Creators used to view merchandise as a second thought, slapping their channel name or logo on a T-shirt and calling it a day. The same can be said about events, which were either glorified meet-and-greets or PR disasters like TanaCon.
But over the past decade, merchandise and events have become ubiquitous with creators. Logan Paul’s Prime energy drink is unavoidable in NYC bodegas. Ian “iDubbbz” Jomha managed to sell out two stadiums for his Creator Clash boxing event.
On Thursday, April 25, at 2:30 pm PST, those worlds will take their next step in the influencer evolutionary process with “Creators in Fashion.” This live-streamed fashion show will feature a full runway and collections from top creators, including dungeon masters Critical Role, graphist artist ZHC, and adventurers Yes Theory.
The show is by Style Theorists, one of four “Theorists” channels started by YouTuber Matthew “MatPat” Patrick. The Theorists channels have a collective of tens of millions of subscribers.
“When the Theorists commit to something, we try to bring our A game and show everyone how this niche that we have chosen to enter has been underutilized so far,” Style Theory host Amy Roberts told Passionfruit.
“We want to show that fashion shows can be digital and creator-focused. That isn’t just what you expect, but entertainment on a different level.”
A Style Theory
Roberts started behind the scenes of the channel when it started a year ago. She helped make videos explaining what it is like to wear edible underwear and crack skulls with heels. When Patrick announced his retirement as the on-camera host of all the Theorists channels earlier this year, it only made sense for her to step in as host.
Now Roberts and Patrick are hosting “Creators in Fashion” together, bringing a unique sense of wonder and intrigue to the runway. Alongside the main show, “Creators in Fashion” will feature backstage interviews, special guest commentary, and maybe even a special reveal.
According to Roberts, the group planned to have a fashion show coincide with their 2023 winter fashion line. But they realized “there’s a lot more that goes into a fashion show” than they “initially really understood.” So they pushed it back to springtime, assembling a team of brands and production staff to make something encompassing more than just their brand.
“It is literally a collaboration unlike any that has been done on these platforms before,” Patrick said. “Doing events like this gives us a chance to take the skills that we’ve learned over here, to expose a whole new set of problems, and then figure out how to problem solve those and create something uniquely different.”
The Theorists Are the Future of the Runway
When Patrick first started the Game Theorists in 2009, before the Adpocalypses and dozens of YouTube algorithmic changes, he never would have expected YouTube videos to have such high production value. Let alone on his channels.
Traditional media used to be the only place to see a runway show, most likely with winged angels. But now, influencers have an audience that doesn’t need everyone to be scantily clad.
“Fashion shows are an unusual event for viewers and the online ecosystem in general,” Patrick said. “But if we can create a platform that demystifies that runway experience, to make it into something that a viewer at home can watch and engage with and have thoughtful questions about and have something to take away, that’s a win across the board.”
These new takes on old formats, like Ludwig’s chess boxing event or QTCinderella’s Streamer Awards, sprout from the minds of entrepreneurs. Not every creator has that spark, but those who do can break the mold and come up with new ways to explore a niche.
According to Patrick, creators who aren’t seeing “what they want in the traditional media space” can now create it themselves, rallying their audience with their vision.
“After years of creating online videos, finding opportunities to connect with the audience in a physical space is satisfying,” Patrick said. “The mega brands of the future are this new generation of entrepreneurs and digital-first businesses.”
