In a world-first for a fashion publication, Australian photographer Georges Antoni captured digital disruptor Margaret Zhang using an iPhone 7 for the June issue, on stands on Monday.

The 24-year-old who established her popular blog Shine By Three in her teens now has an online following of close to 1 million on her social media channels.

Her skills in creative direction, photography and styling are now sought after by some of the world's biggest brands, like Louis Vuitton, and personalities like Kanye West.

She has worked hard to distance herself from the bloggers who have infiltrated the fashion and social media scene and is offended when referred to a "digital influencer".

"Your career cannot be to have influence," Zhang told Elle. "I have a blog but I don't necessarily identify myself as a blogger - I get paid as a freelancer, a photographer, a consultant. Blogger is not on my business card because it's not my job... I don't do sponsored posts, I don't do paid Instagram posts, I don't do paid blog posts."

She also doesn't plug free products or gifts, unlike many of her counterparts in the industry.

But should the fashion establishment, like modelling agents and photographers, be concerned magazines are now engaging in and experimenting with creative cost effective measures?

"As much as I'm sure the people in charge of Elle budgets would love it to be true, I don't think so," Elle Australia editor-in-chief Justine Cullen said.

"When it comes to the pages of a glossy magazine at least, it's not just the wand but the wizard that counts.

"As these incredible pocket-cameras now find themselves in the hands of everyone and anyone, it means magazines like ours need photographers with an even more honed eye, more magical storytelling skills and bucketloads more vision to create a story - or cover - worthy of making it onto the printed page, as opposed to the more fleeting existence of, say, that shot of your barista-touched latte you posted on Snapchat."

A number of other publications have also captured cover shots on iPhones, including Billboard and Conde Nast's Traveller.