Michael Kors Once Again Scores First Place in Social Engagement during NYFW

Michael Kors once again came in first place in social media engagement during New York Fashion Week, according to ListenFirst, the social analytics company.

Rounding out the top five were Tommy Hilfiger, Tory Burch, Coach and Carolina Herrera, respectively, according to ListenFirst.

The next 10 in social engagement were Cos, Off-White, Sandy Liang, LoveShackFancy, Collina Strada, Willy Chavarria, Grace Ling, LaQuan Smith, Anna Sui and Area, respectively, according to ListenFirst.

Kors came in first place last February and before that came in first place in February 2020.

Engagement score is a measure of the conscious click-based actions (likes, relations, shares and comments) taken either in direct response to a brand’s owned social accounts or by way of organic conversation, including new fans and engagements across social media, as well as conversation volume on Twitter and Reddit. The time frame to measure engagement was Sept. 6- Sept. 12.

Some of the brands had more time to accumulate social posts and mentions because their shows occurred earlier during fashion week. ListenFirst also measured the percentage change in movement from last February’s NYFW shows (Feb. 9- Feb. 15).

“This spring/summer season, fashion brands are honing in on their core identities to boost brand awareness in bold and genuine ways. With inflation impacting many industries, designers and marketers are focusing on meeting the needs of consumers looking for unique aesthetic and styles. The goal is clear: Stay true to the brand’s essence while offering curated, experience-driven fashion,” said Michelle Hammond, client strategist at ListenFirst.

She noted that New York Fashion Week’s digital presence stood out across all platforms. For example, Instagram led with 54 percent engagement, as users gravitated toward runway moments and designer highlights, said Hammond. TikTok captured 23 percent, with its “dynamic behind-the-scenes content” and influencer collaboration interviews that resonated with a younger, trend-driven audience, she said. Facebook accounted for 21 percent, “appealing to a loyal, fashion-forward community that valued curated content and deeper brand narratives,” she said.

“This platform breakdown underscores how diverse audiences engage with NYFW’s cultural influence,” said Hammond.

Taking the leading position was Kors, which achieved an engagement score of 6.96 million, which was up 43 percent from the previous season. Their standout social media moment was a co-post with their global brand ambassador, Dahyun, as she made her runway debut, earning 826,000 engagements. The second-highest performing post featured a carousel of Kors and Dahyun backstage generating 496,000 engagements. Kors’ show took place at The Shed in Hudson Yards. The designer saw notable success on TikTok by highlighting the workmanship of the Italian artisans and focusing on standout pieces such as the updated Manhattan bag, fringed mules, among other items. Top posts featured A-list guests such as Lindsay Lohan, Suni Lee and JC-T, which also contributed to the brand’s performance.

Tommy Hilfiger, who came in second place, held his show aboard the John F. Kennedy Staten Island Ferry and showcased a nautical-lifestyle inspired collection. Hilfiger scored 5.2 million in social engagement, up 233 percent from last season. A key factor in the brand’s success was its influencer strategy including collaboration with the South Korean boy band Stray Kids. Their talent-centered posts captured 79 percent of the brand’s total engagements during the week. A-list stars that attended the show included Shay Mitchell, Nicole Warne, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Madelyn Cline, Leo and Jade Picon, Gabby Thomas, and Brooke Shields, garnering 48,000 engagements.

Tory Burch achieved an engagement score of 2.3 million, coming in third place for the season, according to ListenFirst. Tory Burch was the most engaged brand on TikTok for the second season in a row with 1.1 million engagements, making up 41 percent of all TikTok engagements. The brand is also the first to have more than 1 million engagements on TikTok during two consecutive NYFW seasons. The brand also ranked second overall in cross-channel engagements, showcasing its strong impact across multiple platforms. Highlights included a top-performing co-post with actress Joey King, which earned 285,000 engagements. TikTok’s interview collaborations also contributed significantly to the brand’s score, hosted by Maria Georgas, Reece Feldman and Liana Satenstein. Top posts included an interview with Serena Page hosted by Georgas (197,000), personality bloopers with Georgas and Ken Eurich (142,000), and Satenstein interviewing Alex Consani (138,000). Influential VIPS such as Bruna Marquezine, Song Yuqi and Sabrina Carpenter helped expand Burch’s brand exposure. Held at the Domino Sugar Refinery in Brooklyn, the show marked the return of the Reva ballet flat.

Coming in fourth place was Coach, which served up a Gen-Z collection. The company had an engagement score of 787,658, reflecting a 254 percent increase from last season. The event took place at the High Line in New York. Coach’s breakout social post featured a carousel of celebrity guests such as Katseye, Kathryn Newton, Shygirl, among others, garnering 22,000 engagements. Coach’s backstage and runway Reels on Instagram also were essential to their social success.

Carolina Herrera came in fifth place with an engagement score of 513,057, marking a 139 percent increase from last season. The brand’s standout post from the week was a carousel showcasing Herrera’s brand, earning 25,000 engagements. It highlighted the polka dot fabric in the spring collection, providing exclusive behind-the-scenes content from an atelier perspective. Guests at the show included Karlie Kloss, Nina Dobrev, Chloe Fineman, and Liza Koshy.

While Ralph Lauren wasn’t included in the final rankings as the brand presented the night before NYFW’s official start, they saw notable success with an engagement score of 4.1 million. Set in the Hamptons, the brand attracted such notable guests as First Lady Jill Biden, Usher, Jude Law, among others. Ralph Lauren’s content featuring iconic supermodels like Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell resonated strongly, but their TikTok video with Lucky Blue Smither interviewing Ralph Lauren Kids backstage earned over 2.1 million engagements.

As for the others who made the top 15, Cos, coming in sixth place, had an engagement score of 384,809. Off-White, in seventh place, had an engagement score of 233,659. Neither of the brands showed last season in New York.

Coming in eighth place was Sandy Liang, with an engagement score of 150,476, up 29 percent. LoveShackFancy, which came in ninth place, had an engagement score of 68,887, up 30 percent from last season. Collina Strada came in 10th place with an engagement score of 50,794, up 1,341 percent from last season. Willy Chavarria, who came in 11th place, had an engagement score of 41,861, up 15 percent.

Grace Ling, the winner of the CFDA/Genesis House AAPI Design + Innovation Grant, came in 12th place with an engagement score of 33,018. LaQuan Smith, who came in 13th place, had an engagement score of 31,078, up 3 percent. Anna Sui, who came in 14th place, had an engagement score of 28,854, down 42 percent, while Area, which came in 15th place, had an engagement score of 27,769, which was off 23 percent from last season.