Teen Fashion Blogger to Design for Urban Outfitters

The reputation of fashion bloggers as a class has grown exponentially in recent seasons. Take the likes of Susie Bubble of Stylebubble and Byran Boy of the namesake blog; the best and the brightest of the online sartorial scribe set have successfully parlayed their virtual personae into enviable seats at fashion week, not to mention they're inspiring designers (Marc Jacobs named a bag after the latter last season). It's a far cry from the days when bloggers garnered little more respect than Bryant Park tent-crashers. Times have changed, as Urban Outfitters' most recent collaboration suggests. The mega-retailer, who in the past teamed with cult favorites like Obesity and Speed and Slow and Steady Wins the Race, has partnered with teenage fashion blogger Jane Aldridge of the blog Sea of Shoes.

At just 17 years old, the blogger and self-proclaimed shoephile has already been featured in Teen Vogue twice, not to mention captured praise from fellow fashion bloggers. “Sea of Shoes started as a joint project with her mom, Judy, a designer and former model who is Jane’s sole ‘real-life fashion friend,’ to showcase their vast collections and chat about contemporary designers,” says Texas Monthly, which recently profiled the Trophy Club, Texas-based blogger. The article also was the first to reveal that Aldridge “recently designed a line of shoes, Sea of Shoes by Jane, for Urban Outfitters; three pairs are set to debut in July and three in December.” Expect high-fashion inspired styles (the footwear lover is a major of fan of pairs from Margiela, Prada, and Comme des Garçons among others. And while the fashion blogger may be one of the first in her field to design for a major retailer, don’t expect it to be the last pairing. Bryan Boy for Topshop or Susie Bubble for H&M seems all too plausible of a next step.