Influencers to Take Center Stage at Paris Fashion Week

Paris Fashion Week, long considered the pinnacle of haute couture, is experiencing a significant shift in its approach to influencer involvement. For the Spring/Summer 2025 season, the prestigious event has embraced a new era of digital content creation and influencer participation, mirroring trends seen in other fashion capitals.

From Front Row to Backstage Access

Traditionally, influencers were merely front-row spectators at Paris Fashion Week. However, this season saw a dramatic change. Luxury brands like Chanel and Louis Vuitton invited social media stars and content creators to conduct backstage interviews and create exclusive content. This approach, similar to Tory Burch's strategy in New York, where influencers like Maria Georgas and Mandy Lee conducted red carpet-like interviews, generated millions of views across platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

@oldloserinbrooklyn @TORY BURCH @Alexa Chung ♬ original sound - Charles Mantaghi

Innovative Content Collaborations

Paris Fashion Week organisers took cues from their New York counterparts, partnering with niche content creators to provide unique perspectives on the shows. For instance, French equivalents of Luke Meagher (@HauteLeMode), who introduced and reviewed Carolina Herrera's collection on TikTok, were tapped to offer real-time collection reviews for Dior and Givenchy. These collaborations brought fresh energy and diverse viewpoints to the traditionally exclusive event.

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Bridging Haute Couture with Street Style

The involvement of influencers has helped bridge the gap between high fashion and street style. Parisian brands leveraged influencers' trend-setting power to showcase how their haute couture designs translate into everyday wear. This strategy, reminiscent of Moda Operandi's collaboration with TikTok personality Benton McClintock for backstage interviews, has made Paris Fashion Week more accessible to a younger, digitally-savvy audience.

Impact on Brand Strategies

Luxury fashion houses in Paris are reevaluating their influencer strategies. Instead of relying solely on celebrity endorsements, brands are now seeking out creators with unique content formats and specialised knowledge. This shift reflects a growing emphasis on authentic engagement and community-building rather than just broad reach. For example, Saks Fifth Avenue's partnership with viral creator Marty Miller to cover Area's 10th-anniversary collection demonstrates this trend towards more specialised content creation.

The Future of Influencer Involvement

As Paris Fashion Week evolves, we can expect to see influencers taking on even more significant roles. There's potential for influencer-curated shows or collaborations on capsule collections, blending the traditional Parisian fashion ethos with contemporary digital culture. This trend is already evident in New York, where influencers like Chiara Ferragni and Aimee Song have collaborated with designers on capsule collections.

Sustainability and Authenticity

In line with the fashion industry's growing focus on sustainability, Paris Fashion Week is encouraging influencers to highlight eco-friendly practices and ethical fashion choices. This aligns with consumer demands for transparency and responsibility in luxury fashion. As noted by Lindsey Solomon, founder of Lindsey Media, brands are now looking for creators who can produce distinctive content formats and engage with niche communities, rather than just broad audiences.The transformation of influencer roles at Paris Fashion Week marks a new chapter in the event's storied history. By embracing digital creators and innovative content strategies, Paris Fashion Week is keeping its position at the front of global fashion while adapting to the changing landscape of media and consumer engagement. As trend and cultural researcher Agus Panzoni observes, the most successful brand-creator partnerships are those that authentically highlight the creator's specific content style while aligning with the brand's image.[caption id="attachment_14758" align="aligncenter" width="932"]

Models present a creation by US fashion designer Matthew Williams during the Givenchy Menswear Spring/Summer 2023 show as part of Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, on June 22, 2022. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)[/caption]