Below
is the article by Journalist Caitlin McBride in independent.ie on January 29
2019 10:15 AM- Who on earth is James Charles, the beauty vlogger who brought
gridlock to a Birmingham shopping centre?
Much
was made of the fact that the 19-year-old only appeared at the Bullring
shopping centre for just 30 seconds to launch his latest Morphe Cosmetics
collection, but the frenzy was enough to attract police support, additional
security hired by the venue and escalators were shut down for health and
safety. A video he posted of the appearance captured a general sense of teenage
hysteria usually reserved for boybands.
There
are few more times you're confronted with your advancing age than when you have
to ask, "Who is that?"
With
the popularity of social media superstars, influencers and vloggers translating
more into the real world, it's becoming even harder to keep up with celebrity
culture when you've aged out of the target demographic. So, after reading a
story yesterday on The Guardian about an American beauty vlogger who brought
"gridlock" to a Birmingham shopping centre, my immediate thought was,
who on earth is James Charles?
The
internet was abuzz with talk of Charles yesterday, in particular after event
organisers and police underestimated his popularity, with many motorists
complaining of several hour delays and gridlock in Birmingham city centre as a
result. But any teenager you know could recite his biography with ease.
Despite
his young age, he has made a powerful impact on the global cosmetics industry,
nabbing his first beauty contract with CoverGirl in 2016 and spearheaded a
makeup revolution among men, particular among teenagers, nearly all of whom
consume...well, just about everything...online. CoverGirl's decision to
introduce its first male ambassador was received well and the company issued a
statement of unwavering support for their newest signing, who is
"redefining what it means to be beautiful".
"James
Charles is no exception. One year ago, he boldly chose to launch his Instagram
to the world, using transformative, dynamic makeup looks to showcase the many
facets of his personality, serving as an inspiration to anyone who might have
been afraid to do the same,” the statement said. For a brand aimed at the youth
market, it was a hole in one.
It
also legitimised his business into the mainstream industry, something YouTubers
and Instagrammers have long struggled with. Designers are still famously
selective about who they invite to sit front row at their fashion shows, still
preferring traditional celebrities with just one blogger/vlogger/influencer at
the very top of their game (like Tanya Burr at Dior's Paris Haute Couture Week
show). But brands pay big bucks for an affiliation with the right person with
the right audience. James has nearly 14 million YouTube subscribers and just as
many Instagram followers and even with the fact that there is clearly some
crossover between followers, that's one hell of an engaged audience.
As
such, James has a range of hoodies with Sisters Apparel and a custom makeup
palette with Morphe. He travels via private jet and helicopter and he hangs out
with Demi Lovato, Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian, the latter of whom paired
with him to promote her latest KKW Beauty launch. He calls everyone sisters and
refers to fans as the 'sisterhood' and evokes a message of positivity,
confidence and self-acceptance, which is always one worth spreading.
"I
definitely do not think of makeup as like a validation type thing," he
told Seventeen magazine last year. "For me it's a creative outlet and an
art form. It's not like 'oh my god I need to feel pretty'. It's like, 'This is
so cool, I just created art on my face'. I've always been a very artsy person
and I always preach self-confidence and knowing your worth. Although makeup definitely
makes people feel pretty — including myself — that's not the purpose for
it."
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