In the world of social media and fashion, it's easy to spot Ella Mendelsohn and her stylish, chic, trendy fits. A social media influencer best known for her Instagram posts and her short lifestyle and fashion videos on TikTok, Ella has amassed an outstanding follower count of over 2.3 million.
The Teen Magazine had the chance to talk to Ella to get to know her better behind the screen- and for Ella to share more about herself, her dreams, and what's next.
How It All Started
According to Ella, it doesn't feel as if her journey as an influencer didn't just begin to start. "I decided I wanted to be an influencer when I was around 10 years old," says Ella, "My mother worked with influencers who she gifted products to and I thought it was amazing that you could have a job where you could earn money while doing something that you loved."
"When I was 12, my mom let me start an Instagram account that I posted all my outfits on and I had a blog where I posted pictures and wrote about trends."
On Fashion
Best known for her fashion style, Ella's dazzling fashion sense runs deep in the family. "Fashion is definitely not a new interest. My parents both worked in fashion and I was always surrounded by designers and creative people," says Ella.
She adds, "I think clothing is an amazing way to express yourself and I love inspiring and giving girls outfit inspiration."
When asked about the biggest change in her life since starting her social media career, Ella says, "I think the biggest change is just the work and time. I started my page in middle school but I went from just having to worry about school and friends to having to worry about if I have enough posts, brand deals, weekly videos, learning to edit, timelines for deals, and my engagement on my channels. It can be very overwhelming, but I would not change it!"
Life as A Young Influencer
Life as an influencer comes with a lot of challenges, especially for Ella as she has to manage her school life and career simultaneously. However, Ella has developed a method to deal with this issue in a positive manner.
"Managing social media and school at the same time can be difficult but it has taught me great time management skills over the years," says Ella, "I will get ready and shoot multiple outfits at one time, planning out my feed in advance, so I have Instagram posts for every day of the week prepared. This way, during the week, I can focus on my classes and not stress about my channels."
However, it is worth the challenge, for Ella tells us, "I can't imagine not being an influencer."
Because she's a "regular" teenage student while balancing all the social media stardom, we couldn't help but feel curious about what Ella's typical week looks like. She fills us in, explaining, "A typical week for me is school Monday through Friday, although it's summer now, so I have more flexibility in my schedule."
"Then Saturday and Sunday, I spend my mornings working on promos, Instagram photos, and YouTube videos. I try to spend evenings or nights with my friends," Ella says.
Being In The Spotlight & Negativity
As we probably all know, being in the spotlight can be extremely difficult. When asked about what it's like being a young girl living in the spotlight, Ella tells us, "I am so grateful for my platform and feel very lucky I am able to be doing what I always dreamed of, but yes, it does put some pressure on me."
"Social media can be a toxic place no matter how many followers you have," explains Ella, "I feel the pressure of looking perfect all the time and feel scared to show my real self to my followers. Like any 16-year-old, I'm not perfect and definitely struggle comparing myself to others on the internet."
When it comes to negativity, Ella tries to avoid it as much as possible. "I'm lucky that I have not experienced large levels of hate," Ella shares, "I do get DMs or comments here and there, but if a video seems to be getting a lot more hate comments than usual, I will take it down. I try to delete any negativity because I want my page to be a positive place."
Ella's Content
If you have never watched any of Ella's content, here's what you should watch, as recommended by Ella herself: "One video I recommend people to watch if they have never watched any of my videos would be any one of my vlogs on YouTube. These videos are great because it doesn't just show an edited, perfect version of me; it shows my personality and simple things like waking up or my skincare routine."
Dream Collab? Yes, please!
When asked about her dream collaboration to do, Ella says, "I hope to collaborate with many social media influencers! There are so many talented women and men creating really cool content and it's always so fun to meet and work together in person."
She shares, "I was lucky enough to meet Olivia Ponton, Anna Shumate, Jordan Beckham and so many more great creators. One of my favorite influencers is Amelie Zilber. I love her content and her commitment to global issues."
Future Goals
Ella also told us about her future career plans, and we couldn't be more excited for her!
"I do want to continue being an influencer and making content, although I'm working on expanding my brand to create some clothing pieces with a great give back component and talk not only about fashion but about mental health on my channels," says Ella.
"I will have more on this at the end of August/September when I launch!" Be sure to stay tuned!
10 Quick Q's With Ella
What's your zodiac sign?
I'm an Aquarius!
If you could be a fruit, which one would you be and why?
I would be a mango. It's a fun color and my favorite fruit.
If you had to choose only 3 things to eat for the rest of your life, what would they be?
If I had only 3 things to eat for the rest of my life, they would be pasta, dark chocolate, and fruit.
Cats or dogs?
Dogs.
Where is your dream place to live?
My dream place to live would be NYC or LA.
Describe your fashion style in one word.
Trend-Driven (sorry 2 words)!
What is something your fans don’t know about you?
People always think my life is perfect and I've never struggled with bullying or anxiety, but it's the complete opposite. Just goes to show social media isn't always real.
How do your friends feel about your success?
Manifest.
Who is your favorite musical artist?
I don't have a favorite. I listen to many things, but I've been listening to Olivia Rodrigo recently.
What 3 things does anyone starting in the industry need to know?
3 things someone starting in the industry should know is to stay true to yourself and don't care what other people think because a lot of people won't understand what you are doing or not believe in you.
To work really hard because the best way to grow is to post 24/7. And to be kind to everyone, followers, PR people, etc. People will remember you for your kindness.
Keep Up With Ella
Thanks for the interview, Ella! Be sure to keep up with Ella on her social media on Instagram, Tiktok, and Youtube.
