Yahoo News Paris Fashion Week stats suggest that the catwalk still rules
The spring/summer 2021 season was always going to be a unique one for the fashion industry. With the pandemic still very much present in every one of the fashion capitals this September, designers were forced to make decisions about whether to present a collection as usual, and how best to do so in a safe manner. In some ways, the circumstances gave the industry an opportunity to see what could be done without the traditional catwalk-show format. But, if these new statistics from Paris Fashion Week are anything to go by, the answer is that nothing holds quite the same pulling power as a show.
Data and analytics firm Listen First has shared figures with WWD on how brands fared this Paris Fashion Week, concluding that those who blended a catwalk show with digital aspects fared far better than those who opted for online only.
"While social media interest in Paris Fashion Week significantly decreased this year compared to last, the designers who did have the most success on social media were those who scaled back their presentation the least," Tracy David, chief marketing officer Listen First told the publication. "With the pandemic with us for the foreseeable future, designers that are able to find safe and creative ways to return spectacle to the runway will generate the most social media interest around upcoming fashion events."
The firm added that there were ways to encourage engagement with digital-only productions. This includes ensuring videos last at least five minutes and featuring influencers in the event.
However, on the whole, these stats suggest that the catwalk show will be going nowhere anytime soon. Although there has been plenty of discussion for years about finding a more sustainable way of working for the fashion industry, the spring/summer 2021 season has certainly proved, through a lack of buzz and attention on the four capitals this September, that nothing has quite the attention-grabbing appeal of the catwalk show, and the format will likely be back for most brands post-pandemic.
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