Matilda Djerf or Capitalist Chic? –– Strike Magazine Issue 06

It can be confidently said that the internet is divided by your interests and what the internet thinks you might be interested in. If you're into sports, then several highlight reels of your favorite players get sent your way. If you're into music, you might get shown people asking strangers what they're listening to, and if you're into fashion, you might be watching people discourse on different subcultures. But if you happen to find yourself on the side of the internet that's been obsessed with Aritzia hauls, 5 am morning routines, slick back bun tutorials, and finding the best places to order matcha lattes, there is a chance you may have heard of Matilda Djerf. This past year, Matilda Djerf and her brand have been the cover girl of the clean girl aesthetic. Every haul trying to maintain this minimalist perfectionist status never fails to mention the former or the latter. The influence that Djerf avenue has is proof that influencer brands, when done right, can not only stand on their own but can hold major influence over style trends and that a brand started by an influencer can stand on its own. 

Even though influencing is still a very new industry, it has quickly become a sought-after "profession ."One that has become synonymous with being sent 'pr' gifts from brands, getting exclusive products before anyone else, and making a living off of posting your life –the kind of perks from a job anyone would want. Although this uber-lux borderline celebrity treatment and lifestyle is the most highlighted part of being an influencer, it doesn't come that easy. Even with how glamorous this lifestyle is, work and effort are still needed to maintain this. Making sure your hair and makeup are picture-perfect at any given moment will leave you constantly looking in the mirror, maintaining your youthful glow with botox, filler, and facials with the latest beauty trend, all to look "perfect," so rent is paid. At first, this trade-off doesn't sound that terrible; who wouldn't want their life to just be nonstop pampering and getting paid to post pictures? But when youth and beauty are your livelihoods, simply getting older and growing as a person limits this limelight. Trying to add more time to these fifteen minutes of fame is a struggle that all influencers go through. Being the same picture-perfect person for years on end to stay relevant so they can make a living isn't realistic, so what's an influencer with thousands or millions of followers to do? Start a business –and that's exactly what Matilda Djerf did. 

Before launching her brand, Matilda Djerf already had an established following on Instagram with people that loved her sense of style. So when she founded and launched her brand Djerf Avenue in 2019, she slowly started incorporating it in her posts. In all of her outfits, she can always be seen wearing at least one item from her clothing line, which is always tagged in every post. By wearing and promoting her own brand, she has established a relationship with her audience while also creating a demographic to market to. 

However, a common fault that most influencers make when starting their own brands is by having them too closely associated with their influencer status. This might not seem like a problem, but their brand will follow suit when they're no longer relevant (or canceled). Influencers starting their own brands and having the only special thing about it being that it's their brand is not a business strategy that will last. It's in these common faults that Matilda Djerf has made Djerf Avenue stand out. Djerf Avenue ensures that its clothes are ethically and sustainably made, making the staple collection high-quality and long-lasting wardrobe basics. The price point is on the higher end side, but all clothing is made-to-order to minimize waste, only using organic cotton and recycled materials fibers in their clothing. In addition, the brand is inclusive in sizing, ranging from XXS to 3XL. And even though Matilda Djerf is still the face of her brand, she has models of all sizes and backgrounds modeling all of her clothing: all ranging in size, height, and race. All of these factors, in combination with the rising popularity of the "clean girl" aesthetic online, have allowed Djerf Avenue to amass an almost cult-like following on TikTok in the past year. By focusing on sustainability and making long-lasting wardrobe basics, her clothing line made its place in the online fashion world and is respectable amongst environmentally conscious consumers. 

Matilda Djerf's success with her brand isn't exclusive to her. Some brands that are well-known amongst certain crowds have been founded by influencers, and they don't even know it. The brand that made way for girls that wanted a dewy natural makeup look back in 2016 when everyone had matte lips had influencer Emily Weiss to thank for Glossier. Influencer founded WeWoreWhat, a blog-turned-fashion brand that has some of the best fashion tips and clothes. More recently, the hair oil brand Gisou which has made its way onto the shelves at Sephora and into most girls' hair routines, was founded by influencer Negin Mirsalehi. All of these brands still hold social capital in online spaces. Djerf Avenue and Matilda Djerf have simultaneously become the modern face of minimalist aesthetics. When discussing personal style, TikTok users like @destinydeyro have asked others on the platform, "Are you a Bella Bot or Matilda Minion?" referencing model Bella Hadid's edgier and maximalist fashion choices in comparison to Matilda Djerf's minimalist aesthetics. Glossier is still capitalizing on minimal clean beauty that highlights one's natural features by collaborating with young and relevant celebrities like pop star Olivia Rodrigo. More recently, Gisou can be seen in several "get ready with me" morning and night routines, solidifying this sustainable and ethical hair brand as a new beauty staple. 

Seeing the success of so many influencers turned business people like Matilda Djerf is impressive. Rather than endorsing other brands, they can endorse their own and work on becoming more than a username with a blue checkmark. Rather than convincing people to use their amazon storefront, they can hype up a new collection drop. Influencing, when done right, can not only be a lucrative career but one that can truly influence.