Sophomore Kendall Tom’s social media presence earned her the recognition of larger fashion brands including Mejuri, Ana Luisa, and Parade, who all reached out to her to collaborate on sponsorship.

Brands first began reaching out to Tom when she was only in eighth grade. 

“It was very surprising when it first happened. I expressed some enthusiasm when they emailed me. I think that was appealing to them,” Tom said.

The promotion process was quite simple and exciting for Tom. 

“They sent me a piece of jewelry, and I promoted it,” Tom said. “It was a fun experience. I would do it again.”

These sponsorships led Tom to receive more attention, not only on the internet but in person as well. 

“When I made the [first sponsored jewelery] post I went back to school as an eighth grader in my math eight class and everyone was asking about [the post],” said Tom. 

Tom began influencing her viewers by posting fashion content to Pinterest and VSCO, gaining thousands of followers.

“I hope to reach people who share a similar style to me or a similar mindset when it comes to fashion, but also people who are just getting into expressing themselves [through] fashion,” Tom said.

The rise in the popularity and usage of social media has caught the attention of many people like Tom who share an interest in fashion. 

Tom’s fashion postings are meant to inspire her followers to find their sense of style by showing them possible ideas. 

“They have so much impact on the [fashion] industry and trends,” Tom said.

However, Tom shared that social media is not always an ideal place for someone to explore and share their style with others. 

“In some aspects it’s beneficial, but in others it kind of limits what people put out. If you don’t fit the ‘what’s trending now’ category, you get more negative feedback,” Tom said.

But Tom does not let fear of negative feedback stop her. 

“Every piece of content gets negative feedback at some point” 

Tom also shared her belief that self-expression through clothing is a universal experience, and not just for people actively engaged in the fashion world. 

“What they’re wearing tells a lot about a person and since that’s such an individual thing, I think [fashion] is such a good place for people to express themselves,” Tom said.

“The fashion industry is so intricate…the common everyday person can affect it.”

Tom’s shared fashion journey on social media is not just an influence to her followers, but an outlet for her self-expression and creativity. 

“I’m a person that keeps to myself a lot. If I’m not a huge talker, this is a way I can express myself.”