Lyst x Launchmetrics: media's impact on fashion weeks in figures

At a time of worldwide social media usage and lightning fast livestreams a question arises: how do these factors impact the unchanged, traditional fashion weeks, and how is that impact made? Data research agency Launchmetrics and fashion search engine Lyst researched this issue. The conclusion: fashion weeks still remain relevant for brands. In fact, they are a major influence on the search and buying behaviour of consumers.

During the fashion month of February, both platforms analyzed the buying behaviour of over 104 million consumers worldwide and the Media Impact Value (an algorithm developed by Launchmetrics to measure the media impact of persons or messages) from international influencers.

New York Fashion Week, it turns out, generated 154.3 million US dollars (converted at EUR 135.8 million) of Media Impact Value. Most of the commotion arose around Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford and Michael Kors. The number of online searches for these brands increased during fashion week with 42 percent, 30 percent and 28 percent respectively.

Additionally, the Media Impact Value of the fashion weeks in London, Milan and Paris was significant. Paris Fashion Week accounted for 166.7 million euros worldwide. dollar (converted approximately 147 million euros) in clicks, likes and purchases. Especially Dior, Chanel and Saint Laurent received a lot of attention. Milan generated USD 142.2 million (EUR 124 million) in Media Impact Value; London, at the latest, 62.7 million US dollars (EUR 60 million). These data imply that there is a strong connection between the fashion weeks and the consumer interest in the brands participating in it.

Fashion weeks and the influence of influencers

Endly noteworthy is the role of influencers during fashion weeks. Influencers function during fashion weeks as a kind of link between brands and the fashion industry. consumers: they identify trends on the catwalks and on the street, and accelerate new trends by posting them on social media. window dressing. The most influencers this fashion season are according to Launchmetrics and Lyst Leonie Hanne, Chiara Ferragni and Camila Coelho.

Italian Ferragni generated six of their own Instagram Posts during Milan Fashion Week - and another 283 mentions in other media - a record of approximately USD 3.4 million (converted EUR 3 million) in Media Impact Value. Especially the outfit she wore to Prada's show - an grey checkered dress decorated with feathers, and a small pink Prada bag - promptly increased the demand for similar dresses and bags by 150 and 225 percent respectively.

Brazilian-American entrepreneur Coelho wore during the eight days lasting New York Fashion Week about fifty different outfits, with an Media Impact Value of USD 1.3 million (EUR 1.14 million) to result. To the show of Prabal Gurung she wore a cream-coloured cargo pants of the brand. On the internet searches for this type pants with 138 percent, and to items by Prabal Gurung with 108 percent.

The outfits the German Hanne wore during London and New York Fashion Week increased the number of searches for similar outfits on the Internet with an average of 206 percent. Within 24 hours after Hanne was spotted in a metallic dress, its popularity rose even by 505. percent.

Kortom, the media impact of fashion weeks is significant, and is being taken further magnified by the activities of influencers. Whether this also the negative environmental impact of the fashion weeks is still under discussion.

For additional figures on the media impact of fashion weeks, see below infographic of Lyst and Launchmetrics:

This article was originally published on FashionUnited.NL, translated and edited.

Picture: Marc Jacobs autumn/winter 2020, via Catwalkpictures | Infograph: Launchmetrics