Alix Earle posing on a chair in front of a smartphone mounted on a tripod — Caroline Tompkins

The Era of Influence

Influence [noun]: The power or capacity to cause an effect in indirect or intangible ways.

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Table of Contents

letter from the editor On the Cover The B Side The Influencer The Entrepreneur The Icon

letter from the editor

Person leaning through a red curtain with a signature overlay at the bottom — Byrdie

Introducing The Era of Influence, featuring the one and only Alix Earle. Few have shaped the internet quite like Alix. What started as candid videos from her college dorm quickly became the blueprint for a new kind of influence—one built on openness, connection, and showing up exactly as you are. Now, as Alix expands from a content creator into a bonafide brand founder (of acne-focused skincare line, Reale Actives) and beyond (her family’s reality show, Earle Meets World, is set to launch this year), her meteoric rise has transformed into something new: lasting impact.

Our cover shoot follows Alix’s journey in three acts: Influencer, Entrepreneur, and Icon. The first looks back at the rise of a creator who redefined authenticity online. The second examines the business woman building something far bigger than a personal brand. And the third imagines what comes next—not just for Alix, but for a generation rewriting the rules of fame, power, and ambition in real time. Because influence may open the door, but legacy is what happens after you walk through it.

Inside the issue, we examine how storytelling is the most powerful currency in the creator economy, why gatekeeping might be due for a comeback, and what remains of the girlboss era in 2026. And, together with Nordstrom Beauty, we’re bringing you all the summer beauty and style trends worth adding to cart. Enjoy!

x,

— Hallie Gould, editor in chief

On the Cover

Alix Earle Is in It for the Long Haul

The sun is shining on Alix Earle. Literally, in the sense that the natural light in her adopted hometown of Miami gives her an otherworldly glow, even on Zoom, even without a stitch of makeup. And figuratively, too: Earle just walked in the SI Swimsuit runway show and appeared on the magazine’s cover. Her acne-focused skincare line, Reale Actives, is a hit....