Instagram has become an important tool for fashion brands and influencers due to its high levels of engagement compared to Twitter. However, Twitter still plays a leading role for many celebrities and events due to large established audiences. New York Fashion Week traditionally dominated social media discussions on Twitter because of celebrity presence, while Paris also relies heavily on Twitter. However, the fashion industry is changing how it interacts with professionals and customers, with US brands first to shift away from official event hashtags and take a more personal approach on social media.

1.
Social Media and the Fashion Industry: an undefined relationship
New kid in town
Instagram is definitely playing the role of the new kid in town, growing very fast, showing very high level of
engagement, far higher than Twitter. It’s the must have tool for any brand, for any professional, for any
business.
It’s working very well on engagement: on average if a Tweet engagement is around 5/7, on Instagram we
reach tenfold level.
Is Twitter alive? Yes and kicking
Still, Twitter retains a leading role in many events due to its heritage: almost all the Movie and Music stars
have a Twitter account with hundreds of thousands if not millions of followers and they are not willing to
lose this large audience.
Simply compare Rihanna audience on Twitter and on Instagram
Whenever there is a star around, Twitter is there with an established audience worth millions no matter the
rumors about the channel.

2.
New York fashion week has always been dominated by Twitter across the last two years because of a
massive presence of Movie and Music stars.
Paris, between the European locations, is the one mostly replicating the New York model.
Some changes in the structure of the channel have in someway then defended Twitter role from Instagram
sharp growth facilitating the share of image.
It’s the market that is changing, not necessarily the Social Media Channels
Probably, rather than changes within the social media channels the true evolution is in the way the Fashion
industry is trying to tackle new ways of interaction with professionals and customers.
As a matter of fact, the US Fashion industry seems to be the first to react even if not necessarily in the right
way.
A sudden drop in brand mention linked to official event hashtag both on Twitter and Instagram. All the
actors shift to a more personal approach going away from the hashtag.

3.
It’s no surprise that Milan and Paris events do not reflect this trend as these are the two more conservative
environment from a communication point of view.
The pressure for a solution can be seen in the growth of the online presence of the brands across the four
seasons:
While Magazines remain stable and bloggers seem to be less involved in the events, Lower level of noise
from the Stores as well and this may sound unexpected. Truth is that Brands seem to acknowledge that
they have to take back a significant share of communication in their own hands and play a better control
over the stream of news related to their key events. They have to do it otherways somebody else will do it.
The process can’t be stopped.
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Note
Source: Buzzdetector
Data: New York, London, Milan, Paris Fashion weeks on Twitter and Instagram with official hashtags only