Frida Kahlo was the original influencer even before influencing was a thing

Time of India

2 days ago

Image: https://x.com/PacoCampagna
July 6, 1907 marks the birthday of a true icon—Frida Kahlo. But even after 117 years, she isn't just a name in art history; she's a living, breathing brand. And long before influencers and hashtags, she mastered self-presentation, identity, and visibility in a way that resonates exactly with how we experience celebrity culture today.
Frida didn't just wake up and paint—she curated her public image down to every detail; from Tehuana dresses to bold brows. She wore traditional Mexican attire, piled on jewelry, and braided her hair with ribbons and flowers—not simply for looks, but as a statement of cultural pride, political defiance, and personal storytelling. In an era before selfies or self-branding, she turned her wardrobe into a visual narrative: clothing became cultural proclamation.
Her unibrow and faint moustache? They weren't mistakes—they were declarations of radical authenticity .
Kahlo's art doubled as editorial content. Her numerous self-portraits—set faces and sorrow-laden gazes—weren't just self-expression; they were curated visuals, each with its own framing, styling, and caption. Like a poignant post, her canvases broadcast vulnerability, identity, and political meaning in a single image.
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In today's marketing world, authenticity is gold. Frida wore her scars—physical and emotional—on canvas and skin. Her chronic pain, and corsets became part of her signature look. That makeup bag? Inside were everyday brands: Revlon lipstick and eyebrow pencil she used intentionally to shape her image .
Frida Kahlo didn't need filters, captions, or ring lights to get the world's attention—her life was the content.
Long before the concept of a 'personal brand' even existed, she was living it. Every scarf, every eyebrow stroke, every flower in her braid had intention behind it. She didn't build a brand accidentally—she crafted one, and that's what makes her so timeless, so relevant, and honestly, so cool.
Let's break down what anyone—whether you're a YouTuber, fashion designer, writer, or just figuring out how to show up in the world—can learn from her:
Own your identity (even the messy parts)
Frida didn't hide her scars.
Literally. She painted them. She painted her surgeries, her miscarriage, her disability, her heartbreak, her body hair. Most people would bury those parts under layers of shame, but she used them as fuel. She took the things the world told her to be embarrassed about and turned them into art. That's a lesson in power. Today, where so much of social media is about showing our best lives, Frida reminds us that showing the real stuff—that's where the connection happens.
Your look tells a story—so tell yours on purpose
Frida didn't just 'have a vibe.' She built one. The bold Tehuana dresses, the chunky indigenous jewelry, the vibrant shawls—those were all part of a visual language. She was saying: 'I am proud to be Mexican. I honor indigenous women. I don't need to look like anyone else.' In a world of curated feeds, she reminds us: don't just copy what's trending. Find the elements that say something about you and wear them like armor.
It's not about being 'different' for the sake of it—it's about being true.
Be relatable and brave
Frida was fearless in her vulnerability. She didn't sugarcoat her pain. But she didn't let it define her either. That delicate balance—between being honest and being defiant—is what made her resonate across generations. It's the same reason we follow people who aren't perfect, but real. You don't have to have it all together. You just have to show up as someone who feels deeply and still chooses to express it.
That's bravery, and it travels farther than perfection ever will.
Context is everything
Frida's brand was never just about her face (although yes, those brows are legendary). It was about what her face stood for: revolution, feminism, indigenous pride, anti-colonialism, disability rights, queerness. She embedded meaning into every detail. Her image stood for something—and that's why it still does. In a time when it's easy to go viral for doing nothing, Frida's work reminds us: substance matters.
Having values gives your presence weight.
If people know what you stand for, they'll stand with you.
On her 117th birthday, we can say it loud: Frida Kahlo didn't just paint—she packaged herself. She invented a personal brand that's still viral today, without algorithms or management teams. She did it with intention, cultural pride, identity, and unflinching honesty.
Frida's legacy reminds us: brand isn't just what you sell—it's what you stand for. And if today's influencers took a page from her book, maybe they'd replace filters with authenticity, and trends with truth.