TikTok Creator Nicky Campbell on His Viral Superstar Style Opinions (Unique)theinsiderinsight

• TikTok influencer Nicky Campbell gained a following in 2024 for his no-nonsense, “lazy” purple carpet trend critiques
• Campbell tells PEOPLE about why he began making movies and the very best celeb reactions
• The creator additionally shares the “most insane DM” he obtained from a celeb he reviewed

Nicky Campbell’s viral purple carpet critiques began on a whim.

One morning in January 2024, the influencer determined to share his ideas on celeb trend from the earlier evening’s Critics Selection Awards. In a TikTok review he labeled as “lazy,” Campbell affords apathetic one-word responses to the inexperienced display photographs behind him whereas lounging in mattress.

The put up garnered tens of hundreds of views, and a follow-up (a review of the Emmys purple carpet) soared to over 300,000 views. From there, his no-nonsense (however by no means merciless) trend critiques continued to take off, with views numbering within the tens of millions.

“I used to be sort of hungover,” Campbell tells PEOPLE of his authentic video. “I used to be like, ‘What ought to I do right now? I do know. I will run my mouth about this purple carpet that I used to be fascinated by.’” 

A Los Angeles native, Campbell moved to N.Y.C. in 2014 to attend Parsons College of Design. After graduating, he pursued a lot of jobs throughout the trend trade, together with as a trend assistant at Vogue and a digital editor on the Council of Style Designers of America (CFDA).

When TikTok emerged, the creator remembers being “fascinated” by the platform. 

“I used to be all the time making an attempt to experiment,” he says of his social media accounts. “I’d strive with issues that have been slightly bit extra free and slightly bit extra humorous. I’d put up random trend content material or I’d do some little dances right here and there only for enjoyable.”

Armed with each his trend information and social media experience, Campbell carved out his personal area of interest that resonates with a steadily-growing follower rely (at the moment, he boasts 189,000 on Instagram and 136,000 on TikTok). Now, he is a go-to supply for trend lovers on social media, gaining the title “the Joan Rivers of TikTok” and churning out movies for practically each purple carpet.

“I’ll say there are occasions once I see one thing and I am like, ‘I am slightly tapped out,'” Campbell says of the elevated demand for content material. “I do really feel slightly strain if [followers] request a carpet. I am form of like, ‘Oh, okay. Let me take a look at this and let me see what I’ve to say.’ Normally, I attempt to preserve it natural, however I am unable to assist myself.”

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Campbell’s movies have additionally drawn the eye of A-listers. After his third or fourth evaluate, he obtained a flood of feedback and DMs saying, “Lisa Rinna despatched me right here.”

“I went to go verify her Instagram and he or she had reposted one among my movies and was like, ‘This man’s so humorous. It’s important to get him on the purple carpet,’” he remembers.

Different celeb followers embody Gwyneth Paltrow, Kris Jenner and Charli XCX, with many stars in search of out Campbell’s approval on their outfits. The creator describes a current message from Sarah Paulson as “essentially the most insane DM I’ve ever obtained.”

“She stated, ‘Whenever you like one thing I put on, I actually scream. And once I allow you to down, it makes me rethink all my decisions. You are so highly effective,’” Campbell remembers.

“I don’t know the way it’s taking place,” he provides, “however for some purpose [my videos are] having some affect over them. And I am very, very shocked and really, very blissful by that.”

Some celebrities aren’t so happy with Campbell’s commentary. When the creator criticized Holland Taylor’s option to put on two brooches relatively than one on the 2024 Emmy Awards, the 81-year-old actress defended her look.

“I typically am proper with you in your takes, however do wish to say that whereas I agree with you re: carrying a brooch — clips — which is what I wore on my go well with, are often worn as a pair at both facet of a large neckline of a robe, or a ship neck or on robust lapels. Mine are paste items, purchased by my mom, barely twenty. An insane extravagance at about $37 — $800 in right now’s cash. Some paste is astonishingly good,” Taylor wrote within the feedback.

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Campbell posted the remark to his Instagram Tales, including, “Consuming my phrases! The double — clips — are accepted.”

“It was very tasteful,” he tells PEOPLE of Taylor’s response. “I bear in mind seeing that and being so amazed. First that she had commented but additionally that it had created a dialogue. And we sort of had this forwards and backwards that was like, ‘I disagree, and this is why.’ We had an ideal dialog about it.”

This sort of discourse is precisely what Campbell loves about trend within the first place. 

“All of us suppose in another way, and all of us have completely different opinions of what we like and what we do not,” he explains. “There’s simply completely different backgrounds and experiences that inform that… that is what retains it enjoyable, and that is what sort of retains the artwork alive.”

Plus, he provides, “Finally, if somebody feels good they usually look good, that is actually all that issues.”