It was really just a matter of time. For a while now, things were going a bit too smoothly in the fashion blogging field. The biggest bloggers have been wooed by the most luxurious fashion houses for several years now; they are invited to the front row in fashion week and get expensive gifts by the dozen. But now a mini web-storm is threatening to touch this indulgent milieu in France. The credibility and very image of all fashion bloggers is hanging in the balance.

It all began with the crossing of an invisible line. The 3rd most popular French fashion blogger, Miss Pandora (with 15,000-20,000 visits per day!), decided to pose for a campaign of the French label “Comptoir Des Cotonniers” with her mother (traditionally, the ads of this brand show couples of mothers and daughters using the same garment of clothing).

Suddenly, a rain of criticism fell on Pandora’s head. The relationship between bloggers and labels became the hottest issue of the day, with articles and analysis all over the net. The attention, the gifts, the privet parties, the hidden sponsorships… Are the bloggers under influence? Asked L’Express magazine. Are they bribed? Wondered Rue89 website. Are they breaking an ethical code when they write about a dress they “adore” and fail to mention this was a gift? Or when they pose in a pair of shoes made by their own label, without full disclosure?

The answer is yes, they are breaking the ethical code of journalism. But they are not journalists.

The real problem is that the difference between journalism and blog writing has gotten too vague. After all, many respectable journalists write a blog on the side and many major events are covered by bloggers… My first reaction says that we have to keep in mind that these are two worlds apart. But judging by the state of the press nowadays, blogs might be the neo-journalism. Nevertheless, If they want to stay relevant, bloggers will have to adopt certain professional ethics, or they will lose their credibility sooner then expected.

Pandora played with fire, but i can only assume that with today’s buzz she got much more visits than Betty or Alix (first and second French fashion blogs)…. And visibility is the name of the game, right?