All About Balenciaga's 2025 Shanghai Show

Shanghai has become a premier hub for luxury fashion brands to host exclusive shows. According to Bain & Company, Chinese consumers comprised 40% of global luxury goods consumption in 2022, underscoring China's critical role in the luxury market. However, the stringent COVID-19 regulations from 2020 to 2022 significantly impacted cities like Shanghai, limiting in-person luxury shopping domestically and abroad – significantly impacting this crucial market for luxury brands.

Despite these challenges, Chinese consumers' passion for luxury goods remains strong, presenting unique brand opportunities. In 2023, 41% of all new luxury store openings occurred in China, as reported by Global Luxury Retail. Esteemed brands such as Louis Vuitton, Kenzo, and Bottega Veneta have showcased their collections in Shanghai in 2022 and 2023, setting the stage for Balenciaga's Spring 2025 fashion show. This trend highlights the significance of the Chinese market for luxury brands and the need for targeted marketing strategies.

Key Insights from Balenciaga's Shanghai 2025 Fashion Show

Instagram – Significant Profile Activation

Instagram led the charge with 62% of the posts and contributed 44% of the total Earned Media Value (EMV), even though only 12% of the influencers participated. This highlights the importance of influencer marketing and partnering with key profiles, influencers, and celebrities to drive consumer engagement and brand awareness.

Weibo – Reach and Impressions

Weibo accounted for 52% of all impressions related to the show and 51% of the EMV, with just 11.2% of the total posts. The platform's high reach and impressions are due to the Chinese audience's significant usage of Weibo, a blend of Twitter and Instagram. For brands targeting Chinese consumers, Weibo is essential to any social media strategy.

Douyin and Red – Exceptional Engagement Rates

Despite their relatively low share of total EMV—Red at 3.8% and Douyin at 1.5%—both platforms demonstrated remarkable engagement rates. Red achieved an average engagement rate of 279%, while Douyin soared to 395%. These platforms focus on visual content, making them valuable assets in a brand's marketing strategy, especially when targeting Chinese consumers.

TikTok – Opportunities for Growth

TikTok contributed only 0.5% of the total EMV and achieved an average engagement rate of just 3%. The minimal engagement from influencers on TikTok, who represented only 0.5% of the total influencer pool, contributed to this underperformance. Focusing on TikTok's counterpart in China, Douyin, will likely yield better results.

Maximizing Visibility Through Social Media Channels

Weibo and Instagram – Elevating Balenciaga's Presence

From May 30 to June 2, 2024, 153 influencers across Instagram, TikTok, RED, Weibo, and Douyin produced 886 posts about Balenciaga's fashion show in Shanghai. This generated 341 million impressions and an estimated EMV of €4.5 million. Weibo and Instagram had the most impact on reach, engagement, and visibility.

Outstanding Engagement Rates on RED and Douyin

RED and Douyin demonstrated impressive engagement rates of 395% and 279%, respectively. Instagram's engagement rates, while lower, still significantly outpaced TikTok's. Carousel posts on Instagram and Weibo achieved higher visibility, garnering €25K and €6.7K EMV per post.

Performance Analysis by Network

High Engagement on Red and Douyin

Micro-influencers on Red and Douyin significantly enhanced engagement rates, enabling brands to achieve greater visibility at relatively low costs through targeted influencer marketing.

Local Influencers on Instagram

Chinese local and Eastern media influencers accounted for 67% of discussions surrounding this campaign on Instagram, contributing to 54% of the total EMV on the platform. This underscores the importance of influencer marketing in boosting brand awareness.

Weibo’s Interaction Discrepancy

Despite hosting numerous macro and mega influencers, Weibo's interaction levels lag behind other platforms. Even top EMV generators on Weibo typically achieve engagement rates of around 6%.

The Top Influencers Across Social Networks for Balenciaga’s Shanghai Show

Red’s Top Influencers and Their Performance

Red's top influencers generated 33% of the total EMV, demonstrating micro-influencers’ impact on enhancing engagement rates.

Instagram’s Top Influencers From Creative Directors, Media, and Style Influencers

On Instagram, four posts from APAC celebrities generated over 40% of Balenciaga's total EMV, highlighting the effectiveness of partnering with key profiles.

Douyin’s Top Influencers From Prominent Chinese Actors to Singers

Douyin's top influencers contributed significantly to the platform's high engagement rates.

Exploring the Accounts Boosting Social Media Visibility  

On Instagram: Four posts from APAC celebrities generated over 40% of Balenciaga's total EMV.

RED: Top influencers generated 33% of the total EMV.

Weibo: Leading influencers contributed 52% of the total EMV.

On Instagram: 84% of EMV was Generated by These Top Influencers

Regional Influence

Thailand and Korea Were the Main Audiences Reached

Thailand and Korea were the primary audiences reached. The Thai audience experienced a significant impact from Instagram, influenced by Thai celebrity PPKrit, a Balenciaga ambassador. Similarly, a renowned Korean actress drew attention from the Korean audience, indicating that regional celebrities can effectively broaden the reach of a Chinese campaign into neighboring countries.

In Summary

Balenciaga's Spring 2025 show in Shanghai underscored the importance of the Chinese market for luxury brands. The brand gained significant visibility and engagement by leveraging platforms like Instagram, Weibo, RED, and Douyin. The event highlights the necessity of tailored marketing strategies in China and the value of understanding influencer dynamics to connect with consumers and drive growth in the luxury sector.