With their powerful community and their overflowing creativity, influencers have become an essential communication and marketing tool for companies.
As we already know, influencer marketing covers every imaginable niche. However, fashion and especially luxury brands have slowly been using social media and influencers to adjust their strategy to the modern digital marketing landscape. For a long time, prestige heritage brands have been reluctant to put aside their distinct creative vision of rarity and exclusivity to some content creators that might tickle their storytelling.
The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted many businesses, and the luxury industry was no exception. As a matter of fact, those brands usually benefit from tourism and offer outstanding customer experiences that have been stopped short when boutiques were forced to close. This has led many high-fashion houses to rethink their B2C marketing actions; and to go beyond celebrity endorsement. For instance, by teaming up with other types of influencers who are closed to their community, trusted and listened by their followers. They can create digital and targeted experiences such as live shopping sessions, replacing – or being complementary to – physical events.
This phenomenon also created an opportunity for brands: rejuvenating target groups through engaging and inspirational content that will be memorable. Improving thus their top of mind and becoming more accessible with daily touchpoints. It certainly raised interest, curiosity, and awareness for the luxury art, know-how and heritage that represent luxury brands. Even Gen Z consumers can now feel legitimate and enjoy fashion.
“76% of (Fashion) brands say their sales have mushroomed as a result of their partnerships with influencers.”
The State of Influencer Marketing report, 2019, Launchmetrics
Dior: The pro of influencer marketing.
From product sending, brand trip and full-fledged collaboration to fashion show invitation, a luxury house can work with influencers because they will contribute to strengthening their image and reputation. In the past, attending an event during Fashion Week was exclusively reserved for top models, global celebrities, or major fashion journalists and designers. Today, several luxury brands, including the French Haute-Couture house Christian Dior, are no longer afraid of shaking up this hierarchy by inviting influencers.
“During the Spring/Summer 2019 fashion shows, Dior, designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri, attracted over seven million likes and 1,260 mentions by influencers with more than 15,000 followers making it the most successful of all the brands who presented collections.” stated WWD
Almost a year ago, Vogue magazine filmed the French YouTuber Lena Situations for their YouTube channel during a day of fittings before the Dior show. This first video led to an ongoing collaboration between Lena and the brand but also with Vogue – e.g. Dior has set up a 100% exclusive discovery day at the brand workshops in Paris. This brought awareness and brand preference to a younger audience addressed by Lena Situations.
Our #TOP5 European fashion influencers.
An important part of the world’s most renowned fashion influencers are European-based just like the biggest designers. Beyond Lena Situations, discover our personal favorite profiles by watching this short video:
At Territory Influence, we help you choose the most suitable influencers for your marketing strategy. Any doubt on what kind of profiles we should find for you? Check out our different categories from TRND and InCircles.