Tory Burch Takes First Prize in Social Engagement During NYFW, Fueled by TikTok Success

Fueled by a breakout performance on TikTok, Tory Burch came in first place in social engagement during New York Fashion Week.

The brand had an engagement score of 3.6 million, up 119 percent from its spring 2026 performance last September, according to ListenFirst, the social analytics firm.

Coming in second place was Calvin Klein, followed in order by Michael Kors, Carolina Herrera, Coach, Cult Gaia, Prabal Gurung, Christian Siriano, Christian Cowan, and Elena Velez.

The time frame covered was Feb. 11 through Feb. 17, and only brands on the official NYFW calendar were included. Ralph Lauren, for example, showed before NYFW began on Feb. 10 and wasn’t included, nor was Marc Jacobs, who showed Feb. 9.

Last September, Calvin Klein was the big winner in social engagement, and last February, Tory Burch took home top honors.

Engagement score is a measure of the conscious click-based actions (likes, reactions, 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 X.

“This season, TikTok emerged as the primary driver of NYFW performance, with brands leveraging backstage access, candid talent interviews, and lighthearted, conversational moments to generate buzz. Authentic, personality-led content outperformed overly polished formats, signaling that relatability fields engagement during NYFW,” said Jordan Mitchell, senior strategist at ListenFirst.

“Instagram, by contrast, anchored elevated visual storytelling. Brands spotlighted craftsmanship, intricate details, and refined guest portraits, extending the runway narrative through a more curated lens. NYFW content thrived at the intersection of authenticity and artistry, where community driven moments and high-impact visuals worked in tandem to drive success,” said Mitchell.

Burch, who showed at The Breuer building on Madison Avenue, drew inspiration from Bunny Mellon’s approach to style. The brand’s momentum was attributed to a breakout performance on TikTok, which drove 83 percent of total engagements and positioned Burch at the center of real-time conversation. Backstage content proved especially impactful with model Alex Consani powering the top three most engaging posts across all NYFW content. The number-one post alone generated 1.03 million engagements.

Rapid-fire TikTok interviews with celebrity “It” girl attendees, including Pamela Anderson, Amanda Seyfried, Tessa Thompson and Olivia Jade further amplified visibility, according to ListenFirst. Beyond TikTok, Burch leveraged Instagram co-posts with celebrity guests to extend reach and highlight the collection.

A standout co-post on Instagram with guest Yuqi alongside Burch drove 87,000 engagements, reinforcing the power of collaborative publishing.

Calvin Klein, which showed at The McCourt within The Shed at Hudson Yards, generated 2.3 million in social engagements, down 82 percent from last September. Instagram drove Klein’s performance, with global celebrity talent anchoring the brand’s social strategy. Instagram accounted for a 63 percent share of total engagements and delivered the number-one engaging Instagram post (233,000) across all NYFW featuring Jennie, according to ListenFirst.

The Blackpink star’s highly engaged fan base notably amplified engagements, but also elevated Klein’s broader visibility, contributing to Calvin Klein earning the highest volume of social mentions throughout NYFW.

Celebrity arrivals to the venue played a key role in cross-channel engagement. Talent, including Panly, Dakota Johnson, Lily Collins, Brooke Shields, Grace Van Patten and Francois Arnaud, fueled conversation across Instagram and TikTok. A standout TikTok post featuring Thai actress Panly drove 52,000 engagements, featuring a post-show interview.

Coming in third place was Michael Kors, which generated a score of 1.9 million in engagements. That score was down 56 percent from last season. The show, which celebrated the company’s 45th anniversary at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, attracted a guest list including Uma Thurman, Leslie Bibb, Rachel Zegler, Martha Stewart, and Kelsea Ballerini. The brand’s top engaging post featured a gallery of Dakota Fanning, Gabrielle Union and Suki Waterhouse, driving 314,000 engagements.

While gallery posts produced the brand’s top three engaging posts, video was key to their overall performance, accounting for 80 percent of their top 20 most engaging posts. Kors’ diverse strategy on TikTok stood out, as their runway clips, backstage moments, and talent interviews elevated the channel’s performance. The number-one TikTok post featured the show’s grand finale and drove 146,000 engagements. The finale drove notable momentum as the brand closed the show with supermodel Christy Turlington.

According to ListenFirst, Kors integrated the show’s theme into the digital experience by weaving the venue, ambiance and brand heritage into their creative execution and talent-driven storytelling. By translating the in-person atmosphere into compelling, culturally resonant content, Kors amplified engagement and sustained momentum across channels, said ListenFirst.

Carolina Herrera ranked number-four overall with 387,516 engagement score. The brand didn’t show in New York last September, but rather in Madrid. The brand’s return to NYFW centered on honoring a community of women shaping today’s creative landscape. Further reinforcing this ethos, real-life creatives took the runway, spotlighting influential voices such as Amy Sherald, Anh Duong, Eliza Douglas and Rachel Feinstein.

On social, TikTok drove Herrera’s performance, accounting for 63 percent of total engagements. Playful front-row moments with celebrity guests powered the brand’s top-performing post, generating 62,000 engagements. The talent roster included Martha Stewart, Emilia Mernes, Lauryn Hill, and Valentina Ferrer. Additional TikTok content spotlighted runway highlights and candid reactions.

A standout post featured Carolina Herrera herself reacting to the collection from the front row and drove 31,000 engagements. On Instagram, gallery posts played a pivotal role in their strategy, accounting for 70 percent of the channel’s top 20 most engaging posts.

Coach ranked number five, generating a 366,965 engagement score, a 135 percent jump from last September. Instagram dominated the brand’s social performance, generating 84 percent of total engagements. The standout moment came from Coach’s “Front Row Book Club,” where celebrity guests reacted to the brand’s book bag charm, fueling their top two most engaging posts and driving 36 percent of all engagements. Coach’s guest list including Elle Fanning, Kent Nakajima, Storm Reid, Tariq Withers, and Emily Bader, and it amplified visibility with guest arrivals on Instagram contributing to five of the top 10 engaging posts. Reels played a critical role for Coach, generating 79 percent of engagements and reinforcing the brand’s video-first strategy.

In its first NYFW runway show, Cult Gaia, in sixth place, had an engagement score of 99,493; Gurung, in seventh place, had an engagement score of 71,477, up 274 percent from last season, and Siriano, in eighth place, had an engagement score of 68,043, down 11 percent from last season.

Cowan, in ninth place, had an engagement score of 63,961 (he didn’t show last season). In 10th place was Velez, who had an engagement score of 58,940, a 5,357 percent increase from last season.

While Lauren wasn’t included in the NYFW rankings because he showed before the week officially began, the brand generated an 883,000 engagement score. Instagram powered the brand’s social performance, accounting for 89 percent of total engagements, driven by the strong focus on fashion and design. Polished portraits of celebrity guests, including Lana Del Rey, Anne Hathaway, and Ariana DeBose amplified performance. The top engaging post featured an instagram Reel of front-row reactions to the collection, driving 33,000 engagements.