Since Six Apart launched Movable Type in 2001, we've watched as blogging has been adopted by businesses large and small, both start-ups and established enterprises. One of our favorite topics is the way blogging has allowed young companies to establish a distinctive voice in a timely and cost-effective manner that wasn't possible before, thereby creating a fresh influx of new ideas and quality content that is beneficial for everyone.

Such is the case with upstart blog Fashionista . Launched in January 2007, the site took aim at the insider world of fashion. With its striking design, stylish logo, and confidential tone, Fashionista quickly established itself as a reputable, if irreverent, voice. Each day, Fashionista's two assistant editors, Natalie Hormilla and Britt Aboutaleb, post everything from gossipy news about who got signed with which modeling agency to listings for hot sample sales, making the site a must-read for anyone interested in fashion, shopping and style.

"The success of the blog format has a lot to do with the personalities behind it," publisher David Minkin remarks. "Readers want to connect with real humans, not an editorial board." Built in Movable Type 4, Fashionista , hosts a lively community, where readers weigh in on everything from new trends to which starlet wore what on the red carpet. One of the most poplar areas of the site is Streetwalker , which depicts photos of everyday people on the streets of New York. Readers can also join the community and solicit the help or advice of others, such as: Where can I find a Gucci bag like this? or What lipstick did Lauren Conrad wear on the third episode of The Hills?

To help new visitors find their way around Fashionista, the site uses the Recommend plugin, which allows first-time readers to quickly see which articles have garnered the most buzz from the community. Another prominent area shows a list of the most recent comments. "People are always interested in what their peers are thinking," David says. "These areas allow them to quickly see what the community at Fashionista is like, and add their own voice to the mix."

The site maintains its cred by scooping other publications on hot stories - in March, the site reported that a model who had been widely reported as having a contract with Reebok did not in fact have a contract at all. Most satisfyingly, the site was recently mentioned in an article in AdAge. "When AdAge put Fashionista in the same sentence with Style.com, it felt like we had arrived," David says.

Less than two years after Fashionista launched, the site has a rapidly-growing readership and has attracted top-flight advertisers such as Nine West, Nordstrom, and Target.

"Big-name advertisers now understand that blogs are a powerful way to connect with their audience," David reports.