The Power of the Media Voice Perseveres, According to Launchmetrics Study

The Media Voice continues to be one of the fashion industry’s most defining voices.

That’s according to a new study by Launchmetrics that concludes that the “Media Voice” — any third-party entity publishing content written by media professionals, such as journalists or freelancers — remains a crucial tool to maximize brand performance. The study found that working in tandem with other voices, like those of celebrities, influencers, owned-media and partners, the media takes buzzworthy moments and amplifies them, adding editorial authority and sustaining momentum well beyond the initial news break or event.

“This echo effect transforms isolated moments into cultural ripple effects that resonate across channels and ultimately elevate brand performance,” according to Launchmetrics.

According to Michael Jais, chief executive officer of Launchmetrics, the media has become a global industry projected to grow to $1.4 billion by 2030 and remains a “robust constant” for the fashion industry. “The media is not diminishing, it’s evolving. It continues to play a central role in shaping how fashion brands are seen, understood and talked about,” he said.

During fashion’s most influential moments, the Media Voice drives an average of 70 percent of total media impact value (MIV). As audiences shift to become social media-oriented, media outlets have moved with them. “No longer occupying just one page or platform, outlets move fluidly across channels; accelerating momentum in ways that brands can’t afford to overlook,” said Jais. To maximize performance, brands need to not only understand who speaks about their brand, but where and how that impact is generated and amplified.

Over the last 50 years, the media has been particularly significant in shaping its authority, according to the study. What started as the reign of print in the 1980s and 1990s evolved to digital in the 2000s; the rise of social media where traditional hierarchy was disrupted by platforms like Instagram, YouTube and Tumblr, and bloggers and influencers gained power once reserved for editors, in 2010s; the rise of owned media channels in the late 2010s to 2020s, and AI and omnichannel at present. Legacy media outlets have pivoted to multiple channels and formats to remain vital anchors of authority and credibility, said Launchmetrics.

In evaluating the spring 2026 fashion weeks, the channels used most by the media were Instagram and TikTok, which both showed year-over-year growth. Facebook and Chinese social platforms (including Weibo, Douyin, Bilibili, Xiaohongshu and WeChat) are also expanding quickly, signaling untapped or resurging opportunities for fashion.

During spring 2026 fashion weeks, Instagram generated $1.2 billion in MIV, up 62 percent, while TikTok generated $291.1 million in MIV, up 63 percent. Facebook generated $202 million in MIV, up 142 percent. YouTube, for example, generated $62 million, up 125 percent.

The study pointed out that publications generate a variety of content, created and distributed across multiple channels to reach multiple audiences. The evolution was clear during fashion week, where more media-driven MIV was generated on social media platforms — and these social placements delivered nearly five times the value of online articles. “This shift demonstrates that publications recognize the power social media holds — prompting outlets to embrace a multichannel strategy that flexes across platforms, formats and audience touchpoints,” the study said. What’s more, Launchmetrics said they’re also seeing media houses reorganize their teams to be content-led — with top positions now focused specifically on editorial content.

On average, across major fashion events, such as fashion weeks, Cannes Film Festival and the Met Gala, media placements on social media were 547 percent more valuable than online.

For the Met Gala, 88 percent of MIV was Media Voice Social Media and 12 percent was Media Voice Online. For fashion weeks, 53 percent was Media Voice Social Media, and 47 percent was Media Voice Online. For the Cannes Film Festival, 77 percent was Media Voice Social Media, and 23 percent was Media Voice Online.

For the spring 2026 fashion weeks, the top media voices by region were Europe ($496 million), Asia ($458 million), and North America ($423 million).

In North America, MIV for Vogue was $60.2 million, for WWD, $40 million, and for E! News, $14.6 million, according to Launchmetrics.

In Europe, MIV for Gala (France) was $44.5 million, for Dazed Media, $24.4 million, and for French Vogue, $16.9 million.

In Asia, MIV for Fashionsnap (Japan) was $14.5 million, for Elle (Japan), $14.3 million, and W Magazine (Korea), $9.7 million.

At fashion’s biggest moments of the year, the media is reclaiming its voice dominance over celebrities that it held so strongly in the 1990s, and influencers, while continuing to serve as the industry’s most trusted source for news, according to Launchmetrics.

The Media Voice accounts for the majority share of value across major fashion events. For example, for fashion weeks, it accounts for 53 percent, versus 47 percent for other voices. For Cannes Film Festival, the Media Voice accounts for 75 percent, versus 25 percent for other voices, and for the Met Gala, the Media Voice accounts for 81 percent, versus 19 percent for other voices.

The trend is also evident across other major moments in the industry. For example, the media remains the primary vehicle for announcing fashion’s biggest news stories. During the wave of announcements introducing new creative directors at leading houses this season, the Media Voice was the dominant driver of MIV. In fact, media drove 92 percent of the total MIV from these announcements, underscoring its enduring influence, said Launchmetrics.

The study found that as media outlets reassert their influence on social media, it’s their embrace of short-form content — popularized by TikTok — that’s generating real impact. The Media Voice’s impact on TikTok, in fact, during fashion weeks surged 261 percent year-over year.

“Publications are leveraging TikTok’s discovery-driven ecosystem to spark conversation through authentic on-the-ground coverage and creative multiformat storytelling. The result is clear: the media is capturing an ever-growing share of voice across TikTok, solidifying its position as the leading authority on fashion industry commentary,” according to Launchmetrics.

The study found that for each fashion week, Instagram was the most impactful channel. For example, for New York Fashion Week, the media generated $4 million in MIV; for London Fashion Week, $3.8 million; for Milan Fashion Week, $6 million, and for Paris Fashion Week, $15.6 million.

Another point that’s raised in the study is that celebrities are among the most powerful drivers of media impact. They create moments that resonate not only with their own audiences but also with the media, sparking broader cultural conversations. While celebrities generate direct impact through their own channels, the media amplifies these moments, creating indirect impact as the third-party commentator mentioning both the celebrity and the brand. This indirect echo effect is critical given that 77 percent of the MIV driven in brand ambassadorships comes from these surrounding conversations.