by T. Litvin

How many thirteen-year-old girls have their Bat Mitzvah speeches plastered across the international media? I'm guessing not many. It also isn't too common for the fashion world to laud a thirteen year old girl as a genius fabulous enough to grace the pages of world media. Meet Tavi Gevinson, the young Jewish girl who's breaking all conventions and now holds the entire Fashion community in the palm of her hand.

In a world where insecurity seems to be the national anthem of society, and is up to alarming heights in the young female population (and lets face it, teenagers are the worst,) Tavi Gevinson is a breath of fresh air. Not because she is currently the talk of the town and running around being courted by designers and super models alike, but because underneath this self professed 'tiny 13-year-old dork that sits inside all day wearing awkward jackets and pretty hats,' is a self-assured young girl who knows who she is and what she likes. While most 13-year old girls would not be caught dead wearing a pirate hat in public, or even a hat made out of a 'Baggu holder and old guitar strap,' Tavi paraded around Fashion Week wearing both of these proudly. (And no, I have no idea what a baggu holder is. I received the extent of my fashion knowledge from Meryl Streep's character in the Devil Wears Prada, and she didn't mention any such thing).

Tavi fills her blog with analytical descriptions and pictures of various designer pieces and fashion spreads, occasionally venturing into left field and posting pictures from Hitchcock or Woody Allen films. Along with extensive comments on the outfits featured in them, she frequently posts pictures of outfits she put together herself with descriptive blurbs like "This is the 'I just chanted Torah and this was my favorite Chalayan collection ever and I love space ruins and school just got out so yay and it's on sale so you know that I'm getting it' dress". It's good to see that despite her precociousness and possessing the vocabulary of a 42 year old fashion editor, Tavi is still young at heart.

It seems Tavi has made a habit of breaking trends and standing out, she began her blog when she was just twelve, and last December it caught the eye of sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy, the bigwigs behind the fashion label Rodarte. Fast forward nine months later and Tavi is the main ticket in town, the talk of New York fashion week, and even appears on the cover of the newly re-launched magazine Pop.

Tavi draws inspiration from some unlikely sources, as evidenced by a recent post on her blog in which she quoted from her Bat Mitzvah speech: "The Nazarites wore just enough to keep them warm, believing that that was the wish of God. Over this past year I have become increasingly interested in clothing, and have developed a clearer understanding of the idea that clothing can be art... Rei Kawakubo, who many regard as the first conceptual designer and whose clothes can often inspire uncomfortable thoughts or feelings in people, is my favorite designer in the world... Using fashion as self-expression can go beyond wearing a shirt with a slogan, as clothing has the ability to evoke an entire feel, or atmosphere, or emotion, or world."

Not bad for a thirteen-year-old.

Tavi's blog is currently pulling more than four million regular readers, and it's easy to see why the fashion world initially believed it to be a fake written by a much older and more experienced person. Tavi is eloquent, entertaining, and wise beyond her years. I would say it's only a matter of time before Hollywood take notice and buys the movie rights for her story. And taking into account her young years I would say this is only the first chapter in a very long narrative.

all images via Style Rookie