To invite or not to invite? That is the burning question among fashion insiders today, as the industry stands at a crossroads, deliberating whether brands should persist in extending coveted invitations to influencers, social media kings and queens, key opinion leaders, and celebrities for their fashion shows.
The debate over whether influencers still deserve invitations to fashion shows holds significant cultural weight. Advocates argue that the inclusion of online stars from various backgrounds enriches a brand’s perspectives, a particularly poignant consideration in a modern era where diversity and inclusivity are paramount. Conversely, sceptics contend that social media celebrities may not contribute meaningful value to fashion presentations. They argue that prioritising seats for critical-minded editors over contractual endorsers would better serve the industry’s integrity. This ongoing discourse pits proponents of contemporary media against traditionalists, each defending their stance with vigour.
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Amidst the swirling debate, one pivotal element emerges as the linchpin for brands grappling with the question of the year: EMV – i.e. Earned Media Value. This potent acronym encapsulates a metric that assigns a tangible monetary worth to the online visibility garnered by influencers or celebrities. Essentially, it acts as a benchmark quantifying the cost of achieving an equivalent level of exposure. But how exactly is this online visibility measured? Simply put, it’s calculated by tallying the total number of impressions amassed.
Singer IU attending the Gucci Ancora fall-winter 2024/25 men’s show. Courtesy of Gucci
The pressing question now shifts to which influencers brands should invite to their events. This dilemma has spurred luxury houses to collaborate with specialised influencer marketing companies to carefully select the front-row candidates for the upcoming fall-winter 2024/25 women’s fashion shows. One of these partners is Lefty, renowned for its suite of services encompassing talent discovery and qualification, relationship management, automated campaign analytics, performance measurement, and competitive measurement. Lefty has revealed its formula for calculating EMV (Earned Media Value), which is derived from the equation EMV = Impressions / (1000 x CPM), where CPM refers to the cost per thousand impressions in paid advertising.
While anticipation builds around the roster of talent for the forthcoming fashion month, insights from Lefty’s reports provide invaluable glimpses into the achievements of influencers, musicians, actors, and socialites at Milan and Paris Menswear Fashion Week in January. These reports not only highlight the individual successes of influencers but also offer crucial performance metrics for brands. Interestingly, Lefty’s reports reveal that “APAC KOLs made a notable impact, driving high EMV at Menswear shows,” indicating the escalating influence of Asia-Pacific key opinion leaders in shaping the fashion landscape.
The Top Menswear Fall-Winter 2024/25 Shows by Earned Media Value
Lefty’s rankings make it evident that the standout Menswear Fall-Winter 2024/25 fashion show was none other than Dior by Kim Jones in terms of Earned Media Value (EMV), with an impressive $32.4 million.
Finale at the Dior men's FW24 show by Kim Jones. Photo by Adrien Dirand, courtesy of Dior
This comes as no surprise, considering LVMH’s reputation for attracting a host of celebrities and strategically partnering with influencers, particularly K-pop stars, to maximise impressions.
Louis Vuitton men's fall-winter 2024 show © Louis Vuitton – All rights reserved
Coming in second place is another jewel in Bernard Arnault’s crown: Louis Vuitton’s men’s show, curated by their new creative director, Pharrell Williams, garnered a substantial EMV of $30.9 million. The bronze medal goes to the Prada runway, a creative vision brought to life by the esteemed duo of Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, with an EMV of $22.3 million.
Finale at the Gucci Ancora Men's FW24 show in Milano. Photo by Cosimo Sereni, courtesy of Gucci
Outside the podium, Sabato De Sarno has made a notable debut in menswear for the Kering-owned Gucci, amassing an EMV of $19 million. Following it closely is LVMH’s Loewe, guided by the stylistic prowess of Jonathan Anderson and boasting an EMV of $12.9 million.
The Most Visible Influencers in Milan (All From South Korea)
Have you heard of IU, the pseudonym of Lee Ji-eun, a singer-songwriter and actress who consistently dominates the South Korean music charts? If not, you should. She graced the front row at Gucci and was responsible for generating the most visibility during the latest Milan Fashion Week Men’s FW24/25. According to Lefty, IU generated an impressive Earned Media Value of $5 million.
Singer IU attending the Gucci Ancora fall-winter 2024/25 men’s show. Courtesy of Gucci
Following IU is the South Korean boy band Enhypen, spotted at Prada, with an EMV of $4.5 million.
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In third place is Yu Ji-min, with an EMV of $4.2 million. Professionally known as Karina, she is a South Korean singer, rapper, and dancer and the leader of the girl band Aespa.
Karina attends the Prada fall-winter 2024/25 menswear fashion show on January 14, 2024 in Milan. Photo by Jacopo M. Raule/Getty Images for Prada
In fourth place is Christian Yu, known professionally as DPR Ian, an Australian singer, rapper, and director based in South Korea, who attended the Dolce&Gabbana menswear show and was responsible for an EMV of $2.5 million.
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Rounding out the top five is Nattawat Jirochtikul, an actor from Bangkok known as Fourth, who was seen at the Zegna catwalk and generated an EMV of $2.2 million.
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Social Media Stardom at Paris Fashion Week Men’s Catwalks
The standout social media stars gracing the catwalks of Paris Fashion Week Men’s FW24/25 weren’t solely K-pop idols and K-drama actors. According to Lefty, the top spot for generating the highest Earned Media Value was claimed by British singer Zayn Malik, a former member of the boy band One Direction, whose attendance at star-studded shows like Loewe, Kenzo by Nigo, and Valentino by Pierpaolo Piccioli earned an impressive $13.8 million in EMV.
Zayn Malik in a Valentino look from The Narratives menswear spring-summer 2024 collection and Valentino Garavani shoes, attending Valentino Le Ciel 20.24 fashion show. Courtesy of Valentino/SGPItalia
In second place is Riize, a recently formed South Korean boy band comprised of seven members – Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Seunghan, Sohee, and Anton – with a remarkable EMV of $8.2 million. They debuted only in September 2023 with the single album “Get a Guitar” and have already made waves by sitting in the front row at prestigious runways like Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton.
Riize attending the Louis Vuitton men's fall-winter 2024 show © Louis Vuitton – All rights reserved
Following closely behind Riize is Tomorrow X Together, commonly abbreviated as TXT. This South Korean boy band hails from Seoul and is composed of Yeonjun, Soobin, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Huening Kai. They participated as guests at the Dior show and generated an EMV of $6.5 million.
Tomorrow X Together in Dior. Photo by Getty Images for Dior
Next is a member of TXT, Yeonjun, with an EMV of $5.2 million. Finally, with an EMV of $4.6 million, comes South Korean actor and model Jung Hae-in, celebrated by fans at Dior by Kim Jones.
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Clementina Bianchi
Editor