“While 2022 was defined by spectacle, 2023 was defined by culture,” explain the companies Karla Otto and Lefty in their latest survey. The communications and press relations agency Karla Otto and the platform Lefty, which specializes in influencer marketing, present influential fashion brands and the most important fashion events of the year. Your analysis is based on Earned Media Value (EMV), which is calculated based on the engagement rate generated by influencers in Instagram posts.
Louis Vuitton, Dior, Versace and Tom Ford dominated the catwalks
The debut of the artist Pharrell Williams at Louis Vuitton caused a lot of enthusiasm. His first fashion show for spring/summer 2024, presented on June 20, 2023, is considered the “pop culture moment of the year,” according to the study by Lefty and Karla Otto. Williams, who was named creative director for Louis Vuitton menswear in February 2023, has managed to anchor the French luxury house as a “cultural brand.” The EMV of the event is estimated at 49.2 million US dollars (approximately 46 million euros). The SS24 fashion show also triggered 2,275 posts on the social network Instagram.
Maria Grazia Chiuri, who is responsible for women’s collections at Dior, showed “how solid marketing strategies can expand the reach of a message.” The Dior Spring/Summer 2024 fashion show, held on September 26, challenged the stereotypical and sexist portrayals that women still face. The event had a media value of 46.2 million US dollars (around 42 million euros), which was contributed to by prominent actresses Charlize Theron, Jennifer Lawrence and Jenna Ortega, among others, who were invited to the event. The fashion show was celebrated on Instagram with 2,448 posts.
The collection from Italian luxury brand Versace and pop star Dua Lipa also generated a lot of media coverage with an EMV of $32.7 million (€30.38 million). Presented on May 23 during the Cannes Film Festival, it also benefited from the appeal of the film event. This year’s Cannes Film Festival was particularly heavily promoted on social networks, so that its earned media value is estimated at 413 million US dollars (almost 384 million euros).
Peter Hawkings, Tom Ford’s creative director since May, made his debut for the label at the highly anticipated Spring/Summer 2024 fashion show on September 21st. It triggered an EVM of $2.9 million (€2.69 million), “an impressive growth of 82 percent from one season to the next.”
Bottega Veneta and Ottolinger: brands with high media value
Although Milanese luxury brand Bottega Veneta withdrew from social media in 2021, it remains present on Instagram at @newsbottega. Run by artist and label devotee Laura Nycole, the fan page boasts 1.3 million followers and 135 posts that illustrate “the power of a strong brand community.”
The Berlin label Ottolinger, founded in 2015, was able to increase its earned media value by 1,450.5 percent from one season to the next over the course of the year. According to the study, the brand refined its strategy by, among other things, relying on K-pop stars who represent high visibility. Rapper Giselle from the successful Korean band Aespa was seen at her SS24 fashion show alongside American rapper Tyga.
This translated article originally appeared on FashionUnited.fr.