Feature; Grainne Binns

For the third of our October editions of Fashion Soc Features, we caught up with Grainne Binns, to discuss the modern day Instagram Influencer and the many variations of the job spec, sustainability and ethics, how to break into the fashion industry, as well as the feat of finding your personal style.

How would you describe yourself? What do you do?

I work at Nine crows, then I obviously run my Instagram account as well, but I feel like there's such toxicity around the word influencer. But I suppose an influencer because I influence people, so yeah social media influencer. I run my Instagram, I have my YouTube and then over lockdown I got into Tik Tok.

As well as that, I do bits of styling and I just launched my T shirt brand. I'm actually doing a bit of graphics for other people sometimes as well, so yeah a bit of everything.

Tell us about social. Did you find that your social media grew organically or do you make a conscious effort in order to keep up and expand your platform?

For me like it wasn't ever about ‘oh I want to be an influencer’ it was more just like, I love clothes and I want to share my clothes and people would always say to me ‘how do you have the confidence to wear what you do?’ so for me it was more like, I want to show people that it's not actually a big deal, like you just have to just do it. You know if you want to wear something, like what’s stopping you really other than yourself. I know people are like ‘people are gonna say this and blah blah blah’, but it's like you know you're actually the only person stopping yourself, so I guess it was more like that for me.

But it was probably around 2017, I had a blog and stuff before then but I just kind of used to post (once) a week. Before that, when I was about 16 or so I had a ‘look-book’, it was basically like Instagram before Instagram, people just used to post outfits! I had a Tumblr as well where I used to post my outfits.

So that was all very organic, but it was around 2017 when I was like… I guess I recognise what you can do from this, I was like OK I'm kind of doing this anyway and have been, so I'm just going to put more time and effort into it and that was when I decided to start posting consistently and like structure my posts, and then I just took it really seriously from there and then it kind of grew I guess!

Are you into sustainable fashion?

Yes I am! I’m working in nine crows and I've shopped vintage and thrift since I was about 15. At the time it wasn't about the planet, everyone was just like ‘global warming!’ but it wasn't like ‘oh we’re dying.’ That was almost 10 years ago now, so it was kind of just like I shopped vintage and thrift because I was finding my personal style. I was so against high street stores, because everyone looked the same! I didn't want to look like anyone else, so that was how I got into it.

I remember PLT starting out, and I remember at the time when they first started they were pretty cool - it was something that hadn’t been done before.I kind of started shopping there but as the years went on I was like ok no, they literally just mass produce there's no individuality to their clothes anymore, so then I went back to thrifting and I love it.

I think as well working in nine crows now, I always see the deliveries as they come in and you’re just instantly like ‘Oh my God!’ I do a bit of work up in the warehouse there now and then, so it's first grabs on the nicest stuff that comes in! To be honest I don’t even really shop that much, I kind of see things at work and just pick them up. But if I were to shop, I would mainly go vintage and thrift shops. If I go somewhere - even in Ireland, on Holidays, like the first thing I do is look up what vintage and thrift shops are there to explore - my family hate me for it. I remember we were in San Diego last year and I was like ‘We have to go to all of these shops’.

Do you ever feel pressure as someone who is an influencer and also happens to thrift to constantly promote sustainability? Do you feel like you can’t buy new, or at certain shops?

If I am I'm shopping first hand I'm more kind of shopping independent brands, my thing is even if it's not 100% sustainable, if it's not eco-cotton or like 100% sustainably made, or the materials aren't 100% sustainable, if it comes from an independent seller I think that's my main kind of importance.

At the end of the day, you're giving an independent person their living as opposed to these huge corporations who aren't paying their workers fairly.

I do a lot of work with Elsie and Fred and so all of the pieces that I get from them are new, but where my ethics lies with them is that they’re so open about where their factories are. They have a factory in China where they started manufacturing with a family owned business - Elsie & Fred is made up of a brother and two sisters as well, and then as they grow, their manufacturer’s family business grows too. They’re very open about how they source their clothes and all of that, so for me that's where my feeling with ethics lies, everything is really open there.

On fast fashion, sometimes I buy the odd bit off like ASOS or whatever yeah, but my thing with that is asking myself ‘How much do I want this and how much am I gonna wear it?’, ‘Is it just for an Instagram post?’ Once I can justify how long I'm going to wear it, then I'm kind of okay to go ahead with that and it would be the same with working with brands. I definitely would never work with bigger brands and corporations, if there's smaller kinds of brands, I'm like OK they're definitely not 100% sustainable. I consider whether or not I love their pieces and obviously I have to make a living also.

Do you ever feel you battle with re-wearing clothes for your Instagram posts? With the way things now, so many people want to see new outfits all the time which isn’t the most sustainable option.

To be honest I find I like re-wearing things, I think it shows off your styling capabilities, like if I can restyle something without people really generally noticing. That’s what I do a lot, I’ve re-worn things and I just style them completely differently! A lot of the time I shoot my content from home or have a content shooting day, I don't really care about wearing it out again because the world hasn't seen it, just my Instagram.

But even on posting things twice, I had a little set that had been sitting in my wardrobe for months that was gifted to me over lockdown that I posted on my Instagram. Then, a few weeks ago I was going out for my friend’s birthday, I was like ‘My God, what the hell am I gonna wear?’ and I realised that I had literally only worn it to my garden, and thought what the hell it needs it’s time to shine! All my friends were getting pictures and so I got another and I posted it again and you would not even notice like my hair was different and it was a different background, unless you actually scrolled down my feed you wouldn’t have noticed. People don’t even think about (re-styling a piece) - they think because they’ve worn something once they have to sell it on Depop.

I’d imagine most of your wardrobe is second hand, seeing as you have so many unique pieces. What are your go to shops? Or are you more into online shopping for second hand?

To be honest, I don’t really shop on Depop a lot just because I find it really annoying. I find it kind of hard to find the really good pieces. During lockdown, I missed shopping vintage so much, so I tried Depop and I literally spent like four hours on there and I found a skirt - I didn’t even love it I just wanted something at that point. I actually got that from a seller called ‘Tanis Vintage’ who does actually have a really good selection. I also like Sugar and Spice vintage, she’s a girl from Dublin. (I like) Mimi’s Garms who is not on Depop anymore, but now has her own website, I loved her Depop but now I love her site! They would be my top Depop sellers.

In terms of Dublin vintage shops, obviously I’m a bit biased so I’m gonna say Nine Crows but even before I worked there it was always one of my favourite shops to shop in. Then you have Tola Vintage, Dublin Vintage factory - who actually have a new shop in Temple Bar which I’ve heard is unreal! Then Lucy’s Lounge and then all of the charity shops on Georges street and Capel street too.

How are you kind of navigating second hand shopping while also being aware of the problem with the gentrification of charity and thrift shops these days?

The thing is, if you think about how time consuming charity shopping is, it's kind of an art! It's genuinely such a skill, so think about Depop sellers that actually spend their whole days and sometimes a couple of days doing this, finding the best pieces. Obviously when people have unnecessary mark-ups that are just absolutely ridiculous, that isn't right, but I genuinely think most Depop sellers are not out to make a huge profit.

For example Sugar and Spice vintage or even Mimi’s Garms just have enough profit to live off and at the end of the day they’re saving us all of this time in the charity shops. We’re basically paying them a fee for finding these really unreal pieces, because we probably wouldn't find them. I just feel like it's an art in itself, being able to go in and come out with these great pieces, because when I go charity shopping, I find that it's maybe one in five times that I'll go in and come out and be like ‘Oh my gosh I got such a good deal.’ But most times when I do go onto these Depop sellers, I'll always find something that I like so I find the markup is a fee being paid to them for them finding these pieces and their time in their effort.

I know you're into sustainability, but do you ever feel like there is a certain pressure put on influencers like yourself who happen to be interested in sustainable fashion, to speak out on social issues or carry certain movements on their backs?

I'm a very emotional sensitive person. It's never pressure for me, I just feel like it's something I have to do. I have this platform, it would be stupid of me not to use it for that. Even during lockdown, there was the Black Lives Matter movement, and it was heavy and dark and I really struggled a lot. I was just like this is so unfair and I honestly can't even imagine. I just knew I can't not post anything about this. I lost some followers because of it, but at the end of the day the trash takes itself out, like good riddance. If you don't want to hear this then you're part of the problem and I don't want you here on my page anyways.

Do you have any advice for people interested in the fashion industry that or that want to be influencer, maybe on how to get started or build an Instagram following?

My first thing would be to have a backbone. I would say just say yes to everything. Don't be afraid of criticism, at the end of the day I really feel like fashion is such a spectrum. People aren't going to like your work and some people are going to love it. I would say ask - especially with styling, just asking stylists if you can assist them for the day, it really gives you an insight into how shoots work! When I finished college, I did a few assisting jobs. I assisted with a TV shoot and a runway show as well, I also did some editorial ones. So, because of that I got to see different sides of the fashion industry and how different sides work.

Also, internships! But be careful of them, try not to let yourself be exploited. I hate even saying it, but working for free kind of comes with the fashion industry and so even just try to have your lunch and your transport covered. It is unfortunate and hopefully that will change, I always say if I'm in a position to have an intern I'm not doing it until I can pay them. Try to see everything as an experience especially when you’re new and try to see everything as a learning curve.

I would say try to organise test shoots as well with the photographer and makeup artists. I think college societies are great for that! When I went to DCU, I styled the fashion show for two years and that was a great experience. So basically, say yes to everything, collaborate with people, try and assist people and don't be afraid because there is literally no time or space for you to be afraid.

It's cutthroat and so many people want to work in fashion, it has to be your life. I remember my parents saying everybody wants to work in fashion, but for me I knew that it was what I was born to do. I don't want to do anything else.

What advice would you give to someone that wants to shop sustainably and has seen the effects that the fashion industry has on the planet, but wants to find their personal style and really get into fashion?

I would probably say just play with clothes. I feel like when you're deciding what your style is, you kind of have some idea of what you like - everybody is influenced from something. Especially nowadays, we have this overload of online images. I know when I was finding mine, I used Tumblr and look-books a lot. So, I kind of just played with things that I saw online. Having seen people and images that I was influenced from, I kind of figured out the aesthetic that I wanted to build for myself. From there it was playing with clothes that I found suited me.

I look back at some of my outfits and I cringe, like ‘Who let me out of the house!’ But that’s all part of it like I’m sure in ten years time, I’ll look back at some of my outfits now and think “Was I okay?” and now, every day I’m like ‘Ugh I am killing it!’

Where do you get your style inspiration?

I would probably look towards runway, rather than one individual person.

I have people that I’m like woah like I love your style like Sita Abellan, she’s probably my biggest style inspiration. She’s a DJ / stylist / fashion figure, but she always has the most incredible outfits and I’ve followed her for years. Then people with similar styles to me, I kind of just draw from people and runway and Pinterest and choose my favourite elements from things and then make it into my own.

I’m not going to lie and say I don’t take inspiration from other people because obviously I do, I think everyone in the fashion world does. Fashion is art, and art imitates art.

I know Covid has put a bit of a spanner in the works, but do you have any big plans coming our way? The Irish fashion industry is growing, is there a particular aspect of the industry that you’re drawn to working in in the future?

I have some more T-shirts and I actually have a hoodie coming out soon, so I’ll probably have them within the next four weeks or so. From there, I want to keep building on that - doing clothes I guess, doing my own clothes. Hopefully we get a summer next year, I’d loved to have sourced a manufacturer by then, to be able to launch my own designs - so that’s my biggest goal in terms of fashion at the moment.

I also just want to keep doing Instagram, as hard work as it is I really love it But for now the t-shirts are my biggest passion project, because I want to launch it all as a brand. It’s weird because the pandemic really made me think that I need to change my whole life around, so in a lot of ways I’m very grateful for it, I’m trying to see it as some sort of cursed blessing in disguise.

You can follow Grainne @grainnebinns and her brand Subtle Poison @subtlepoiison on Instagram.