How content curators are changing fashion on Instagram: an interview with @undercoverosh

Although it may sound like a fictional word, in recent years the term curating has taken on an important role in that corner of the world that connects fashion and social media. Dozens of pages have begun to use that approach made up of research and content to create real communities based on shared passions, giving life to that sometimes perverse aesthetic sense that can give millions of likes to a photo of an Issey Miyake jacket thrown on an unknown floor in an unidentified location. It's the curator, but above all, it's the content curator, at times an enigmatic figure who with the advance of social media and the increasing mood board role undertaken by Instagram have begun to take on an ever-greater value. The name Samutaro has become a staple in the fashion community, while pages such as High Fashion Talk and Throwing Fits have translated into print magazines and podcasts. 

Among all these, however, there was one capable of maximizing the role of the content curator, ranging from fashion to architecture, to cars and motivational sentences. However, the last step of Undercover Osh was the launch of a fashion brand, small drops capable of reviving the hype culture for limited quantities and countdowns before sold-out. The next step, probably, will be to change fashion once again with posts. nss magazine caught up with Osh to talk about his accounts' genesis, ambitions in fashion, and content curators' future. 

How would you describe your work and how did your Instagram experience start?

I am not really sure how to describe my work if I am being entirely honest. At the core of it, I really love sharing new content and engaging with people worldwide. Whether it's putting people on to new things like architecture, cars, fashion or sports, I really just love educating and sharing content I find interesting. Before Undercover Osh and all the sub-pages, I was actually a reseller of Japanese clothing (Bape, N(N), Undercover, etc.). I was able to grow a decent size following on my resale page while meeting some really amazing people along the way. I lost my passion for reselling a few years ago and decided to transition into sharing content. I never really expected it to grow this big but I am super thankful for all my amazing followers. They are some of the kindest people and are always encouraging each other in the comments which are amazing to see.

Do you think curators can play an important role in fashion?

I think curators play a fairly large role in the fashion industry... maybe more than people think. Many of these 'archive pages' have a large audience that ranges from professional athletes, stylists, fashion designers and A-list celebrities. When these pages post a certain item they deem as 'cool', it is seen and often purchased by these 'influencers' with huge audiences. When these influencers are seen wearing these items, they gain further mainstream appeal and the demand skyrockets. This happened with the Stussy dunks a few years ago! Additionally, some fashion designers follow these pages for possible inspiration.

You recently launched your brand, have you always thought about using your weight on social media to create a fashion brand?

Although I have quite a few pages spanning a wide variety of topics, fashion has always been one of my passions. I remember back in the day going to the thrift store with my best friend, buying ill-fitting denim that fit in the waist, taking it home, and tapering it on my sewing machine my grandpa bought me. We all wanted to have that Hedi Slimane look! Or thrifting grey sweatshirts and cutting off the sleeves trying to get that APC x Kanye fit. For me, creating my own clothing line was a natural step but it was never my intention. In all honesty, my intention for the fashion brand is to keep it relatively small for the time being. It's more of a passion project at this time. I love the idea of sustainability in fashion so I try to have all my garments produced and packaged sustainably as well. Much like my passion for sharing content, I love sharing my clothing as well!

Where do you think the role of content curators will go in the coming years?

I think you will definitely see some big things coming from these curators. Specifically, I think some of them are in a position to launch extremely successful clothing brands. If done correctly, they have the audience and the reach to make it work. A good case study of this is JJJJOUND. His entire brand started from curating aesthetic content on his website in 2008. Now he has a huge following and is doing great things! I also wouldn't be surprised to see some of these pages make successful magazines, Youtube channels, and podcasts. It is hard to say what will happen in the future with these types of pages, but I'm excited to see where it goes!