MEET THE INFLUENCER: ALIZEY MIRZA

I’ve found you through the pintsized YouTube channel and I found it really fascinating that you guys were living your best lifes in Dubai and London.

You started your fashion blogs in 2010. And you guys were also the first in Dubai. Did you guys see this as an opportunity or disadvantage if it comes to the growing opportunities? We saw it as an opportunity to be one of the first in Dubai. There was only a small group of influencers in the middle east. Huda Beauty started around the same time as my sister and I. There are so many more influencers now than there were when we started.

You came to London to study journalism. Was it hard to manage your Dubai live and your student live here? You also went to Sydney right, can you tell us more about that change? Yes I was born in London and lived there for some quite of time. Than we moved to Dubai in 2007 when my mom started her own skin clinic. When I was 16 I came back to London for college and university.

What makes Dubai and London special for you? London is my home, I was born here, I was raised here. And Dubai is my second home, my mum and sister live there and I don't see my sister and mom that much so I love to visit them as often as I can.

Can you describe yourself. Because your followers only see a part of you? What is something they would only know if they really knew you? I'm really bubbly and outgoing and that is something my followers don't know about me. It's really hard to show that on Instagram. I look a lot more serious on Instagram in comparison to real life! But that will all change, because I'm starting my own YouTube channel where I will be able to show my personality.

So you're an identical twin, what makes your relationship with Lailli special? We as twins are very different from each other - compleet different contrast. We both have other taste in fashion and we are interested in completely other things. We do fight a lot even with all that distance between us haha.

So everyone can notice that you have an amazing sense of style. How would you describe your style? My style is really classic, timeless and not following trends. For example Off-White is really in fashion right now, but it's just not my style so you will never see me in that. I love to shop classic staple pieces which are very feminine and which will at least last me 2-3 years.

What are you favorite places to shop in London and Dubai and why? Zara is my favorite store for clothes. I also love Zimmermann and Massimo Dutti. Selfridges is also one of my favs, you can buy a lot of things there, makeup, hair accessories, they also have a lot of high street brands there. I don't only wear high street brand I love to mix and match.

And in Dubai I also love to shop at Zara, Valentino and Manolo Blahnik for shoes.

What's a fashion go and a totally fashion no-go for you? A fashion go for me is to keep it simple and never go over the top, just keep it simple and add one statement piece. Less is more.

A fashion no-go for me is mixing prints. I know its fashion, but I just a no-go for me” to “A fashion no-go for me is clashing prints. I just can’t bring myself to do it.

Who's your fashion icon?

Olivia Palermo and Negin Mirsalehi. I really love their style.

So you're going to start your own YouTube channel, can you tell use what we can expect on that channel?

So I graduated journalism and I really want to do something with that. And I used to want to work for a print magazine, but nowadays they are not that big anymore, so it's hard to get into that world and there is also not a lot of money to be made in it as well. I always wanted to present a show or something, which I'm going to do very soon. I will be presenting at an online tV channel in London. And on my own YouTube channel I will create more lifestyle, travel and fashion videos. By having different formats, because I want to have different content than on Pintsize otherwise I could just keep on making videos on that channel.

Do you have upcoming events you would love to share with us? For examples collabs or own projects?

I can't wait presenting on the online TV channel and I'm working on something exciting which I can not tell a lot about for now. But what I can share is that I will be doing some big giveaways around Christmas. On my YouTube channel I want to challenge myself by making mini docus and interviews.

Are you expecting to take over the family business in the future? Or do you have another company you would love to start in mind?

The skin clinic is doing quite well. We have some celebrities that regularly come to the clinic, such as Lindsay Lohan. I did not really think about but I do know my sister Lailli is already thinking about taking over the clinic, she also names herself the future CEO of the skin clinic on her Instagram bio haha.

How do you get in contact with brands, do you have a certain way of approaching them?

A lot of brands approach me. Many brands will get in contact to send a product on a gifting basis in exchange for a post. I usually don’t accept gifted products unless I genuinely like them. I’m very selective with the brands I work for because I have to be true to myself. This means I can’t work with every brand that approaches me.

You have worked really hard to build your personal brand, have there ever been a moment you said no to a company because you though it could have a negative effect on your brand? And if so how did you manage that situation?

In the past I've done a couple of collaborations of which I knew it wasn't really me, but because I wanted to take a risk I did it. But afterward I knew it did fit my brand, which is not a bad thing. You try it and you learn from it.

Have you used a certain strategy to grow as an influencer?

For me personally, blogging has always been a hobby and something I enjoy. Today I’m lucky enough to say that it’s a career. I believe if you do something you enjoy, your passion will always speak for itself. I shoot on a weekly basis with a photographer and try to attend one event a week if I can.

Would you say you're a really active influencer?

Uni was my first priority but since I graduated I can say I'm a more active influencer.

What kind of tips do you have for upcoming influencers?

I would say that you should figure out your brand from the beginning - what do you want and what do you want to stand for? If you promote everything your followers won't know who you are and what you truly like.

When you look back at your carriere. Are there things you would have done differently?

I would have focussed on it more, but because of my education I couldn't. But if I could I would have done it. Physically it was to much.

Do you have a pinch-me moment since starting your career? And so what was that moment?

I've worked with Gucci a few years for their bamboo handbag collection, which was my pinch-me moment until now.

The other one was the Harper’s Bazaar Best Dress award following Grazia magazine’s Most Stylish Reader award. I won both awards at the age of 16 when I was still in high school.

What kind of posts you feel, get the best response and which not?

So my photographer makes my pictures with his DSLR camera, but I noticed that my pictures that I take myself with iphone get dubbel interaction, because it's more approachable than a picture from a shoot.

Which platforms do you use and why only these ones?

My 2 main platforms are my blog and Instagram. My blog is for good high quality pictures where I share my fashion items with my readers and on Instagram I post these pictures. And YouTube is my next platform.  

What's the difference being an influencer in London and Dubai?

In London everyone is really friendly. Often in Dubai, I find that there’s a ‘you can’t sit with us’ culture, particularly on the fashion and blogging scene.

Are there alot of PR event in London where you can network with other influencers? Or are the influencers not really hanging out with each other?

I only have a couple of influencer friends. Otherwise I meet other bloggers at events and they’re all really nice.

What are  you doing cause you’re a lot?

Everyday is different. Sometimes I have to wake up super early and usually I won’t get a full night’s sleep. I always set my alarm for 8am even if I don’t have any meetings that morning. It makes me feel super productive!

Is there something you would love to share with us?

I would love to discuss mental health in more depth. I think it’s really important as so many people suffer from anxiety and depression. I also love doing charity work. That’s something I get from my mum! I’d definitely like to share more of that side to me too.