Unpacking the Insta-girls : The Ultimate Evolution of the Celebrity Fashion Model

Abstract: The last decade has seen the rise of a new trinity of supermodels, the so-called Insta-girls, Kendall Jenner, Gigi, and Bella Hadid. Besides mastering the art of digital self-promotion, they belong to famous Californian families with strong ties to show business. Their impressive climb to the top has made them the most followed and paid models in the fashion industry. Nevertheless, their role in contemporary visual and celebrity culture has been scarcely inquired about by academics. The aim of this thesis is to explore through a critical visual analysis of their representations how and if the newfound role of social media as a source of stardom is challenging established myths of celebrity and ingrained high fashion beauty ideals. Firstly, through the use of Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of the ‘Field’ and Olivier Driessens’ schema of ‘Celebritization’, it is analyzed how the Insta-girls have designed their personas, their public mask, mimicking previous templates of the fashion modeling field. Secondly, through the lenses of Sandra Lee Bartky and Susan Bordo, two feminist theorists who have assessed and discussed how women regulate and discipline their bodies, this thesis shows how the Insta-girls, despite their celebrity status, have been scrutinized according to the rigid body standards required of fashion models.