a cornerstone of its communication strategy

On Monday, September 23, the historic Place de l’Opéra in Paris will be transformed into the venue for the highly anticipated seventh edition of the L’Oréal Paris fashion show. Coinciding with Paris Fashion Week, this public event is not just a runway spectacle but a celebration of beauty, diversity, and sisterhood. Over time, it has grown into a crucial highlight for L’Oréal Paris, a flagship division of the global beauty powerhouse, whose annual turnover exceeds €6 billion. 

This year, the runway will be graced by an array of L’Oréal Paris ambassadors, including global stars such as Leïla Bekhti, Camila Cabello, Viola Davis, Jane Fonda, Kendall Jenner, Aja Naomi King, Eva Longoria, Andie MacDowell, Bebe Vio, and Yseult. “It’s a true celebration of women in all their diversity—different social backgrounds, professions, and ages. Our ambassadors range from 20 to 88 years old,” said Delphine Viguier-Hovasse, global brand president of L’Oréal Paris, with evident enthusiasm.

The show has also drawn the participation of numerous luxury and high-fashion brands. These fashion houses contribute pieces to dress the brand’s ambassadors, with some, like Coperni, Mossi, and Mugler, even designing bespoke creations for the event. “Today, many renowned fashion houses want to be part of the L’Oréal Paris runway show, but that wasn’t the case when we first launched in 2016,” Viguier-Hovasse recalled.

The event’s production has been entrusted to Ubi Bene, an event communication agency known for its work on major spectacles, including the Paris 2024 Olympics. With the expertise of Ubi Bene, the L’Oréal Paris runway show manages to capture the attention of a vast global audience. In 2023, the event achieved a media reach of 17.7 billion potential contacts. The brand leverages the extensive reach of its own social media platforms, which boast over 11 million Instagram followers, while also benefiting from the massive online followings of its celebrity ambassadors. “Take Alia Bhatt (British actress of Indian origin and L’Oreal Paris muse, e.d.), for example—one of our ambassadors—who has over 80 million followers with a very high engagement rate,” Viguier-Hovasse pointed out. This year, the show will also be streamed on gaming platform Roblox.

For this year’s edition, the show’s global visibility will be amplified, with live broadcasts being projected onto giant screens in major cities, including Piccadilly Circus in London, Milan in Italy, and key locations in Spain and Poland. 

“During our key events, like the Cannes Film Festival and the L’Oréal Paris runway show, we can gain up to 100,000 new followers per day across our social media platforms,” revealed Viguier-Hovasse. While exact sales figures tied to the show have not been disclosed, the brand does observe a “notable” uptick in makeup sales during and after the event. A special “Get the Look” feature is made available during the broadcast, allowing viewers to directly purchase the beauty products used in the show’s makeup looks. In Asia, live shopping sessions are held concurrently with the event, capitalizing on the region’s enthusiasm for real-time e-commerce.

A massive 25-meter-wide, seven-meter-high screen will be installed at Place de l’Opéra, ensuring that the 3,500 attendees expected on-site can experience the event in all its glory. Those tuning in from home will also enjoy a backstage look at the preparations, with cameras capturing every detail behind the scenes. The backstage area, set inside the majestic Palais Garnier Opera House, will be transformed into a hive of beauty activity as L’Oréal takes over the iconic venue for this grand occasion.