The Haute Couture AW24 Debrief

The vision of Haute Couture is about world-building and showcasing a Maison's creative excellence. As a result, what drives media value differs from ready-to-wear.

Whereas influencers are key for visibility in RTW, Haute Couture is laser-focused on its unique clientele, making for a more diverse pool of influencers and luxury partnerships. Think entrepreneurs, industry insiders, photographers and, this season, an airline.

But Haute Couture is also about theatrics, where jaw-dropping gowns instantly become viral moments, and brands focus on weaving visual narratives beyond the collections and into awe-inspiring production. This season, the Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2024 shows grew 11% year on year, earning $95.3 million EMV (Earned Media Value), according to Lefty data.

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First, it is important to note the wider social climate and cultural calendar surrounding the shows. With the Paris Olympics around the corner, some designers used the moment as a creative output — namely, Maria Grazia Chiuri at Christian Dior Couture who presented draped dresses reminiscent of the Olympics’ birthplace, Ancient Greece. 

Top brand BALENCIAGA ’s Couture collection, soundtracked by a guided meditation, offered a commentary on the meaning of Couture — all with Demna’s signature style, known for it's social media savviness. Paired with an attendance including K-Pop star Juyeon (of band The Boyz), Katie Perry and CharliXCX (just a few weeks after her new album ‘Brat’ came out and took over our social feeds), this strategy earned the brand $23.4M EMV, a +360% growth year on year.

Other brands who embraced the fantasy of Haute Couture included SCHIAPARELLI and Daniel Roseberry's sculptural gowns, Rahul Mishra ’s surrealistic pieces and Ashi Studio ’s textured, poetic silhouettes, who all saw their EMV significantly boosted this year. 

Sitting firmly a #2, Christian Dior Couture adopted a strong APAC talent strategy — something carried on from its ready-to-wear shows. Its top brand ambassador, Jisoo of Blackpink, contributed $6.5M EMV and earned the #1 KOL spot in the process. But the influencer rankings show key profiles from America, Brazil, India and Lebanon, which speaks to a more diverse pool of talent.

While Kylie Jenner continues to drive significant media value for SCHIAPARELLI , Brazilian singer Jojo Maronttinni was spotted at Jean Paul GAULTIER , contributing $2.6M EMV to the brand’s overall performance. Karla Otto client Rahul Mishra leaned into its brand’s Indian heritage, casting actress Janhvi Kapoor to walk the runway. Her presence helped boost the brand’s visibility, growing 411% year on year, showcasing how leveraging your brand community and staying true to your heritage resonates with online audiences.  

Finally, some novelty elements helped drive hype online. Drag artist Alexis Stone, dressed as Miranda Priestly of ‘The Devil Wears Prada’, contributed $889K for BALENCIAGA and generated over 1M impressions, according to Lefty data. Over at Ashi Studio , an airline made it into the rankings for the first time. After the brand’s Couture show, Ashi Studio and Riyadh Air | طيران الرياض unveiled new uniforms at a star-studded dinner, leveraging the moment to drive further visibility to this new partnership.

Interested in learning more about our strategic services and what we can do for your brand? Reach out to insights@karlaotto.com today.