Cannes 2017: Now, social media influencers are paid to attend red carpet premieres

It looks like the big bad world of the internet is already taking over the world.

In 2016, when the top editors of Vogue sat down to discuss and publish their thoughts on Milan Fashion Week, one article they churned out was an their utter disdain for fashion bloggers and ‘influencers’, whom one went so far as to call ‘pathetic’.

Since the article went live on Vogue.com , several big names like Susie Bubble and Bryanboy have taken to social media to fire back at the fashion bible and accuse them of being a bit hypocritical.

Fast forward to the Cannes red carpet of 2017, the same social media influences are being flown down to attend red carpet events and brands are also paying them to wear their clothes. One of them is 16-year-old Amanda Steele, who attended the premiere of Netflix Okja, and was there for Dior makeup.

“Be it at the festival, an event or just being part of the overall experience, influencers can help build buzz for a film, establish trends for a brand and share an insider’s look at the latest in culture,” said Dave Giglio, director of talent partnership for social media agency Digital Media Management, based in Los Angeles told The Hollywood Reporter .

Influencers typically charge £2,000 to £5,000 for a post on their Instagram feeds, with the high scorers (those with multiple millions of followers) regularly demanding upwards of £30,000.

Could they be the new age celebrities?