In recent years, the influence of Paris menswear and Haute Couture weeks on the media has soared, attracting a global audience. According to Launchmetrics data, the media impact of the June menswear shows in Paris increased by a staggering 97% compared to the previous year, while the media impact of the July Haute Couture week rose by nearly 58%.
What is even more impressive is the significant growth in the Media Impact Value (MIV) of Paris menswear week. Despite featuring the same number of labels, the MIV increased from $83 million in June 2022 to $163.5 million this year. Pascal Morand, executive president of the French Fashion and Haute Couture Federation, attributes this meteoric rise to the event’s growing strength and the cultural dimension of digitalization.
Interestingly, the geographical distribution of the MIV was also noteworthy. Asia-Pacific accounted for a 27% share of the MIV for Paris menswear week, with countries like Thailand generating almost eight times more MIV than the previous year. This increase can be attributed to the contribution of numerous Asian celebrities chosen as brand ambassadors by luxury houses, particularly K-Pop stars.
Social media has played a crucial role in the increased media impact of these fashion weeks. The influence of social media on menswear shows grew by an impressive 129%, with Instagram alone accounting for 57% of the increase. Additionally, TikTok made a notable breakthrough, ranking among the top three most followed social media platforms during Paris Fashion Week Men. In fact, TikTok has overtaken YouTube as the leading video content platform for menswear fashion week, according to Launchmetrics.
Fashion labels have recognized the benefits of utilizing their own social media channels to control brand image and content, and to target specific regions and audiences. The influence of these channels has grown significantly by 268% for the Spring/Summer 2024 fashion shows. Notably, celebrities accounted for 18.5% of the total MIV result, followed closely by the labels’ own social media channels with a 17.8% share. However, the share of influencers decreased compared to the previous year, falling to 8.1%. Traditional media still held the majority share of 53.2%, but experienced a decrease in MIV share.
It is evident that celebrities have become sought-after media influencers for fashion labels due to their ability to significantly boost audience numbers. The visibility provided by celebrities’ own channels further amplifies the labels’ reach. For example, Paris menswear shows, such as Louis Vuitton’s show orchestrated by Pharrell Williams, have broken visibility records by ensuring the presence of star footballers. Similarly, Paris Haute Couture Week saw an increase in celebrities and influencers, contributing to its media success.
Launchmetrics also reported significant growth in regional media performance for Haute Couture Week, particularly in Asia. China’s MIV increased by 58%, with the platform Weibo generating over 2.5 times more MIV than the previous year. India’s MIV growth reached an astonishing 320%, and Thailand’s MIV exploded from $480,000 to $4 million in just one year.
These statistics indicate that the impact of celebrities has increased significantly, surpassing that of fashion influencers. This suggests that the general public is seeking inspiration and artistic talent rather than simply images of everyday life on social media. Michael Jais, CEO of Launchmetrics, concludes that these findings highlight the evolving preferences of the audience and the importance of celebrity influence in the fashion industry.
Useful links:
– Vogue’s coverage of fashion shows
– Business of Fashion’s fashion week coverage
