Freelancers in fashion during coronavirus crisis: The blogger

Blogging is possible from anywhere. But creative input could suffer when the world is suddenly restricted to one room. Does the coronavirus lockdown block creativity or allow for more imagination, like in the film “Home Alone”?

FashionUnited asked several fashion freelancers - of course from a safe distance - how the current situation is for them and how they deal with it. In the last article of our series, blogger Julia Dalia talks about the daily life of an influencer.

Pictures: photoshoot for Farfetch (left) and for Shetty Karthik (right)

Earlier this month, a survey by the agency KMB Creative Network AG showed that, due to the coronavirus crisis, 84 percent of influencers fear for their existence as collaborations are cancelled and “sponsored posts feel wrong in the current situation”. Instead, influencers want to strengthen their communication with their followers. A conscious relationship with the environment should pave the way for the future.

For Berlin-based Julia Dalia, sustainability has not only been a priority since the start of the crisis. On her blog of the same name, readers can accompany the 29-year old on her travels, learn more about the topics of beauty and fashion, as well as discover inspiration and a positive vibe: her message is sustainable, cultural and a little political - on Instagram, she spreads the word about a drinking water campaign for the charity Unicef.

For this, Dalia is working on long-term collaborations, such as with the cosmetics brand Dr. Hauschka. She advertises the beauty products in numerous posts on her blog: Sometimes as a useful tip for fashion week, sometimes as a visit to the Dr. Hauschka Spa.

She is also partnered with fashion brands like Chloe and Esprit, as well as the online store of luxury label Mytheresa. Support for this comes from the Sina Redfield Agency in Düsseldorf, whom she is also represented by.

Photos: Mehran Djojan

The blogger revealed to FashionUnited how she brought calm and routine into the corona chaos and how her crisis management took shape.

How is the current coronavirus situation for you?

At the beginning, I struggled with uncertainty. My generation has yet to witness a crisis that restricts personal freedom to this extent. I feel for people who worry about their job and livelihood. The panic, bulk buying in combination with the internet, social media and fake news made me stop and think about the fact that crises cannot be solved with selfishness, but rather altruism.

This crisis will still bother us in the next few months and the economy will also face some challenges. We can only make it out together. So, I ask myself everyday: What do I have time to do today? What can I do now? Don’t be too shy to ask for help or to offer your help to others. If you can afford it, now is the time to provide some time, help or financial support.

What does your everyday life look like right now?

I have established routines in my daily life. My day begins with a morning ritual and ends with my nighttime routine. This creates a nice setting and helps me start my day grateful, awake and full of energy. Since I am self-employed, I am used to working from home. Once a day I go for a walk or occupy myself with furnishing my apartment. I am very grateful that I have well established relationships with my business partners and can continue to collaborate with sustainable brands.

My work days are different in the sense that I travel much less, restructure concepts so they are adapted to the current situation and replan my content production. Especially working as a blogger, you notice that events and trips are disappearing completely. I don’t find this dramatic and accept the situation as it is to find meaning in the deceleration of the world. I am using this opportunity as a creative phase, not only professionally but also in my private life. My friends, management and I are brainstorming a lot, which results in new ideas and I am very thankful for my circumstances. It makes us realize once again how grateful we can be to live in Germany.

furnishing the apartment

How busy are you with the future right now?

A lot. I am trying to always stay up to date, but I am not watching the news all the time. I generally think about new ways and possibilities, as it will be necessary in the future anyway. This may be an intense time, but it can also reveal lifestyles that are no longer sustainable. What needs to be changed in me, and possibly the world?

Are you aware of any support measures for freelancers in the current economic situation? Do you feel well informed or rather a little helpless?

I feel well informed and am impressed by the speed of German measures for micro-businesses, self-employed people and freelancers.

Photos: George Kroustallis

What is your current favorite distraction?

Though social life is crumbling for the most part, I do not find the world boring, but exciting. I don’t want to distract myself. So, how can I stay at home and find things to do that interest me? Right now is a good time to facetime with my friends and family, cook, do yoga, garden, write, relax on my massage pillow, take a walk, dance in my apartment, make plans, read books or simply lay in the sun.

Even if they are things that are good for me but that I do not like to do, such as cleaning out my wardrobe and finishing paperwork - things that were put on hold and can now be finished: I am trying to make room inside and out.

Photos: Shetty Karthik

This article was originally published on FashionUnited.DE, translated and edited.

Cover photo: Mehran Djojan

Photos: Julia Dalia/Sina Redfield Agency