The ultimate finale of the fanfare that is fashion season; Paris plays host to the world’s leading luxury labels, attrac- ting not only key names in the industry but A-list stars and influencers alike. With Covid restrictions lifted from many international visitors, S/S23 was/felt bigger than ever before, culminating in a total EMV of $284M.

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The city came alive with 106 on-schedule shows and presentations, encompassing a ten-day marathon of style, viral fashion moments and parties. However, it wasn’t only the shows that were attracting attention. A plethora of celebrities and influencers were in town, resulting in an eruption of hysteria throughout Paris, with fans gathering outside venues waiting to catch a glimpse of their favourite celebrity, from Cher through to Zendaya - and just about every celebrity, influencer, and TikTok star in between. Kylie Jenner created a near constant mob outside the Ritz, while Kanye hit the headlines with his surprise show - but for all the wrong reasons. Throughout the week, a Tweet from Derek Blasberg summed up the ever-shifting symbiosis of influence and fashion: “I’m sitting in traffic from the Balenciaga show, which was opened by Kanye and attended (to much fanfare) by his ex-sister-in-law Kylie Jenner, and wondering if there’s ever been a time when high fashion has ever so closely intertwined itself with Pop culture?”

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At times, it felt as though their presence overshadowed the meaning of the event itself. But fashion is now a far bigger business than selling product alone; it’s about affiliation, alignment, and entertainment. That arrived in more ways than one. The influencer became the model, the model became the influencer, and all the meanwhile, the production became akin to the scale of theatre. After all, in the age of social media, the whole world’s a stage.
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Karla Otto and Lefty reveal the data, insights, and influencers that made an impact at #SS23 Paris Fashion Week.

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