How WhoWhatWear’s Danielle Bernstein selects brand partnerships

With over 1.4m followers on Instagram alone, New Yorker Danielle Bernstein of WeWoreWhat exemplifies the power of fashion influencers, having collaborated with the likes of Neiman Marcus, Topshop and Tommy Hilfiger.

An early adopter to the scene at the age of 19, Bernstein now only 23, shares her expertise on how to engage in successful collaborations without sacrificing the aesthetics or values of influencer brand platform. 

Partner with brands that resonate with your audience

From the offset, Bernstein’s understanding of her readership meant that she always considered - and responded to - audience demand. As a result, WeWoreWhat transitioned from a street style blog to a focus on her personal style, rapidly gaining momentum over the years and eventually attracting attention from high-end brands.

Yet, with a desire to represent real women, Bernstein insists on showcasing budget-friendly and luxury looks, “As much as possible, I try to provide more affordable choices whenever blogging about designer product.” Doing so enables accessibility to a wide demographic of readers that can take inspiration from her style regardless of budget.

Select brands wisely – and make sure they align with your values

Despite being inundated with offers, Bernstein takes time in choosing the right partnership. In creating a “relatable perspective” of the industry to her audience, any content generated needs to fulfil the WeWoreWhat values and aesthetic. She says, “I only collaborate with brands that I truly believe in and I work closely with the brand to make sure that all aspects fit the WeWoreWhat aesthetic.”

Bernstein employs an agency to advise on potential collaborations for suitability, stressing that the key to curating your blog effectively is to interrogate every inquiry, “I definitely have brands that I work with more often than others, but that’s really on a case-by-case basis.”

Be open to partnering with a publisher or multi-channel network

Bernstein has recently become involved with Refinery29’s new influencer initiative, Here and Now. Working collectively with Refinery29’s Editors and ad partners, Bernstein creates content for the network which is then distributed to the Refinery29 and WeWoreWhat audience. For Bernstein, this partnership boosts her coverage among a previously untapped audience, “(It’s) great exposure to an audience I may not have previously been able to reach.”

Learn from your mistakes to grow your business

Despite being at the top end of the digital influencer ladder, Bernstein is humble about her beginnings, “When I first started out and was not signed with an agency, I made many mistakes but the business of blogging was undefined back then.” Over the years, the reward-based learnings from her experience has paid off: her collaboration choices and style has evolved as has the way in which she markets her style and cultivates her content. Commercially, Bernstein is able to command up to $15,000 an Instagram post (via Harper’s Bazaar) and is regularly called upon as a fashion consultant, influencer, businesswoman and content curator.

weworewhat.com

@weworewhat

WeWoreWhat

@WeWoreWhat