The SS25 Milan Fashion Week Debrief

More shows; more parties; more celebrities and more buzz: Milan Fashion Week SS25 was bigger than ever, growing +68% in Earned Media Value (EMV) seasonally, reaching $250 million according to our data partner Lefty . With excitement rife, Milan’s designers capitalised on the impact of their associated circles, with crowds continuing to swarm outside of shows, shops and the hotels of key celebrity brand ambassadors.?

From the brands tapping into the cultural zeitgeist via strategic casting to the surprise model breaking into the top 5 influencers in a positive step for diversity and inclusion, read on to discover luxury brands’ most impactful marketing tactics – plus we unpack the peripheral effect of K-Pop stars and how powerful their fandoms are.

Casting the Cultural Protagonist

Luxury brands are joining zeitgeist-y cultural conversations by going straight to the source and casting of-the-moment protagonists as part of their show strategy. From the demure and mindful TikTok sensation Jools Lebron, barrier-breaking viral Olympians Imane Khelif and Armand Duplantis, to bespoke soundtracks from season-defining artist Charli XCX, brands are signalling to audiences that they’re tuned into the current moment via strategic casting both on and off the runway.?

Elsewhere, TikTok star du jour, Nara Smith, whose cooking videos have taken the internet by storm, appeared at both the Gucci and Bottega Veneta shows alongside her model husband Lucky Blue Smith. At Prada , we saw TikTok ’s favourite biochemist @glucosegoddess, known for her dietary advice and stylish wardrobe.?

As a result, casting directors such as Piergiorgio Del Moro are on top of brands’ wish lists. This season at HUGO BOSS , he adopted a multi-faceted strategy, opting for industry insiders such as WWD ’s Alex Badia and ES Magazine ’s Ben Cobb – part of a wider shift we’re seeing towards community casting – athletes Matteo Berrettini and Miles Chamley-Watson, to long-standing TikTok brand ambassador Khaby Lame. This helped the brand grow 15% year on year, generating a stellar $17.9M EMV according to Lefty data.?

At a time when trends ebb and flow at breakneck speed, this hyper-reactive casting has become an essential marketing component for brands to maintain relevance and nod to pop culture, while letting the internet’s favourite stars do all the talking.

Unpacking K-Pop's Magnitude??

K-Pop stars continue to top the rankings – 6 out of Milan’s top 10 KOLs were from K-Pop bands. However, beyond the persona, there's a peripheral impact that radiates EMV far and wide around a designer, providing a expansive return on investment for brands.

From posts by the stars themselves, to myriad media posts and further amplification by fan accounts. We look into the magnitude of these stars’ power by deep-diving into Momo’s impact at Onitsuka Tiger below:

Fashion For All

Challenging conventional standards of beauty continues to be a big driver of noise, highlighting fashion’s evolving dialogue on diversity. Lyric Mariah (@phenixsoul) captivated social media with a powerful pre-show moment, swapping her prosthetic leg for one with a heel. This bold display of authenticity went viral on social media and contributed to her ranking as the 5th most influential profile of the week, above global K-pop stars such as NCT’s Jaehyun and Momo from Twice. The success of profiles like @phenixsoul is a testament to online audiences’ desire to support diverse people and showcase real human values.?

Meanwhile, SUNNEI subverted expectations with unique casting: walking the runway were models and friends of the brand no younger than 70 years old. The exceptional casting strategy garnered a lot of media attention, with Italian magazines @outpump and @vogueitalia reporting on it and earning $42.3K and $16.2K EMV respectively. As with Mariah at HUGO BOSS, SUNNEI’s playful ode to ageing taps into audiences’ appetite for real life,? and positions the brand as an industry leader in diversity and inclusion.

Want to know more??

Stay tuned as our Insights team unpick the vital metrics you need to know, including emerging trends and stand out communications strategies from #SS25, in partnership with our partner at The Independents , Lefty .?

If you’re interested in learning more about what we do at Insights by Karla Otto and what we can offer your brand, reach out to [email protected] today.