“Is the sky blue?" a voice asked the absent-minded models who didn’t look up from their phones during the Courrèges show. Many in the audience didn’t pay attention either. And the fact is that the hands in the front row were full of cell phones that wanted to record or photograph the show and – most likely – then share it on social networks.
The fact is that social networks have become a key element for fashion marketing and strongly influence consumer decisions. Because virality means impact, fashion brands are doing everything they can to make an impact – also in the Autumn/Winter 23 season.
Heliot Emil’s Burning Man
In true Hunger Games fashion, appeared in the middle of the FW23 runway show "connected forms" of the Danish brand Heliot Emil in Paris a flaming model on stage and set his social networks on fire.
Watch the entire show here:
Source: Heliot Emil FW23 fashion show in Paris, by Entertainment 26, via Youtube.
Although they shared each and every one of the up to 35 looks in the collection in one post, the "Man on Fire" selected to share in the form of a reel. The video has so far garnered 1.2 million views and more than 34,000 likes.
In addition, those present, who had to wear a strict black dress code to enjoy the fashion show, did not hesitate to post their own videos of that moment on their personal profiles on social networks. With many of the guests being influencers, the moment went viral.
Avavav provoked
Based in Florence and Stockholm, Avavav describes itself as "creatively designed and consciously produced". Promises that the Milan show more than kept.
The title of her fall/winter 2023 collection was already a statement of intent against the fashion industry as we know it: "Fake It Till You Break It"which translated into German means something like "Pretend who you are ’til it breaks". Visual became the most literal version of the word "break down" implemented with garments that fell apart on the catwalk.
That’s not all: when creative director Beate Karlsson entered the stage at the end of the show, the wall behind her collapsed and revealed a hidden textile factory – a nod to fast fashion.
The Anrealage collection could change colors.
"Two same worlds. Two different worlds. The way we see the world. how they see the world. They dress the same. But it’s not the same"according to show notes from Tokyo-based fashion label Anrealage, which presented an eclectic collection made from UV-sensitive fabrics that changed color live.
Watch the entire show here:
Source: Anrealage via Youtube.
Each of the 21 looks that made up this collection was shared in individual reels that, in less than five days – at the time of writing – have garnered 326k views and 17.7k likes.
Coperni’s robotic dogs
Italian brand Coperni, which set the bar very high last season, shouldn’t be missing from this list. She added a pack of robotic dogs to her cast, who interacted with the models as they presented the latest designs.
The short version of the fashion show, in which these robotic dogs played a special role, was viewed 354,000 times on Instagram and received 16,700 likes.
Watch the entire show here:
Source: Coperni, via Youtube.
The same video on YouTube barely has more than 1000 views and 31 likes, a sign that the forms, but above all the formats, of consumption of content on social media are changing and nowadays virality is achieved in short and vertical formats. Something Youtube has taken into account by allowing the Google subsidiary the "shorts" launched on their platform, in the wake of TikTok and the "reels" from Instagram.
This translated and edited post previously appeared on FashionUnited.es.