Sidewalk is new catwalk outside Milan fashion shows

A cry goes up the from crowd, a sea of craning necks and suddenly hundreds of cellphones go up in the air clicking photos.

An influencer has just arrived at a fashion show.

This is the scene that has played out day after day at Milan Fashion Week, where live shows began on Feb. 23 , all accompanied by crowds of fashion hopefuls, fans and photographers hoping to capture a perfect Instagram shot of their favourite influencer.   

At Versace on Friday night, hundreds of fans crushed against a barrier to catch a glimpse of someone - anyone - photo-worthy to later post on social media.

Every few minutes, dozens of fans would dash to another area of the barricade at the sound of a vehicle.

"We just saw a black car come in, but we saw nothing," said Riccardo Capobianco, 24, in the crowd with his friend Irina.

"We have no idea what's happening."

Ditto with Sarah Pilot, 22, an American student surrounded by her girlfriends.   

"We're kind of laughing at ourselves watching," she admitted sheepishly.

A scream went up in the crowd, but cut off quickly, as a new group of people entering the show came into view.   

"Are those just average people with tickets?" one of the girls asked.    

Outside Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Moschino, Max Mara and other shows, the sidewalk is the new catwalk for fashion wannabes, the Instagram stars they worship and photographers from all across the globe, mostly freelancers or amateurs, who capture it all.

But who are these people pouting at the camera, flipping their hair and pursing their lips?  

"They're all Instagram fashionistas," London photographer Ash Mahmood, said. 

"They're nobody turned into somebody. That's how it works."    

The...