Meet Rachel Tee Tyler; she’s an Instagram sensation, the new face of Bonds Sweats and a total skincare junkie. Below, BD chats with Rachel to find out her top tips for networking and building an Instagram following, and her ground rules for collaborating with brands.
Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into Instagram/Influencing?
It happened quite by accident! I’ve always enjoyed sharing pictures of my outfits and I quickly gained a following doing so. It just snowballed. Now I get to work with my dream brands, styling outfits and creating original content for them, it’s really such a blessing.
You’re the new face of Bonds Sweats – could you tell us how this collaboration came about?
Bonds reached out to gauge my interest in becoming an ambassador for the range, and having grown up wearing Bonds - THE iconic Aussie brand - I pinched myself and said yes right away! It’s so great because they’ve picked Aussies from various industries, all killing it at what they do. I’m just so stoked to be amongst great company. The campaign is so diverse and so representative of young Australians forging their own way internationally. Such an inspiring collaboration.
What’s the first thing you do when a brand comes to you for opportunities?
The first thing I do is check out the brand, they have to fit with my own style and personality.
Do you set any personal ground rules when working with brands?
Absolutely! My biggest rule is to maintain authenticity. This means only taking on collaborations that fit with not only my personal style but also my ethics. Unfortunately, the industry can be diluted with disingenuity when it comes to paid collaborations, and it’s very obvious. I want to always stay transparent and authentic with my audience, so I say no a lot to brands and products I don’t believe in. At the end of the day, I am blessed with an audience who look to me for advice, styling, recommendations, etc and I only want to share quality content with them.
Do you have any tips for people who want to build a following on Instagram?
Stay authentic and be open and honest with your audience. With so many Influencers out there, to stand out you can only really be you. You’ll attract the people and the brands that really do love you, so don’t feel pressured to follow trends or do what everyone else is doing. Also, be consistent. The algorithm is a pain in the butt, so keep uploading that quality content and engage with your audience!
We hear you love your skincare – what’s your top skincare tip?
Drink lots of water! You’ve heard it a thousand times but honestly, staying hydrated is my top priority when it comes to my skin.
Which trend is exciting you about the beauty industry right now?
I love that everyone is now so interested in the Korean Beauty industry. They’ve long been ahead of the skincare game. I myself follow a 10-step skincare routine, and a lot of my favourite products are Korean.
Who in the industry do you most admire?
Margaret Zhang is a prime example of someone who took an early digital presence and built a career from it. She’s forged such a name for herself in the industry, working with huge international fashion houses, and has evolved from the blogger title to photographer, director, stylist, you name it! Definitely someone I have huge admiration for.
Top networking tip?
Put yourself out there! As someone who suffers social anxiety from time to time, my biggest hurdle was (and sometimes still is) getting out of my comfort zone and attending events, showings, castings, meetings and any other opportunities to get out there and make long-lasting connections. The relationships I’ve now built in the industry are not only professional, but also really personal too. I wouldn’t have made half the friendships I have, or landed half the jobs, if I never got the courage to go it alone and mingle.
If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing?
Definitely photography. I love being behind the camera, probably more-so than in front of it really!
