Contemporary fashion is a mix of business, shows and art, and is increasingly driven by social media. A trend confirmed by a survey carried out by Italian research firm SocialData in collaboration with media company Urban Vision. The survey analysed the views and user engagement for the runway show videos posted on YouTube, comparing the performances of the leading labels at Milan Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week.

The survey revealed interesting interactions between the physical and digital landscapes. Social media users followed keenly both the Milan and Paris runway shows, commenting and posting likes not only for the designers, but also the celebrities present, the latter key in capturing the imagination of millions of users. The YouTube metrics, captured the day after the fashion weeks ended, gave a clear picture of their audiences’ interest. 

Gucci, Prada and Bottega Veneta dominated in Milan: Gucci led the pack with 3.5 million views, followed by Bottega Veneta with 2.36 million and Prada with 1.27 million. Bottega Veneta’s performance was especially significant, considering it has fewer followers (293,000) than other leading labels that ranked behind it in terms of views. Saint Laurent was the top performer in Paris for views and likes, ahead of labels like Dior and Louis Vuitton, which have more followers. Music played a role in Paris, and Charlotte Gainsbourg’s reinterpretation of Les Paradis Perdus was mentioned by scores of users in their comments. Altogether, the runway shows for the Milan and Paris fashion weeks recorded over 15 million views on YouTube.

The survey made surprising finds in terms of the relationship between followers and views. Like Bottega Veneta in Milan, which ranks behind other labels in terms of followers, Valentino starred in Paris, leading the user engagement table thanks to the debut show of its new creative director Alessandro Michele, highly appreciated for his previous work at Gucci. User comments for the videos celebrated Michele, contributing to Valentino’s success.

In Milan, celebrities played a key role in driving user engagement. Versace recorded strong results thanks to the participation of Prince Hyunjin, member of K-pop group Stray Kids, who attracted attention from Asian audiences. Dolce & Gabbana created a buzz with Madonna‘s surprise participation, alongside two Asian celebrities like Hikaru Iwamoto of Snow Man and Choi San of Ateez, proof of the growing importance of Asian celebrities for fashion. 

In Paris, Rick Owens, Schiaparelli, and Vivienne Westwood achieved some of the highest engagement rates thanks to their innovative, experimental collections, confirming how avant-garde fashion remains highly popular with digital audiences.

The SocialData survey concluded that Gucci was the strongest brand in Milan, achieving excellent results across all YouTube metrics, while Bottega Veneta stood out for the most surprising performance. In Paris, Saint Laurent’s was the most watched runway show, ahead of labels with a wider following such as Dior and Louis Vuitton.

The fusion of physical and digital experiences, highlighted by Urban Vision’s Fashion LED Cube, a videowall installation deployed in Milan, and the growing importance of Asian celebrities, confirm how fashion continues to evolve into a global, multimedia phenomenon.

“The journey of interaction and integration between physical and digital experiences continues. Social media is increasingly the nerve centre of this process, which is irreversible,” said Gianluca De Marchi, partner of SocialData and CEO of Urban Vision. “[This integration] helps generate positive feelings and deep emotional engagement in audiences, who increasingly feel part of a shared, authentic experience,” he concluded.