Good Girls vs. New Rebels: Breaking Down Fashion’s Very Obvious Cliques
We’re not ones to create divisions, but it’s undeniable that there are two very distinct (and drastically different) groups emerging from the modeling scene. One consists of fresh-faced newcomers that have been dubbed the Insta Girls, and for good reason. Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Cara Delevingne, Devon Windsor, and Hailey Baldwin have social-media followings in the millions (52 million in Kendall Jenner’s case, to be exact), which most labels only dream of—ensuring practically free advertising for a brand with a runway or editorial booking.
These models project the easy, identifiable, squeaky-clean kind of beauty that appeals just as much to preteen girls across America as it does to fashion’s elite. Their high-profile appeal also comes from a fair amount of nepotism—most of these girls have parents or family that are no strangers to the spotlight or have wholeheartedly embraced it. This Insta element extends beyond just the runway—a quick scroll through any of their feeds shows sunny L.A. days, red carpets, and furtive snaps of equally buzzy significant others (Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, and Justin Bieber, to name a few…), as well as lots of pictures with each other, because Insta girls that take pictures together stay together and usually get booked en masse for the next Balmain campaign.
The other group that’s emerged is a little less glossy and definitely more gritty—but they might be all that more intriguing because of it. The current rebels of the fashion industry are a devil-may-care tightly knit crew of models that party with Alexander Wang on the regular and seemingly defy open-container laws after every runway show. In fact, a quick scan of any street-style blog during Fashion Week will probably show you a steely-gazed Lexi Boling walking arm-in-arm with BFFs Binx Walton, Hanne Gaby Odiele, Anna Ewers, and Issa Lish as they smoke like chimneys and toss back drinks between shows.
They seem to live their model-off-duty lives by the mantra “work hard, party harder”—at least if their Instagrams are any indication, where they post blurry, candid pictures of New York City nights with no apprehension or apology about smoking or drinking with the likes of the Brant Brothers and Cat McNeil. Perhaps it goes without saying that it’s a far cry from the carefully curated Instagrams of Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid.
The self-proclaimed “bad girls” of fashion are climbing the ranks with no help from reality TV shows, famous parents, or silver spoons in their mouths (save for the genetic lottery). They hail from the Midwest, from Germany, Belgium, and Mexico, and represent a more diverse look aesthetically and racially. When they date, it’s not pop stars or boy-band singers but instead usually within the industry.
It seems inevitable that these two drastically different crews of models would be compared to one another. In fact, it might even work in their favor, as the high contrasts between the two have helped to build the buzz around their personal styles and brands. The rebels of fashion have found an ally and friend in Alexander Wang, whose downtown vibes and party-hearty attitude are a perfect match for their insouciant antics. Meanwhile, the good girls of fashion make up most of Olivier Rousteing’s glossy, glitzy Balmain army and the Victoria’s Secret runway roster. Whether you want to roll with the good girls or party with the rebels, there’s no denying that these models are the ones to watch in seasons to come.
