Nicolette Mason’s digital origin story began in the early 2000s, where platforms like LiveJournal and DIY outfit photos laid the foundation for what would become a pioneering career in fashion, media, and brand-building. Today, she’s a writer, strategist, and consultant, known for her trailblazing voice in conversations around size inclusion, queerness, and identity in fashion.

In this episode of Origins of Influence, Nicolette reflects on her journey from anonymous blog posts to bylines at Marie Claire and Vogue Italia Curvy—and the evolution of digital culture, legacy media, and the creator economy along the way. She also shares the story behind launching and ultimately closing Premme, the cult-favorite plus-size fashion brand she co-founded with Gabi Fresh, and the critical lessons that experience taught her.

We discuss:

• Nicolette’s early days on LiveJournal and the power of online community
• How identity, queerness, and body image shaped her storytelling
• Launching—and closing—Premme, and what she learned as a founder
• Why corporate Pride is in retreat and what brands should do instead
• The shifting influence of social media and the promise of emerging platforms like Substack
• What creators need to know before launching a brand in 2025

Resources & Mentions:

• Premme on Instagram (archive)
• Nicolette Mason on Substack and Instagram
• Origins of Influence on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube

About Origins of Influence

Hosted by longtime fashion and beauty marketer Dina Fierro, Origins of Influence is a limited series exploring the past, present and future of the creator economy through intimate conversations with pioneering influencers, creators and founders. From the days of LiveJournal and Tumblr to the dawn of Instagram, each episode revisits the platforms, posts, and pivotal moments that shaped digital culture — long before the algorithm. New episodes drop weekly. Show notes and exclusive content on Substack.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.