From the glossy pages of magazines to the Røde mini mic-wielding commentators on TikTok, there’s no shortage of platforms dispatching sartorial updates. However, in a world where short-form content is causing fatigue, it’s the sprawling posts of the best fashion Substacks that are proving to hold the most cultural cache.
What originated as an antidote to traditional publications and an outlet for independent thought and criticism, Substack has become a community-oriented arena in which really anyone and everyone can espouse an opinion.
Serving as a digital newsstand, you’ll find op-eds on topics ranging from what designer holds the popular vote in the latest iteration of creative director musical chairs to tasteful curations of chic items.
But how did a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox become the new height of luxury? Simply put, the best fashion Substacks are the ones that serve to complement the newscycled, not replace it altogether.
Rather than taking the place of existing legacy media titles, this corner of the internet is a place for creators to dish up handpicked edits on niche topics, wax lyrical about subject matters that aren’t defined by search terms and give access to industry events and runway shows in a way that doesn’t have to appeal to advertisers.
Of course, there are so many ways to stay informed about the state of play. But there is something so charming about taking it all sitting at your laptop in your favourite independently-owned cafe with a morning coffee. (Perhaps with the sounds of Olivia Dean crooning in the background, if the owner has elite music taste.)
The best fashion Substacks are the ones that encourage you to slow your consumption down in more ways than one, beginning with the amount of media you consume and ending with the thoughtful recommendations that the following authors share.
From the wishlists of local insiders to the scathing takedowns penned by those in the know, these are the 13 best fashion Substacks to subscribe to, as selected by a clued-up fashion editor.
