Fashion Humor: When Instagram Becomes the New Playground for Criticism

Forget the austere and elitist fashion criticism of the past. On Instagram, a new generation of creators is using the codes of digital media to talk about fashion with intelligence, erudition, and, above all, a healthy dose of self-deprecation. By mixing fashion and humor, accounts like @sapecommejadis and @couturfu are dusting off the genre and making it accessible to everyone. Through memes and quirky skits, they offer a fresh and often insightful perspective on the industry's quirks and treasures.

"Sapé comme Jadis": Fashion History in Comedic Form

Behind the account @sapecommejadis (which translates to 'Dressed Like the Old Days') is Yvane Jacob, a fashion journalist who collaborates with museums and institutions. Far from an academic tone, her Instagram account is a "little gem of witty humor," as described by Grazia magazine. Her concept? To stage the history of clothing through performative and comedic videos. You can see her trying to go ziplining in a 1950s Dior dress, strolling in the park in a 1910 suit, or going to the movies in 17th-century attire, ruff included.

Each skit is a living history lesson, humorously highlighting the absurdity of wearing historical garments in modern contexts. This approach makes fashion history incredibly engaging and memorable. By literally putting herself in the clothes of the past, Yvane Jacob de-sacralizes fashion and reminds us that it is, above all, about life, movement, and context.

"Couturfu": The Sharp Wit of Fashion Memes

In a different style, the account @couturfu (crazy future couture) uses the power of memes and pop culture references to comment on fashion news. The creator behind the account brilliantly hijacks images from movies, TV shows, or current events to create hilarious parallels with runway shows and industry trends. A look from a new collection might be compared to a cartoon character, or a designer's dramatic statement might be juxtaposed with a reality TV clip.

This format, native to internet culture, allows for sharp, immediate, and often surprisingly accurate criticism. As Grazia notes, it’s a way to "laugh at a world that sometimes takes itself too seriously." By using a universal language, humor, @couturfu makes the often-intimidating world of high fashion relatable to a much wider audience.

The Rise of a New Form of Dialogue

The success of these accounts reveals a fundamental shift in how we talk about fashion. The era of top-down criticism, where a handful of journalists dictated trends from their ivory towers, is over. Today, social media has democratized the conversation. Everyone can share their opinion, and humor has become one of the most effective tools for doing so. This new tone—more relaxed, inclusive, and participatory—resonates perfectly with the expectations of a connected generation that values authenticity over authority.

This reflects a profound change in our relationship with fashion, largely influenced by technology. Shopping is no longer an isolated act but a permanent cultural conversation. Consumers are no longer passive; they comment, parody, critique, and appropriate trends. They expect brands and media to participate in this dialogue with the same authenticity. The emergence of platforms like UNECIO is part of this logic: combining product discovery, algorithmic recommendation, and a social dimension. The goal is to recreate this conversation online, where community feedback, themed collections, and inspiration from content creators enrich the shopping experience and make it more relevant and human.

CONCLUSION The marriage of fashion and humor on Instagram is not trivial. It signals a need for a more authentic and uninhibited dialogue around clothing. By using formats native to the web, these creators are inventing a new form of criticism that is both entertaining and insightful. They prove that you can talk seriously about fashion without taking yourself too seriously, and in doing so, they are opening up the conversation to everyone.

KEY TAKEAWAYS: • Instagram accounts are using humor, memes, and skits to create a new, accessible form of fashion criticism. • Accounts like @sapecommejadis use comedy to teach fashion history, while @couturfu uses memes to comment on current trends. • This trend reflects a shift towards a more democratic and participatory conversation about fashion. • Humor makes the industry less intimidating and more relatable to a broader, digitally-native audience.

📎 Sources: Instagram accounts that talk about fashion differently - Grazia