The mother of dragons in Dior: fashion, star image and self-presentation on Instagram

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article analyzes how a celebrity presents her star image on Instagram using fashion through a case study of British film and television star Emilia Clarke’s Instagram profile. Clarke is primarily known for playing the warrior queen Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones (HBO, 2011–19). Previous studies of fashion and social media have focused, for example, on fashion bloggers or influencers as fashion entrepreneurs. In contrast, this study analyzes how fashion can be an important tool for a film and television star on Instagram to communicate. The article’s theoretical framework combines existing studies on celebrity and fashion in legacy media with star studies and theories of social media and celebrity culture. This case study aims to contribute to our understanding of agency when celebrities communicate through fashion using social media.