The Blonde Salad Dishes On How To Make Money Blogging

For a young fashion blogger, someday drawing a paycheck from their passion project is the big dream. Although a handful of bloggers, from Hanneli Mustaparta to Susie Bubble, have managed to successfully parlay their sites into writing, modeling, and sponsorship gigs, they're still the minority. And, details of their income are obscure: To the casual reader, it remains a mystery how a vague constellation of appearances or consultation fees can keep a blogger in (non-complimentary) Comme des Garçons. So, we read with great interest when Italian fashion blogger Chiara Ferragni of The Blonde Salad opened up about how exactly she makes money.

The Business of Fashion reports that Ferragni's hugely successful blog began in 2009 and has since grown to 6 million page views per month. Part and parcel of that is a social following that's massive for the non-Rihannas of the world, with nearly 2 million followers on Instagram alone. Her massive reach, appearances on television and in the front row at fashion shows, and collaborations with luxury brands like Louis Vuitton cemented her role as an influencer. And, that's pretty much when the money starts rolling in — via fashion-related business opportunities.

Today, Ferragni unveils her own boutique on mobile marketplace Depop, for which she commanded an unnamed fee. Ferragni also formed TBS Crew, a collective consisting of her and 10 of her "closest friends," whose brand-consulting, appearance, and modeling fees range from about $13,500 to $68,000, and more.

Click over to The Business of Fashion for the full story of how one very savvy woman turned blogging into a business. Hopefully, it'll serve as inspiration for that Tumblr you've been working on — and not just remind you of how far you have to go. (The Business of Fashion)