The AW24 Milan Fashion Week Debrief

Even as crowds poured into the fashion capital, bringing with them an influx of global talents and internationally recognised names, this Milan Fashion Week proved to be a full-scale celebration of Italian culture, earning the city $149 million EMV (Earned Media Value), according to Lefty data.

Heritage Italian houses, and their famous founders, reigned supreme. Versace celebrated Donatella’s pioneering, punk-inspired and powerful approach with a show that garnered almost $20M in EMV. Not seen before in our reportage, Donatella herself rounded out the top 10 influencers at MFW and generated $2M for her brand. Elsewhere, American Vogue cover star Miuccia Prada staged a staggering show that once again proved the house’s enduring ability to draw crowds and steer conversation. Both shows, though different in scope and aesthetic, revolved around each respective designer's unique proposition for the future of fashion, and the role of Italian design in that future.

Elsewhere, luxury brands tapped into Italian popular culture, integrating performers from the Sanremo Music Contest, which took place in early February, into their talent strategies. While musician Ghali appeared front row at Gucci and JIL SANDER , swimwear brand Oséree Swimwear took their festivities to the next level with a surprise performance by Ricchi e Poveri.

Meanwhile, as media titles reshape their showtime strategies to focus on behind-the-scenes and exclusive interviews, we’re noticing a significant increase in impact of traditional media platforms compared to past seasons. Accumulating a total $52M EMV — or 34% of Milan’s overall EMV — fashion publications emerged as the most impactful tool to promote shows online. It appears the power of influence is flowing back into traditional institutions as online audiences are looking for trusted sources to garner information and expertise.?

With access to all shows — both backstage and Front of House — and to the many celebrities who attend, media titles are banking on an insider's strategy to drive noise online. Led by the TikTok effect, which we’ve previously reported on in our SS24 Womenswear roundup, media publications’ social media managers are enlisting their team members to conduct ad-hoc interviews on the FROW.?

While DAZED Magazine and i-D have been experimenting with the format for a few seasons, other titles are taking it a step further. The Business of Fashion launched a new series titled ‘Backstage Pass’. Interviewing the likes of A$AP Rocky at Bottega Veneta , whilst giving exclusive insights into the new collections, this type of content combined both celebrity reach and fashion authority.?

Meanwhile, the rise of TikTok has also spawned a new generation of models, cell phones in tow, who are lifting the velvet rope and turning the cameras on themselves, offering a glimpse into the goings on in the makeup chair, dressing room and pre-show lineup. Perhaps no better contemporary model exemplifies this trend than Alex Consani. The TikTok superstar generated $440K in EMV with appearances in just 5 shows at MFW and has garnered a reputation for delivering punchy, hilarious and instantly viral soundbites before she even hits the catwalk. Another model with a sense of humour as scene-stealing as her strut is Colin Jones, whose follower count grew by an exponential 575.5% between the SS24 and AW24 shows and appeared in a number of shareable backstage moments.?

Finally, Milanese brands continue to invest in the power of APAC celebrities. Out of the top 10 most impactful KOLs, 8 were from the region. Hyunjin, of K-Pop band Stray Kids, topped the rankings, generating $4M EMV for his appearance at Versace . On his trail was Joy, who generated $3.7M EMV for TOD'S — Joy debuted her career as a member of K-Pop band Red Velvet but has been a solo artist since 2021, when she released the album Hello. She’s recently dipped her toes in the waters of the acting world, starring in Once Upon a Small Town, which premiered worldwide on Netflix in 2022, and for which she received many nominations in 2023.

Other than popular K-Pop bands and Thai Drama stars – who still topped the rankings – India remained a focal point for brands. Bollywood actress Rashmika Mandanna, who was recently featured by Forbes India in their 30 Under 30 list of 2024, generated $1.77M EMV for Onitsuka Tiger . The Japanese brand had a well rounded influencer strategy; tapping into modern audiences’ interest in Anime culture, the brand invited Malaysian cosplayer Hakken, who entered the top 50 KOLs for the first time. This strategy, paired with a viral performance by Avantgardey, who you might know from the 18th season of America's Got Talent, contributed to the brand’s 334% growth year on year.?

As fashion month continues, we’ll continue to unpack some key marketing trends we see emerging from the shows, ahead of releasing our AW24 Womenswear report — stay tuned.?

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