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The Unlikely Fashion Duo Taking TikTok by Storm

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Francesca Keller, a 27-year-old influencer, and her former Vogue editor mother, Elissa Santisi, have become TikTok's favorite intergenerational fashion duo. Their videos, which feature Ms. Santisi doling out tough-love fashion advice and critiquing high-end retailers' "bad selection," have amassed millions of views. The unlikely duo's content is a refreshing antidote to the usual fast-fashion and haul videos that dominate the platform.

Key Takeaways:

  • Francesca Keller's first video on TikTok features her walking through SoHo during Fashion Week with a scarf wrapped around her head, referencing a incident where she "growled" at Anna Wintour, her mother's former boss.
  • Ms. Keller's mother, Elissa Santisi, a former Vogue style director, has become an accidental influencer due to her daughter's content, which showcases her blunt fashion opinions and critiques.
  • The duo's earliest videos, which have almost 2 million views, feature Ms. Keller tagging along with Ms. Santisi on shopping excursions, where she leaves multiple department stores empty-handed due to her mother's high fashion standards.
  • Ms. Santisi's fashion preferences include luxury brands such as Phoebe Philo-era Celine, Loewe, Prada, Dries Van Noten, and Dior Men, which she dispenses as tough-love fashion advice to her daughter.
  • The duo's content represents a transition of power from editors to influencers, with Ms. Keller noting that fashion week now consists of more branded events than runway shows.
  • Ms. Santisi has no interest in internet fame and has asked her daughter to remove some content, but has come to accept her role as the "Fashion Mom."
  • The duo's relationship is built on Ms. Keller's outgoing personality and her mother's more subdued nature.

Statistics:

  • Francesca Keller's first video on TikTok has almost 2 million views.
  • The duo's earliest videos have accumulated almost 2 million views.
  • Ms. Santisi's TikTok account has gained a significant following, mostly due to her blunt fashion opinions and critiques.
  • The duo's content has led to designers inviting them to shows and parties.
  • Ms. Keller has admitted to stealing from her mother's closet, including a pair of Chanel boots and a Celine jacket, which she often gets dirty.

Sources:

  • "The September Issue" (documentary, 2009)
  • "The New York Times" (article)

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