Fashion Sense - Teenage fashion bloggers - Matalan

Don’t forget, this is an interactive video. Every time you see this symbol, click for more info! >> KAT: The internet has given rise kind of fashionista, the blogger. >> KAVITA: My name is Kavita and I’m a part time blogger and freelance writer. I never imaged in a million years that I would be where I am from my blog. I started when I was just 16 and it was just a hobby and it’s really nice that a hobby can turn into something that I can call officially a part-time job. It’s just something that I really, really enjoy. >> AMY: My name is Amy, I’m 16 and my blog is called Fashion Junkie. I’ve been blogging for about two years and I started because I wanted a career in fashion journalism, so I thought it would be a good way to get experience and to get some contacts in the industry. My highlight so far has probably been speaking at the Victorian Albert Museum fashion festival last year about blogging – that was really exciting. >> KAT: I want to see what these fashionista’s make of Matalan. So I’ve sent them to meet teen buyer, Janine. Will they find a fashion outfit to impress me, only using the Matalan teen range? >> JANINE: Being a mum I’m always surrounded by teenagers themselves. So if they’ve got any queries or anything that I’m not too sure of I always take it home and say “would you wear this?” And its like “Yeah mum, everyone is wearing this” or “Rihanna’s got it on!” that type of thing. So I know what’s going to be cool – I’m down with the kids. KAT: After a brief introduction, the girls are let loose! >> JANINE: Teen is the most exciting area you know. If anyone is going to try the fashion, it’s going to be the teen! They’re out there, I see them looking at the bloggers, they read the magazines. >> AMY: I love them! >> KAVITA: That’s like my favourite! >> JANINE: We do hundreds of garment tests with our quality team. We’ve got a list of tests that that garment must pass before it actually gets into store. Do you get a garment like a jersey and it will have to pass a rub test. You’ll get jeans that have to pass a stretch test. The colour fastness, everything has to be tested to make sure it’s to the best quality. >> KAVITA: I like that, it’s really cool. >> AMY: I like that! It’s really cool as well. >> KAVITA: We're just like shopaholics! >> JANINE: Making sure it’s suitable for our customer, the teenager, it’s important to speak to a lot of mums out there. It’s also good speaking to people in the office who have kids themselves. We will pass a garment around we’re like “Does that scare you?” “Is that too risky?” “Is it too sultry for a teenager” We’ll post them on Mums Net and ask a panel of mums what do they actually think and obviously you can’t please everyone but you’ll get a good response back and if 9 out of 10 mums say “it offends me” then we don’t even go there. This is one of our current best sellers. A lot of studying around bloggers. Again, credit to the teenagers we put a little cammy underneath so it’s not too see-through and they can wear a little vest-top underneath. >> KATT: Time to see what they found. The girls seem happy! To get my verdict, check this week’s Kat’s Closet!