New York Fashion Week defied expectations, growing 39% year-over-year and generating $59.6 million in Earned Media Value

Despite major names missing from the official calendar and some key celebrities swept away to New Orleans for the Super Bowl, New York Fashion Week defied expectations, growing 39% year-over-year and generating $59.6 million in Earned Media Value (EMV), according to Lefty. At the heart of the buzz was Calvin Klein, where Veronica Leoni’s much-anticipated debut cemented the brand as the week’s undisputed leader.  


In an era where digital presence is almost as vital as the clothes themselves, how did brands refine their social strategies to captivate audiences? And which names left an indelible mark?   

While some brands fueled social media moments through viral silhouettes, others looked beyond design and tapped into popular culture via casting or content strategy. Anna Delvey and her ankle monitor transformed runway appearances into real-life memes. Meanwhile, Collina Strada, which saw an 873% year-on-year increase in EMV, extended its show’s impact through a savvy post-show social strategy, featuring its models competing in the game show spinoff, ‘The Chicest Link’.