The Social Data Behind the Biggest Fashion Week Shows

Clothes define who we are and how we express ourselves. It is part of our identity. And for fashion enthusiasts, designer clothes play a big role in setting trends and determining what will be hot this season.

“There’s a difference between like and love. Because I like my Skechers, but I love my Prada backpack.” Fashion fans, like the character Bianca in the '90s cult classic “10 Things I Hate About You,” are constantly on the lookout for the next big thing, the special item that will become part of their identity. Fashion weeks are huge events to discover the next special item on the runway or the red carpet.

What trends are consumers discussing online? What are the most talked about moments? With Brandwatch Consumer Research, we looked at the online conversations around the "Big Four": London Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, and Paris Fashion Week.

The most talked about moments of the fashion weeks

There are fashion weeks all over the world, but fashion enthusiasts have their eyes on the so-called big four: London, Milan, New York, and Paris. Paris and Milan have more shows than the others, with separate fashion weeks for men's and women's wear. Paris also has an extra haute couture show. So, it's no surprise that Paris Fashion Week reigns supreme in terms of online chatter.

The Paris Fashion Week shows received more than three times as many online mentions as for the second-placed show, Milan, accounting for nearly 70% of all mentions around major fashion weeks. Hosting the most shows is just one part of the success story for generating the most online conversations. Other contributing factors included having the biggest fashion brands show their latest collections and inviting famous K-pop stars to sit in the audience.

Looking at the online conversations over time, there is one peak that stands out. March 5, the last day of the Paris Fashion Week for women’s fashion, was off the charts. Why? Well, Lisa from the K-pop band Blackpink attended the Louis Vuitton show. Both Louis Vuitton and Blackpink are massive names in their industries, so it’s no wonder that this moment made waves online.

The second most talked about moment is also due to a Blackpink member, specifically Jisoo, attending the Dior show. ​​Jisoo has been working with Dior as a global brand ambassador for a few years now. And that collaboration is paying off in terms of publicity, as emphasized by being one of the most talked about moments of the fashion weeks.

In third comes K-pop star I.N. from the band Stray Kids attending the Alexander McQueen show at Paris Fashion Week. Fans were quick to share news and pictures of their beloved star online, causing the third-highest peak in online conversations.

The secret ingredient to a lot of chatter starts with K and ends with pop

The key to getting a lot of buzz and reaching a younger audience seems to be K-pop stars. This strategy has been working for years – and not just in the fashion industry. Major brands collaborate with big K-pop stars for campaigns and choose them as brand ambassadors. As seen above, the most mentioned moments of this fashion week season were largely fueled by the presence of K-pop stars at the shows, many of whom double as official brand ambassadors for renowned fashion labels.

Take Jisoo from the famous band Blackpink. She is one of the highest-earning K-pop stars with a net worth of over $20 million and over 77 million followers on Instagram. Like her bandmates, she has a huge fan base and her posts receive millions of likes. This is a huge opportunity for brands to reach a larger audience, especially Gen Z. Attending the Dior show at Paris Fashion Week catapulted Jisoo to the number one most mentioned celebrity.

Felix and I.N from the band Stray Kids came in second and third place. Felix made his runway debut at the Louis Vuitton show while I.N attended the Alexander McQueen show at Paris Fashion Week.

Almost all celebrities in the top ten lists are K-pop stars, with almost half of them being members of the popular band Blackpink. The resonance and influence these artists bring to the table are undeniable, making them valuable partners for brands seeking to generate buzz in the fashion world right now.

All eyes are on Louis Vuitton

The fashion weeks are a celebration of the latest fashion trends and the industry, and no other occasion brings together so many of the biggest fashion brands, collectively unveiling the trends that will influence the upcoming fashion season.

Louis Vuitton benefited hugely from the presence of major K-pop stars such as Lisa from Blackpink and Felix from Stray Kids, which made them the most mentioned brand in fashion week conversations with over 1.2 million mentions. Louis Vuitton also opened Paris Fashion Week for menswear with their creative director, Pharrell Williams. Williams jumped on the cowboy trend and used the show to break down stereotypes in cowboy culture, pointing out that cowboys weren't just white but also Native American and Black.

The collaboration with Jisoo helped Dior become the second most mentioned fashion brand with over 1 million mentions. Dior and Paris Fashion Week have been closely linked for many years, and this year, Dior opened Paris Fashion Week with a tribute to Marc Bohan, Dior's designer of 28 years who died last year.

Gold, flowers, and cowboy core

What are the biggest fashion trends? We analyzed the fashion week online conversations to identify the most talked about trends. 

Let’s take a look at what will be trending this season.

1. Black, gold, and brown

Black, gold, and brown are the colors mentioned most in fashion week conversations. Various fashion brands showed these trending colors in their runway shoes as well as the attending celebrities also wearing fabrics in black, gold, or brown. Valentino, for example, showcased an all-black collection at the Paris Fashion Week.

2. Flowers

“I can buy myself flowers.” That's not just true for Miley Cyrus, it's true for fashion enthusiasts in the upcoming season. From floral patterns to floral accessories, flowers are all the rage this season. 

Singer Jennifer Lopez, for example, attended designer Elie Saab's haute couture show in a dress with big flowers.

3. Experimenting with silhouettes

Fashion designers love to play with fabrics, colors and shapes to create something innovative. Silhouettes are one of the biggest trends at fashion week, with designers experimenting to forge new styles. Designer Rick Owens showcased clothes and shoes in different shapes and sizes during his runway show at Paris Fashion Week. The designer is famous for creating new shapes with inflatable materials, like the outfit singer Sam Smith wore to the BRIT Awards in 2023. His visionary creations continually redefine the boundaries of fashion.

4. Cowboy core

Western wear has been around for a while, but with pop culture now picking it up, 2024 could be the season of cowboy core. At least it's a big trend at this year's fashion week, with brands like Louis Vuitton and Molly Goddard experimenting with western style. And now, with the success of Barbie and shows like Yellowstone and Beyoncé's upcoming country album "Act II," it's no surprise that cowboy hats and boots have captivated the fashion landscape, making Western-inspired fashion a must-have trend.

5. Redefining outerwear

Another trend wasn't a specific style or pattern, but a focus on outerwear such as coats, jackets and blazers. This year, we saw numerous designers showing off their different approaches to outdoor clothing. Fashion brand Burberry, for example, focused on outerwear at its London Fashion Week show, showing different jackets and coats in different materials.

The fascination with outerwear extends to fashion enthusiasts closely monitoring what celebrities are wearing, like Felix from the band Stray Kids on his way to Paris Fashion Week. This year, outerwear takes center stage, becoming a key element in defining and expressing contemporary fashion aesthetics.

Roundup

The online conversation around the major fashion weeks is huge. With Brandwatch Consumer Research, we analyzed over 7.5 million mentions around the biggest fashion week shows. Brands that keep an eye on these online conversations can see how their campaigns and products are received online, and which brand ambassador is getting the most chatter and love. Discovering the latest consumer trends is critical to staying ahead of the competition and retaining loyal customers, especially in a highly competitive market such as the fashion industry.