Are Influencers Ruining Fashion and Beauty? Four Industry Insiders on Trust, Talent and Building a Brand

The fashion and beauty industry says it has become more inclusive, more sustainable and more accessible. "Do we actually believe that's true," asked host Molly at the start of this Legacy Bench episode, "or do we believe that we're getting better at marketing the idea?"

To find out, four women from different corners of the industry sat down for an open conversation about what's really happening behind the scenes:

• Fatima Ahmed — founder of Kara Makeup, a Manchester bridal makeup studio and academy, with 13 years' experience.
• Faye Mitchell — actor, presenter, commercial model and content creator.
• Mellovia Sequeira — MSc International Fashion Marketing student at Manchester Metropolitan University, with experience creating social content at the Manchester Fashion Institute.
• Angela Parmar — director of Gazelle Embroidery & Print, a North West business specialising in branded workwear and personalised clothing.

Inclusive and sustainable — or just good marketing?

The panel agreed there has been real progress, particularly in casting and in the range of skin tones brands cater for. For Fatima, diversity isn't a slogan — it's how her business works. "If I don't have all different colours on my page, I'm not going to get the work for everybody," she said. "I do specialise in Asian bridal makeup, but I have everyone on my page." Her academy's courses deliberately train artists on a range of skin tones, an area where she believes much of the industry still falls short.

Faye described how commercial casting briefs have shifted noticeably, with briefs now actively seeking a wider range of looks and backgrounds — a change she sees first-hand at auditions.

Sustainability drew more scepticism. Mellovia said brands often use "inclusivity" and "sustainability" as buzzwords to capture attention, even though genuine efforts do exist. Angela, who supplies garments from a brand that markets itself as sustainable, admitted: "I do feel like maybe brands are just, you know, ticking a box." In her own business, mistakes don't go to waste — misprinted or surplus garments are sent to an organisation in Leicester that redistributes them to people who are homeless.

Can you trust an influencer who's being paid?

This was the heart of the debate. Faye didn't hold back: "People are getting paid to use a product and they're getting paid to say nice things about a product. In some sense it's false — it's false acting."

Mellovia sees audiences responding by turning away from the biggest names. Large influencers who rotate through competing sponsorships lose credibility, she said, while "micro-influencers are getting a lot more attention than big influencers because their content seems more authentic, and that is what the audience really looks for." For brands, smaller creators can also be far more affordable.

What works instead? Real people, unpolished. Mellovia pointed to customer video reviews and founder-led content: "a founder just sitting in front of the camera and talking about their brand — that has a lot of potential to work." Fatima has seen the same on her own Instagram — casual behind-the-scenes posts with her team regularly outperform her polished before-and-after work.

Breaking in without connections

Several guests spoke about how hard it is to get into fashion and the creative industries without knowing the right people. Faye was candid about how much relationships matter: "It's not what you know, it's who you know. I'll land some jobs just because I know them." But once you're in the room, she stressed, you still need the talent to deliver.

Mellovia, who has been building her network in Manchester, said social media — especially LinkedIn — has been her biggest tool. Each platform plays a different role: LinkedIn for professional connections and showing your work to founders, Instagram for polished visuals, TikTok for raw, unfiltered video. Her advice to students: go to industry events, show your skills and strategy publicly, and when you interview, research the organisation and come with practical ideas.

Content creators vs trained actors

Faye, who began acting professionally at 30, drew a clear line between acting and content creation. Acting is about portraying a character and being emotionally vulnerable; sponsored content is scripted promotion. The habits of social media don't always transfer — her agent advised her to tone down the high-energy "hook" style in audition tapes. And in commercial casting, decisions are made in seconds, often with no feedback at all. Thick skin is part of the job.

Host Molly, trained in broadcast journalism, recognised the tension herself: "Sometimes I'm like, I'm being Molly the presenter. Maybe I should just be Molly and rein it in a little bit."

Is a degree still worth it?

The panel debated whether creative careers still need a university degree. The general view: education is a valuable safety net, but networking, personal brand and hands-on portfolio work often open doors faster. Fatima's advice to aspiring makeup artists is to master the craft first — through courses or working on a beauty counter, where you'll work on every kind of skin — before relying on social media. Faye, a mum of two, wants young people to keep something to fall back on: "I just hope they don't go through life thinking, 'Oh, I'll just get on social media and get a load of followers'… at least if the kids have something to fall back on, and they've got to graft."

Running the business: product, marketing and letting go

The conversation closed on lessons for anyone running a business. Fatima's top tip was delegation: "Find someone who does it better than you. I hate admin. Now I have a PA who deals with everything and everything gets done on time." She also shared how she won over a developer who had initially turned her down by coming back with a full business plan — securing her distinctive studio off Mancunian Way after a three-year search — and why she kept her signature pink interior despite the trend for neutrals.

On the eternal question of product versus marketing, the panel landed on both. "You can have the most amazing product in the world," Fatima said, "but if you don't have the right marketing strategy in place, it's not going to sell." Angela put the other side just as firmly: "For me, I've got to have a good product because it's my reputation. If I provide you with a shirt and it fades after a wash, I don't want that."

The takeaway

Influencers aren't ruining fashion and beauty — but blind trust in paid promotion is fading. Authenticity, real skill and real relationships are what's lasting. Whether you're a fashion student, makeup artist, content creator or business owner, the message from the bench was the same: be good at what you do, show the real story behind it, and surround yourself with people who make you better.

Do you trust influencers when they recommend a product? Watch the full conversation and tell us what you think.