The culture of 'calling out'

Diet Prada, an Instagram account that has become an industry watchdog, and also an industry success.

Diet Prada regularly names and shames brands, designers and others for fashion copycatting, similarities in design, and, seemingly more and more, for racism, often after tip offs from its Instagram followers. Diet Prada is run by Tony Liu and Lindsey Schuyler, who met while working for Eugenia Kim.. Now, after four years of running Diet Prada, they have more than a million followers on Instagram.

With the help of their followers, industry insiders and underground knowledge which is 'spilled' to them, Diet Prada’s founders have helped expose the sometimes cryptic fashion industry: filled with insider references and revealing hushed-up bad behaviour

In the last several months, the Diet Prada have criticised brands they have good relationships with, including Prada and Gucci, although I do think they have been more controlled in their criticism of those companies than they were with Dolce & Gabbana. Forcing D&G to cancel their upcoming show and persuade fans to boycott the stores.

More recently, the account again had to criticise a brand close to their hearts. A Gucci balaclava that resembled blackface led the 'exposers' to post that the brand, was “severely lacking the cultural context and knowledge” that would help them “avoid these same pitfalls.”

Diet Prada can have a big impact on those who they 'attack', particularly the up-and-coming brands and influencers who have smaller followings than the account. Their fans are very passionate and I think almost see Diet Prada as the 'holy grail' of fashion and what says goes. Some smaller brands who have been targeted by the page described being threatened by the account’s followers, with "angry and threatening comments, for long stretches." Showing there is no denying the fact that the page is having a huge influence on the industry.

Initially, I loved the idea of 'calling out' and it's not fair that particularly small designers, and graduates, who have spent so much time and effort to create beautiful garments for both high street and designer companies to claim them as their own! These people, with a small following probably don't have much of a voice to be heard so I feel like Diet Prada's voice in this sense is great! I like that sometimes they are naming and shaming people for good however I do believe sometimes this can come across as bitchy and nit picking.

A lot of these designer 'copies' are completely subjective. Diet Prada suggested that French brand AMI had imitated Celine when they sent a model outwearing a turtleneck beneath a long, tailored coat. Many Dieters did not agree and were not on the same page with this one. “Umm. it’s a basic coat with turtleneck …” one said, adding “so not @diet_prada worthy!” I think the good part about their followers is that everyones switched on and fashion conscious - they're here for the calling out but aren't afraid to call diet prada back out either!!

Maybe, sometimes are they creating stories just for the sake of content?

The culture of calling out is defiantly not leaving our phones any time soon! Many others have jumped on this band wagon, with the likes of @estee laundry, an account with the same purpose that focuses on the beauty industry.

E