Fashion Month Social Media Strategies That Worked for Luxury Brands
At this year's Spring/Summer 23 fashion month, brands took on exciting social strategies that gave their audiences new experiences and drove sales tremendously. These strategies took the fashion industry in a new direction. Brands such as Versace, Balenciaga, Dolce & Gabbana, and more, used the power of social media to create unforgettable shows both in-person, and online. Follow along to learn how these brands raised the stakes this fashion month through their social strategies.
What Worked During Fashion Month?
This year's spring/summer 23 fashion month showed the fashion industry a whole new take on marketing by using the power of social media and influencers. Social media is constantly changing, and that can be hard to keep up with. Luxury fashion brands are more than catching up, they’re redefining their social media presence in the industry.
So, what worked this month in the world of social media and fashion?
The Rise of Celebrity Marketing in Luxury Shows
Celebrity marketing occurs when brands use celebrities as a form of promotion for their brand or product. Using a highly influential figure to advocate for your brand will give the public a higher incentive to support your brand. Celebrity marketing can be done through collaborations, celebrity features, celebrity endorsements, entertainment marketing, and more.
Although this has been done many times in the past, luxury brands used some of the most widely known celebrities to bring attention to their shows this fashion month. These brands put celebrity fashion icons with tremendous influence in the industry into their runway shows wherever they could.
Here are some of the most notable (and iconic) celebrity sightings from this year's spring/summer 23 fashion month:
Paris Hilton x Versace
Yes, you read that right. Paris Hilton made her fashion month debut at the SS23 Versace show this year. Paris has always been known for her fabulous 2000’s looks, and continues to hold a high influence in the fashion world. Designer and Founder of Versace, Donatella Versace, brought Paris Hilton into the spotlight to close the show in a pink sparkly dress that was absolutely on-brand for Paris Hilton. This collection was based around ‘fantasy bridal wear’, that featured breathtaking gowns and veils, and what better way to end it off than with one of Hollywood's recent brides, Paris Hilton. Although Versace has been known to bring out iconic celebrities to close their shows such as Jennifer Lopez or Dua Lipa, this celebrity appearance shocked the fashion world in the best way possible. We didn't know how much we needed some Paris Hilton in our lives until now.
Kim Kardashian x Dolce & Gabbana
As one of the world's most influential celebrities around the world, it was only necessary that Kim Kardashian make an appearance this fashion month. Luxury fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana took on a brand collaboration with Kim Kardashian this month inspired by Kim's love for glamorous 90’s and 2000’s D&G looks. The collection features black and white pieces that came in all types of styles that matched both Kim Kardashian and D&G aesthetics. Although this collaboration was highly unexpected from the fashion community, both parties brought the heat and amazed everybody. Not to mention a great social strategy for both parties!
Naomi Campbell x Alexander McQueen
90’s supermodel Naomi Campbell has been making a comeback on the runways recently and stealing the show. The fashion icon was brought into the Alexander McQueen SS23 show in a sparkly embellished jumpsuit and ensured all eyes were on her. A high fashion brand like Alexander McQueen doesn't need a celebrity icon to make their show memorable, but featuring a star like Naomi Campbell adds a rare aspect to the show that audiences of this time may never experience again. Naomi carried herself with pride in the jumpsuit and maintained the classy vibe of Alexander McQueen.
Experiencing Fashion Month From the Comfort of Your Home
Since the global pandemic in 2020, companies have started introducing innovative experiences for audiences around the world to enjoy from the comfort of their homes. Doing so allows for the show to reach a far bigger audience and creates a higher sense of excitement around these events. This year at the Spring/Summer 23 fashion month we saw many brands embracing the ‘new normal’ by creating immersive experiences for anybody who wants to be involved.
Vogue World
In honor of its 130th anniversary, Vogue hosted a unique fashion show during New York fashion week featuring their favorite Fall 2022 looks from the world's top brands. What made this event so unique was the virtual experience Vogue gave to its audience – in-person and live stream. For those of you who did not make the guestlist for the Vogue World event, you had (and still have) the opportunity to watch the entire event and all the spectacular looks that came with it. On top of this, in-person and virtual attendees can shop the Fall 2022 collection featured at the show. Vogue is catching up with the rapidly growing world of fashion and technology and creating an experience for anybody and everybody that we have never seen before from them. Definitely, a new fashion month social strategy to remember!
Balmain Festival V03
Balmain Festival was introduced in 2019, and has now hit its third annual runway show. In 2019, the show had a 1,500-person audience, and this year it grew to 10,000 people, along with a virtual audience who could watch via live stream. Balmain has worked very closely with and helped raise funds for the (RED) and The Global Fund. Two global organizations that raise awareness and funds in support for diseases such as AIDS and Covid-19, Balmain’s social strategy has prioritized its audience by providing a unique and immersive experience, while also supporting a good cause. What a success!
Dior
Dior was also one of the few brands that gave its audience a virtual experience. For being a very exclusive fashion house, it was refreshing to see the brand allowing its at-home audience to watch the Spring/Summer 23 show live. The brand released a teaser video in anticipation of the live show that got the Dior community excited for what was to come. Designer Maria Grazia Chiuri took a futuristic approach to the collection and creatively demonstrated how technology is reshaping fashion as we know it. The Dior SS23 show was truly an experience that the fashion house has never given us before. From a virtual experience to introducing modern fashion, it was an event we won't forget.
Social Media Influencers Making The Guestlist
Since the rise of social media platform, TikTok, we have seen high-fashion brands using social media influencers as a social strategy during fashion month to promote their shows. And what better way to do this than from the front row at a fashion month show? We took a look at some of the biggest social media influencers who had the pleasure of getting a first look at this year's Spring/Summer 23 fashion month best looks.
Emma Chamberlain
Known for her iconic street styles and internet personality, Emma Chamberlain sat front row at this year's Loewe SS23 show, and gave us a look to remember. Emma Chamberlain’s lip dress was an unexpected, yet expected look for the internet star, and it definitely got people talking (which is the goal isn't it?). A collaboration like Emma Chamberlain and Loewe, two personalities that align quite well together, gets people excited and eager to see more. On her TikTok, her videos from the show hit millions of views and got the attention of many. Some negative, some positive, but ultimately, it is attention to the brand and the influencer.
Kylie Jenner
One of the biggest social media influencers around the world, Kylie Jenner, attended the Balenciaga SS23 show this year, along with some friends and sister, Khloe Kardashian. Kylie Jenner carries some of the biggest influence in the fashion beauty industry, and having her front row at fashion week will always bring copious amounts of attention to her, and the brands she supports. There's no better way to improve your social strategy during fashion month than with a star like Kylie Jenner.
Wisdom Kaye
Wisdom Kaye has become one of TikTok’s most prominent fashion influencers and made a striking appearance at the SS23 Men’s Prada show this fashion month. He is known for his extravagant, yet fashionable outfits he puts together on TikTok with high fashion pieces, and has now made it to the big leagues. Kaye has opened up a new realm of being feminine yet masculine in an absurdly fabulous way for men in fashion, and carries a huge influence on both women and men in the fashion community. Seeing a personality like Wisdom Kaye front row at an exclusive fashion show like Prada was refreshing and inspiring, to say the least.
Why Luxury Fashion Brands are Changing Their Social Strategies
Luxury fashion brands have started taking a new approach to fashion industry marketing with the power of social media. Many of the top luxury fashion houses like Prada, Balmain, Dolce & Gabbana, and more have always been very exclusive companies that cater to a very niche market and market themselves the same way they always have. Of course, there is a certain kind of class and prestige that comes with these luxury brands, but society is rapidly changing and is not standing for the exclusivity of the luxury fashion community any longer. As mentioned many times, the fashion industry is constantly changing at a rapid pace mainly due to the influence that social media has on society which is also constantly changing. In order for these brands to evolve with society, they must start making the changes to do so.
This year's spring/summer 23 fashion month served some unforgettable looks and moments that demonstrate the evolution of fashion brands and their social strategies. From Paris Hilton closing Versace, to TikTokers sitting front row at Prada, we can see the change that high-fashion brands are making, and we cannot complain.
So, why are luxury brands changing their social strategies? The answer is because they should be. Luxury brands are some of the most careful when it comes to maintaining their brand image and their reputation (for good reason), so seeing them take more risks with their social stragies, even just with who attends their shows, gives us hope and excitement for the future of fashion.
Improve Your Social Strategy With Dash Hudson
After learning what social strategies worked for luxury brands this fashion month, you can now apply these tactics to your brand's social strategy with the help of Dash Hudson. Dash Hudson gives you the tools to perfect your content strategy, drive engagement, and convert your stylish fans into customers. Your brand can start embracing social commerce in the digital era of fashion and learn to stand out in the fashion Industry.
FAQs
Why do fashion brands need a social media strategy?
Having a social media strategy allows your brand to build a stronger reputation and increase revenue. Along with that, creating a strong social strategy can increase your brand's fame and how big it becomes. In this day and age, the success of your brand (especially in the fashion industry) depends on how strong your social media presence is. Following industry trends on social media allows brands to evolve with their industry.
How do you promote a fashion show on social media?
Promoting a fashion show does not have to be hard. It starts with invitations, and getting the word out about your show. Getting the word out through social media is as easy as starting a social media campaign for your show. Use Dash Hudson’s new campaign feature to assist you with Campaign Reporting. You should also be sure to keep up with your social media community to ensure you have a loyal audience who will support your show.
Which social media platform is best for fashion?
Instagram is the best platform for fashion and has shown to be an extremely beneficial tool for growing your fashion company socially. Learn more about how your brands can grow with Instagram Management and Measurement at Dash Hudson.
Why is social media important for fashion?
Social media has grown to be the most profitable tool for brands in any industry. Social media allows fashion brands to spread awareness about their companies and find other social media users like influencers and other companies to spread the word about your brand. Discover how the team behind Harrods and Heritage uses Dash Hudson software to make data-backed decisions that power strategic marketing shifts.
