How obsessed do you need to be to run a fashion wardrobe account? Quite a lot, according to the Instagram account managers of CBK’s Closet, Whatmiuccia and Buffywardrobe
It is difficult to understand how a person can manage to do «God’s work» on Instagram, as followers often comment under their posts. And yet it seems that their research, so extraordinarily precise and dedicated, is truly the result of an esoteric gift. They are even able to trace back the nail polish brand used in a scene, the type of sofa depicted in an archival photo, or dig up, among the thousands of images taken of their idol, the one that best fits the present moment.
There are Instagram accounts that started out as image archives - sometimes scanned from print, but often sourced from Pinterest - and that have now become real media outlets, complete with sponsored content and consulting activities for brands and designers. But for whatmiuccia, CBK’s Closet and buffywardrobe, it is not a job but a hobby that continues to gather niche communities (even if we are talking about thousands of followers) of enthusiasts from all over the world. And the choice to make their research accessible is proof that, in an era of paywalls and subscriptions, there is still passion in fashion.
CBK’s Closet, the wardrobe of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy
In the past month, images of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and JFK Jr have flooded our timelines. The release of Love Story, the series directed by Ryan Murphy that retraces their tragic story on Disney+, has brought the style of an unforgettable couple back into the spotlight, attracting a whole new audience of curious viewers. However, while many of them discovered the CBK’s Closet page after watching the miniseries, the page manager (who preferred to remain anonymous, ed.) avoided the show and recommends anyone wanting to learn more about their story to consult biographies instead. For those interested exclusively in Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s style - from the bandana she wears on a certain sunny New York day to the brand of the armchair she sits on in a famous photograph where she embraces JFK Jr - it only takes a few minutes browsing her page.
Created out of curiosity after discovering that Instagram hosted several accounts dedicated to celebrity wardrobes, CBK’s Closet began posting in 2020. Six years and 153 posts later, the account has amassed over 20,000 followers, including stylists and costume designers interested in the it-girl’s style. Although the hype around Love Story has slightly altered Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s fanbase - affected not so much by new admirers as by Murphy’s fictional narrative - the CBK’s Closet community remains made up of people who are «helpful, kind, inquisitive, funny! Such lovely people,» the manager comments.
What emerges quite clearly from the CBK’s Closet archive is the simplicity and clarity with which Bessette Kennedy created her outfits. Setting aside for a moment the minimalist aesthetic for which she has long been admired - defined mainly by neutral palettes and soft silhouettes - the overview offered by CBK’s Closet reveals a certain comforting repetition of loafers, small glossy leather bags, and an immeasurable number of maxi dresses and dark coats. A spontaneity - and certainly a decisiveness - that is much harder to find in today’s celebrities, as the account’s founder also confirms. «Her style was very effortless and she didn’t seem to follow any of the trends that were going on at the time. Carolyn stayed her authentic self, dressed for herself and people can relate to that. Despite the high-end and designer clothes she would wear, her outfits are also easy to replicate.»
whatmiuccia, the style of Miuccia Prada
We couldn’t write this article without mentioning whatmiuccia, a page dedicated to the outfits of Miuccia Prada. Founder Guillaume Lavoie does not post from Milan, as one might expect, but from Montreal, and since 2018 has gathered a following of nearly 90,000 enthusiasts. «I always found Miuccia interesting, so I have amassed pictures, articles and features about her through the years so that made me a base to work with,» Lavoie explained.
Recently, perhaps due to AI, internet saturation, and an algorithm that tends to recycle the same content, Lavoie has had to find more reliable sources than Google for his research - allowing him to uncover even more unseen material about Prada. «Instagram is the place now where the most interesting pictures appear but you have to catch them. I also try to look elsewhere, at prints, public and academic libraries, internet databases etc. and that tends to bring special material,» he explained.
«The element of fun, freedom and integrity is quite important when I think about this account. Since it’s not myself that I document on my Instagram and that it’s Prada, it’s got to be very specific. Of course I am always open to opportunities but profit is not my main concern regarding this account»
Over the years, the success of whatmiuccia has given Lavoie the opportunity to meet Miuccia Prada in person - «she seemed quite taken aback when I told her it was my first time in Italy» - and to work as a creative consultant for Prada. But the most glamorous thing he has done, he says, «is DM'ing about jewelry with Marc Jacobs,» which explains a few things about Lavoie’s goals for the page and the personality of his community. Like Marc Jacobs, Lavoie explains, it is full of enthusiasm and interesting ideas to share with him. «According to the analytics, it’s mostly women from Italy and as a guy from Canada I'm really happy about that as I think it shows I must be doing something right.»
buffywardrobe, the costumes of Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Caroline Burney approached the world of Buffy in 2023, when she began searching for outfits and clothing that matched the esoteric ‘90s aesthetic of the show’s characters. After finding on Depop a corset worn by one of the protagonists, Burney started her collection of the show’s clothing, a research process that also led her to identify brands and garments never previously found online. «I wanted to be able to share the things I had found. There’s usually a lot of secrecy around brands in the screen accurate clothing community and I wanted to make looking for these pieces a bit easier for people,» said the manager of buffywardrobe, which since 2024 has gathered a niche of over 30,000 enthusiasts.
Like Lavoie, buffywardrobe’s research does not rely on Google but on other media: past editions of fashion catalogs and magazines from the ‘90s and 2000s, as well as internet archives, to discover which designers were popular during those years through old interviews with the show’s costume designers. One of the most impressive discoveries on the page is a nail polish worn by Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), which she traced through the account Vintage_dusties, one of her passions. «I sort of view what I do as a matching game or a ‘Where’s Waldo’ puzzle,» Burney explains, who currently dedicates an average of three hours a day to the page, if not entire Sundays.
The page has become a small business for Burney, who in addition to being passionate about the series has become a great expert in ‘90s design, both in terms of brands and products. «I had a lot of people express interest in me selling the Buffy clothes I find, but I always ended up wanting to keep them. I sell screen accurate pieces occasionally if they don’t fit me or my personal style,» she says. Recently, Burney has started to recreate some of the jewelry and T-shirts worn by the show’s protagonists, since they often belong to a market from 20 or 30 years ago, while a few days ago she shared a Reel on Instagram together with Betsey Johnson exploring the American designer’s pieces featured in the series.
In just two years, buffywardrobe has become a time capsule containing all the brands most loved by Gen X and Millennials in the ‘90s. Beyond the usual names that remain popular today, Burney’s research tells the story of a whole range of brands that were mainly known among costume designers of the time. One of her favorites is Monah Li, a designer who worked with upcycling in the ‘90s and early 2000s. «Her pieces were sold at Fred Segal on Melrose Avenue, a popular destination for costume designers.» Or Voyage (Invest in the Original), a label so exclusive that it reportedly turned away several celebrities from its stores, and whose pieces were «extremely maximalist and usually featured velvet trim, beading and pearls, bright colors, and a handmade vibe.» Quite a contrast with contemporary brands, which chase virality, or production companies that focus more on merchandise than on their films.
