According to the Kolsquare report, fast fashion dominates, but new names and luxury perform better for engagement and return on investment.
In the world of social media it’s all about KPI-Key Performance Indicators, i.e. the quantitative metrics that measure the effectiveness of a company in achieving strategic objectives. Kolsquare, the leading platform in Europe for influencer marketing, knows this well and, by analyzing the performance of fashion and luxury on Instagram and Tik Tok, has drawn up the ranking of the hundred most active brands. And although the podium goes to the world of ultra-fast-fashion, with Shein dominating both Instagram and Tik Tok, there is no shortage of case studies that demonstrate how a careful but contained strategy can be more effective than a blanket activity. “The data from the fourth quarter of 2025 tell us something very profound: the dynamics of distribution and sale of products today faithfully reflect social dynamics. We observe an almost perfect overlap between commercial logistics and digital influence”, explained Greta Pelizzari, Field Marketing Manager of Kolsquare Italia, “Let’s look at Instagram: at the top we find the brands masswhich produce and distribute massive volumes among thousands of creators. The case of Shein is emblematic: by adding the contents posted in Italy by the global account and those of the vertical account for the Italian market, the brand has activated over 2,400 creators for almost 30,000 contents, generating an impressive EMV of around 43.8 million euros (EMV- Earned Media Value is the index that assigns an economic value to organic coverage equivalent to paid advertising, ed.). However, this firepower clashes with a very low engagement rate (the metric that indicates the quality of the relationship with the public, ed.), stuck at 1.8%. It is proof that absolute visibility does not necessarily coincide with an equally effective strategy. On the contrary, a model of extraordinary efficiency emerges in reality like Bomba Fit: with just 227 creators – less than a tenth compared to Shein – it achieved an EMV of over 10.2 million euros. With less than 10% of the digital workforce of a global giant, it generated almost a quarter of its value, doubling the efficiency per single post and reaching an engagement rate of 11.6%”. In the luxury segment, collaborations designed on specific targets are even more effective, “A particularly interesting balance can instead be found in luxury on Instagram, where the performances of the Top 3 appear extremely balanced and consistent with the DNA of Made in Italy”, continues Pellizzari, “Gucci leads the sector (€5.3M of EMV), followed by Miu Miu (€3.47M) and Prada (€3.2M). What is striking is the synchrony in the activations: the gap between the creators activated by the maisons is minimal (791, 789 and 767 Key opinion leaders-KOLs respectively), a sign of a mature market where the major maisons have identified a ‘golden number’ of collaborations to maintain constant and high-impact exclusivity”. Instagram, therefore, confirms itself as the territory of choice for influencer marketing choices, followed closely, however, by the Chinese platform. “On TikTok, this polarization is even more extreme. While Shein remains a top player by volume, its 0.8% engagement rate pales in comparison to more timely strategies. In ready-to-wear, brands like H&M (11.7% ER) and especially Scuffers (which boasts a record of 19.3%) demonstrate that timely strategies are the real key to success”, concludes the manager, “Luxury is also adapting to different rhythms: on TikTok the numbers are smaller than on Instagram, but the impact is qualitatively disruptive. The case of Carolina Herrera is a signal for the entire sector: with only 44 KOLs and 70 contents it generated an engagement rate of 23.5%. The real trend that these data give us for 2026 is the definitive transition from visibility to affinity. The market no longer rewards those who impose themselves with large numbers, but those who know how to transform a digital distribution strategy into a real cultural connection. Selectivity and creativity have become the new currencies of media value.”
