From PR to ROI: The Untold Strategy Behind Fashion Week

If you work in (or care for) the fashion industry, you won’t have missed the buzz headlines of the month – Matthiew Blazy’s high-stakes Chanel takeover at the Paris Grand Palais, Jonathan Anderson’s Dior Debut, Sarah Burton’s inspiration for her Givenchy collection and the list goes on.

But let’s pause for a moment – do you still remember last season’s fashion show?

Just like fashion shows, most brands treat their most significant brand events solely for PR and branding purposes – they attract attention for a few days then quietly fade away.

The top 1% luxury players do it differently. 

They ensure that beyond the headlines, their loyal clients are engaged and rewarded, while also securing commercial opportunities for the upcoming season.

Let me show you how the best brands do this – a strategy that should be applied to any high-stakes event your brand organises.

I will never forget how Christina, my all-time mentor, explained the difference between the two: VIC, where the “C” stands for cash, and VIP, where the “P” stands for presents.

VICS are the clients who buy the products, while VIPs are the celebrities and PRs that the brands dress.

For any high-stakes events, always invite your relevant clients to be part of it, rather than letting them see it on social media the next morning.

A common mistake I have observed in my consulting work across luxury categories is that brands treat every high-potential and top client the same – with identical itineraries and investments regardless of the client’s spending or years of loyalty.

The missed opportunity here is that your most spending clients don’t feel special enough, while the just-starting-to-spend clients lack further motivation to spend more.

Instead, make it intentional.

Design experience tiers with clear differentiation – from a light package (show tickets only) to a medium package (show tickets plus one night hotel stay) to a complete package (including flights, wine, and dine).

An intentionally tiered experience conveys a powerful message about your value of client loyalty.

Who should host your client – Marketing, Client Development team or the Sales Associates?

The ideal hosting team combines two crucial capabilities: someone excels in handling hospitality, such as hotel check-in, restaurant booking, and limousine arrangements, and can deal with any unforeseen circumstances on the spot (trust me, it happens a lot); plus someone great at managing client relationships.

The latter understand their communication and lifestyle preferences, and can utilise the trip to build a deeper understanding of the client, while driving commercial opportunities.

I have seen luxury businesses hesitate to extend other lifestyle experiences beyond their core offerings -fashion houses with fashion shows, car brands with racing, spirits brands with tastings.

The most successful ones create a lifestyle immersion.

The more your clients experience your brand in a holistic way, the more they understand its value – and the more time you get to spend with your clients, the more you learn about them.

Knowledge of clients beyond your brand’s purchase is invaluable in cultivating their loyalty.

How has your business leveraged the top events beyond the PR buzz?

Reach out to us – I’ll be here to help you turn your next event into both a loyalty driver and a return on investment.

Whenever you are ready, here are the ways we can support you (or your business) to thrive in your industry:

• Review your customer loyalty strategy

• Audit luxury Customer Journey & Experience

• Master The Art and Science of Clienteling

• Design your VIC Event & Experience

• Deliver an Inspiring Keynote

• Support your leadership and communication development