Georgina Freeman
Associate Director
Luxury fashion and TikTok seem like a strange pairing. The social platform’s dynamic yet lo-fi nature, where user-generated trends emerge, erupt, and quickly vanish, makes it an unlikely match for brands that want to showcase the exclusive, aspirational appeal of high fashion.
TikTok’s USP is scrappy, irreverent content and plenty of tongue-in-cheek humour. This should clash with the po-faced, polished, and highly curated images typically associated with the fashion industry. But for some reason, it’s working.
Here are a few brands that are changing the narrative…
Gucci has earned a huge following with TikTok’s Gen Z audience, becoming one of the platform's leading luxury brands. This success stems from viral trends like the #GucciModelChallenge and collaborations with influencers such as Francis Bourgeois.
Gucci’s dominance on TikTok isn’t accidental. It’s the result of a carefully crafted digital strategy that blends high fashion with playful irreverence. The brand has mastered TikTok’s algorithm, encouraging creator content and tapping into the platform’s love for playful, nostalgic, and offbeat aesthetics.
Unlike some heritage luxury houses maintaining exclusivity, Gucci has embraced inclusivity, inviting creators from all backgrounds to engage authentically. By using popular influencers and models to create content that pushes the boundaries of traditional luxury marketing, Gucci has positioned itself as both aspirational and accessible. Its ‘more is more’ aesthetic, which champions bold colours, maximalist styling, and an irreverent approach to fashion – demonstrates Gucci’s understanding of TikTok. Campaigns such as the #GucciModelChallenge turned everyday users into stylists, positioning Gucci as a champion of self-expression and creativity.
In short, Gucci stays ahead of digital trends. It collaborates with influencers who feel like true fans, not corporate partners. This approach, combined with embracing TikTok’s USP that anyone can be a creator, has allowed Gucci to maintain cultural relevance while reinforcing its luxury status with Gen Z.
Jonathan Anderson and LOEWE have achieved a rare feat over the past 11 years: they have successfully hit that sweet spot where you don’t immediately register the content as being from a brand. It feels familiar, effortlessly slotting into trends with witty captions and organic authenticity. It cements LOEWE as a culturally relevant name, one that could just as easily be your favourite creator.
It’s a smart approach. The audience it speaks to is predominantly Gen Z, a group that, for the most part, doesn’t yet have the spending power to drop thousands on a handbag. But that’s not the point. LOEWE isn’t using TikTok as a direct sales tool. LOEWE is playing the long game. It’s building a movement, embedding itself in the cultural conversation, and capturing the zeitgeist.
What can we expect to see now it’s been announced that Anderson will be departing the fashion house? Well, that depends on the vision of his predecessor, but it’s one we will follow closely.
The Parisian fashion house isn’t killing it in terms of trending content but it could be an interesting one to watch. Content is still very much shown through a ‘luxury’ lens. It has spotlighted partnerships such as F1 and the Australian Open and new collections such as the Murakami bag and interviews on the Louis Vuitton [Extended] podcast.
However, with Pharrell Williams as Men’s Creative Director, LV’s social presence will likely to evolve towards a bolder, edgier, and more culturally dynamic aesthetic.
His links to music, culture, streetwear and pop will likely inspire the brand to reinforce an ‘aspirational yet approachable’ appeal.
His roots in hip-hop, skate and streetwear (hello, millennial fans of N.E.R.D) will cement a casual luxury appeal to the fashion house – and some of this is starting to play out on the platform.
In contrast to the maximalist, viral strategies of Gucci and the Gen Z-resonant approach of LOEWE, this brand's strategy, shaped by Pharrell's influence, is intriguingly different.
Finally, this blog wouldn’t be complete without some thoughts on Jacquemus. Its current content strategy feels authentic and playful, infused with a sense of mischief and eccentricity. An approach that resonates with Gen Z, who we know favour this kind of engaging content over polished, curated campaigns.
Jacquemus is undeniably in the luxury fashion league, yet its TikTok presence has cemented its mass appeal, making it feel more accessible than some of the more established fashion houses. (That said, the price point is still an investment, but more within reach than LOEWE.)
Jacquemus’s generationally and culturally attuned content has helped the brand build a large and loyal audience, particularly among Gen Z, which is arguably the most influential trendsetters on any social platform.
Finding the sweet spot
It’s not surprising that many fashion houses find it hard to be approachable, cut through the TikTok noise and become relevant in their own right. But approachability doesn’t always mean leaning into the heights of zeitgeist appeal.
For brands that are already household names, showing up on TikTok and cementing their place with an already engaged audience can sometimes mean setting the trends – like Gucci has done with its model challenges.
The key for brands in this space is to find their own sweet spot and play the long game. Be approachable, not untouchable. You never know, it might just pay off.
To learn how our team can help with your TikTok strategy, email hello@battenhall.com.
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