Rich Kids of the Internet: the Instagram account super-wealthy millennials pay US$2,000 to be featured on – set up by a teen student who grew up in a bungalow
Set up in 2012, the account now has more than 370,000 followers, has been copied with numerous spin-offs, and creator James Ison is now expanding to provide an uber-luxe concierge service for flying dogs around the world to private dinner on the Eiffel Tower
You may drive around in supercars, sip cocktails on a yacht and enjoy summers in The Hamptons, but are you really rich until you have been featured on the Rich Kids of Instagram account (@RKOI)?
Who could’ve imagined the viral IG feed – now called Rich Kids of the Internet and boasting more than 374,000 followers – was started by a simple-living, 19-year-old student studying at the UK’s Oxford Brookes University? That’s not even part of the University of Oxford proper.
James Ison set the Instagram account up in 2012 with two New Yorkers. The account had humble beginnings but is now one of the most sought-after places to be featured, fancied and followed by those who enjoy the most over-the-top displays of wealth and privilege online.
Let us delve into some fun and interesting facts about 27-year-old Ison.
How it all began
One presumes that Ison is naturally a part of the ultra-rich social circles he profiles, champagne in one hand, caviar in the other, engaging in friendly banter and flashing a Rolex at sundown soirées. His reality was a stark contrast to the life he posted about – no wonder it all enthralled him so much. The creator of the Rich Kids of Instagram account grew up in his grandparents’ bungalow in Leicester, UK, sharing a bunk bed with his single mother. Youch.
RKOI debuts in 2012
It all commenced with a viral picture of a US billionaire’s son. Ison posted a picture of billionaire Michael Dell’s son, 15-year old Zachary Dell, feasting on a buffet in a private jet. The post also ruffled a few feathers as Zachary’s angry parents spent about US$3 million a year on private security and his kids were undermining it by broadcasting too much information on social media.
Featuring the rich and getting richer
Being featured on the @rkoi feed is a validation-of-sorts for millennials who splurge on everything from cars, designer garb, bags, watches and a lot of unpredictable ultra-expensive things (state-of-the-art wine cellars, LV minis for AirPods). The weirdest part? The ultra-wealthy actually cough up cash to be featured and fawned after, reportedly parting with up to US$2,000 to be featured.