In the world of luxury, forging relationships with cultural juggernauts is nothing new. But with marketing metrics like earned media value (EMV) becoming increasingly important, those relationships are also becoming more influential.
Fashion weeks, for example, have expanded into a pop culture playground for brands to capitalize on the relevance of a celebrity, KOL, or influencer. Besides awards season, the calendar is an opportunity for A-listers and high-flyers to solidify their spot on the fashion map.
Milan Men’s Fashion Week (MMFW) was no exception. Punctuating the front rows at Prada, Gucci and other shows was a flurry of industry hotshots. It was their attendance that drove most of the online conversation.
Today, it’s rare for a collection to generate such online buzz all on its own. Often times, it’s the added sprinkle of a star-studded FROW that gives designers that much-needed boost.
In attendance at MMFW were some of Asia’s most prolific actors, singers, and KOLs, with the top 10 generating more than $55.2 million in earned media value on Instagram alone – that doesn’t take into their account impact on other social platforms, including TikTok , Xiaohongshu, and Weibo.
Below, in partnership with influencer marketing agency Lefty, Jing Daily analysis of the KOLs at MMFW and the EMV they created.
South-Korean singer, songwriter, and actress Lee Ji-eun topped the charts this MMFW after attending Friday’s Gucci show, where her presence generated $5.1 million in EMV. With 31 million followers on Instagram, Lee’s personal posts from the show – including images of her standing in front of a giant Gucci logo alongside Jay Park – received a total of 5 million likes.
South Korean boyband and Prada global ambassador Enhypen were suitable and booted at the maison’s MMFW presentation on Sunday. The seven-piece K-pop group was pictured wearing military style shirts, padded-shoulder blazers, and cargo vests. They generated 4.7 million likes on Instagram and $4.5 million in EMV.
Also in attendance at Prada was Aespa front woman Karina, sporting an ivory diaphanous gown that featured on the label’s SS24 womenswear catwalk last September. Paired with a mustard yellow bucket bag, Karina’s appearance generated $4.2 million in EMV.
Joining the likes of Jeff Bezos and Rowoon, Christian Yu – also known as Dpr Ian – was spotted on the front row at Dolce & Gabbana’s showcase. The Australian-born, South-Korean based singer, rapper, and director wore a billowy polka dot blouse paired with cinched trousers. Her attendance generated $2.5 million in EMV.
As Thai superstars are on the ascent, it was unsurprising to see several attend MMFW. Zegna, for example, invited Thai actor Nattawat Jirochtikul to its AW24 collection showcase, tapping into his 2.3 million followers on Instagram and wider online fanbase. Jirochtikul’s presence generated $2.2 million in EMV.
Joining Jirochtikul on the Zegna FROW was Thai actor Norawit Titicharoenrak, who donned a gray cashmere turtleneck with matching marl trousers. The actor, more commonly known as Gemini, is best known for his performance in reality TV shows Thailand School Star and for the series My School President. His attendance at Zegna generated $2.1 million in EMV.
Chinese-Thai star Win also mingled with Karina, Enhypen, and pop megawatt star Troye Sivan at Prada. Posting to his 15 million Instagram followers, and generating $2.1 million in EMV, Win posed in front of a Prada desktop computer in a blue cubicle, wearing an oversized leather jacket and Prada stompers.