Meet Cameron Dallas, the 21-year-old social media star who shut down Milan Fashion Week

Internet personality Cameron Dallas at the Milan Fashion Week on Jan 17, 2016. PHOTO: AFP

MILAN (BLOOMBERG) - Meet Cameron Dallas.

Despite the plethora of beautiful, memorable looks and collections at Milan Fashion Week, the autumn/winter 2016 season will easily be remembered as the one the 21-year-old social media star (go ahead, Google him) overshadowed a collective industry...by just showing up.

The native Californian's attendance at the Calvin Klein show on Sunday caused pandemonium (think Beatlesmania for the uber-savvy You Tube generation), the likes of which not even hardcore fashion veterans had ever seen before (not even for rapper Kanye West).

Needless to say, those who admittedly might not have known who Dallas was four days ago certainly know now.

The New York Times said thousands gathered unexpectedly, behind hastily erected barricades, outside the Calvin Klein show, in the hope of catching sight of Dallas. He duly emerged onto a balcony and waved to the crowd.

Dallas, who gained popularity by posting videos of his antics on Vine, now has 9.1 million followers on the app, 5.99 million on Twitter and 9.6 million on Instagram.

"It's the Rolling Stones, the Beatles and Justin Bieber rolled into one," 032C editor Joerg Koch was quoted by the Times as saying of the uproar created by the new social media stars in Milan.

They included model and Instagram star Lucky Blue Smith, who hundreds showed up to see on Saturday.

The fans gathered outside Palazzo Ralph Lauren, screaming whenever Smith - who hails from Utah, and, yes, Lucky Blue Smith is his real name - appeared.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.