a garment: they embody a lifestyle. By following them, subscribers are not only consuming commercial information; they are entering into a relationship with the content creator.

Credibility, the cornerstone of influence. An influencer is deemed credible when they appear consistent in their choices, transparent about partnerships and faithful to their own world and values. The consumers surveyed stress one point: they accept sponsored content, provided it is openly disclosed and aligned with the influencer’s image. Conversely, a collaboration seen as opportunistic can undermine trust. In other words, audiences do not reject the commercial dimension; they reject inconsistency.

Authenticity, between sincerity and strategy. Followers value influencers who share personal experiences, also show their failures or doubts, and offer nuanced, even critical, opinions. This impression of sincerity is built over time and fosters a sense of closeness. The study refers to a “parasocial relationship”, a one-way bond in which the follower feels they know the influencer personally. However, when users perceive spontaneity as too carefully staged, trust can erode.

Transparency and ethics, rising consumer expectations. In a sector often criticised for its environmental and social impact, followers are paying attention to the promotion of responsible brands, to consistency between words and practice, and to the clarity of commercial partnerships. Explicit labelling of sponsored content, through hashtags or clear indications, strengthens trust. By contrast, “disguised advertising” is seen as a betrayal. More and more, influencers are expected to act responsibly and promote more sustainable consumption.

Symbolism, clothing as an identity marker. Buying a product recommended by an influencer is also a way of asserting who you are. Many followers look to influencers for inspiration, to belong to a community and to move closer to an ideal of style or success. This identification mechanism is especially strong among young consumers, for whom social media are a central space in the construction of identity.

Proximity, the quality of the bond vs. the number of followers. Not all influence strategies produce the same effects. Brands often hesitate between macro-influencers, who have strong visibility, and micro-influencers, whose audiences are smaller but often more engaged. The study shows that perceived closeness plays a crucial role. Thanks to more frequent and personalised interactions with their community, micro-influencers can generate a stronger sense of trust. Audience size is no guarantee of campaign success.

By integrating products into personal narratives and coherent worlds, influencers are reshaping the way fashion is presented and experienced. Influencer marketing thus appears less as a simple promotional technique than as a profound transformation of the relationship between brands and consumers. For brands, the challenge is no longer merely to choose a popular face, but to build long-term, aligned and transparent partnerships. For consumers, the challenge is to develop a critical eye, because behind every fashion post now lies far more than a simple shopping tip: a relationship, an act of identity projection and, at times, a quiet redefinition of the way we consume.

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