MatPat’s Creators in Fashion show is a shining example of the influencer takeover

MatPat’s Creators in Fashion event was the first of its kind — and it’s a welcome look into the bright future of content creators and the online entertainment space.

MatPat and the minds behind Style Theory banded together to create the first creator-focused fashion show in history, celebrating brands from six different influencers on Thursday, April 25.

Models strutted their stuff on the runway, showing off looks from names like Cassie Ho (Blogilates), Critical Role, ZHC, and even a first look at Style Theory’s brand-new clothing line, Lumen.

While MatPat is far from the first content creator to host his own major event and even make his own products, he is the first to put together a fashion show focused solely on brands from influencers — and it’s just another example of how the creator economy is booming right now.

In our exclusive interview with MatPat prior to his Creators in Fashion show, the YouTube star used several examples of how influencers are breaking into the mainstream with products like Logan Paul and KSI’s Prime Hydration sports drink, or MrBeast’s Feastables chocolate bars.

“There’s no outlet that truly is a place to really showcase those and highlight those,” he told us. “And one of my goals as a content creator has always been to uplift the space and help creators get the attention and respect that they deserve.”

It’s been just over a decade since content creators began making a name for themselves and starting bonafide careers in online entertainment. In 2007, YouTube launched its Partner Program and began paying creators who met certain metrics. In the early 2010’s, major names like Markiplier, Jacksepticeye, PewDiePie, and others began breaking into the mainstream, and have since become juggernauts in the space with their own brands, such as Markiplier’s CLOAK clothing line and Jacksepticeye‘s Top O’ The Mornin’ coffee.

Instagram: markiplier

Markiplier’s CLOAK brand is another example of a successful influencer venture into the fashion space.

In the span of a decade, influencers have made a huge footprint in the market — and that footprint is only getting bigger, if MatPat’s fashion show is anything to go by.

Why MatPat’s Creators in Fashion is important

I got the chance to attend the star-studded event, held in the heart of Hollywood, and was blown away by both the professionalism of the production and the looks that were on display. Each brand looked totally wearable and every walk was obviously put together with tons of care, reflecting each creator’s ideas and their love for their fans.

I was genuinely surprised by the time and effort put into the show. From the special effects projected onto the runway to the music and the clothing itself, it’s clear that this was an event that had a wealth of passion behind it… and I may or may not have spent a chunk of change on some of the products on display. 

Cassie Ho’s POPFLEX line got its time to shine on the runway.

Creators in Fashion is just the latest creator-focused event to showcase the bright future of the space. Another production that comes to mind is Creator Clash, an influencer-boxing event that brought together creators from all across the industry to face off in the ring for charity.

Of course, we can’t forget creators who have even broken into Hollywood, with MatPat famously appearing in Blumhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy’s film and MrBeast voicing characters in the TMNT and Kung Fu Panda movies. Even Markiplier is producing and acting in his very own feature film, Iron Lung, set to release in theaters sometime “soon.”

MatPat described Creators in Fashion as the “future” of the fashion industry — but I daresay that online entertainers are the future of entertainment altogether. While platforms could go up in flames at any time (as seen with the US’s impending ban on TikTok), it’s clear that influencers have made an undeniable imprint in the entertainment business… and these great achievements are just the tip of the iceberg.

Jake Paul is set to face off against boxing legend Mike Tyson in a first-of-its-kind event live streamed on Netflix this summer, marking another massive win for the YouTuber in the boxing scene after years of working his way up the ladder. Despite the controversies surrounding him, Paul has managed to transform himself from a Vine star to a Disney channel actor to one of the biggest names in boxing, whether fans of the sport like it or not. It’s impossible to ignore him — and it’s becoming increasingly impossible to ignore the popularity of influencers in the mainstream market, whether that be the beverage business, the movie biz, and now, even the world of fashion.

The Creators in Fashion show ended with a spectacular showcase for Style Theory’s new clothing brand, Lumen.

MatPat’s Creators in Fashion event is the herald for the new age of entertainment as online personalities become increasingly prominent. Gone are the days of the traditional celebrity; now, influencers control the market as companies turn to social media to advertise their products to millions of viewers around the globe.

An entire generation of people have grown up with YouTubers and Twitch streamers as their primary sources of entertainment (myself included) — and now, those entertainers are wielding major power in several different markets. They’re breaking into the mainstream, and they’re here to stay… and I can’t wait to see where the future takes them next.