The Met Gala has always been fashion’s biggest night out, but in 2025, the real show didn’t stop at the red carpet. It continued online. This year’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” inspired cultural expression, bold tailoring, and most importantly, a powerful wave of authentic conversations on social media.

Brands invested millions to create viral moments, but what truly determined brand success? Not polished press photos or stylised campaigns but user-generated content (UGC). With fans, creators, and attendees flooding Instagram and TikTok, UGC became the true pulse of public sentiment.

How UGC Trumps Traditional Metrics

Instead of counting likes on celebrity posts, this year’s real-time brand wins were measured using BoF INSIGHTS PULSE, an AI-powered social intelligence tool by Business of Fashion and Quilt.AI. This tool focused on organic content from real users, revealing not just who was seen, but who was talked about and how.

This shift marks a seismic change in how brand equity is built. UGC reveals authentic reactions, emotional connections, and spontaneous storytelling. The kind that no editorial campaign can buy. It’s where trust is earned and virality is born.

Top 5 Brands by Share of Voice via UGC

Here’s what the numbers from Instagram and TikTok had to say about the night’s most-talked-about brands:

1. Louis Vuitton

• 📊 Estimated Media Value (EMV): $27.4M
  
• 📸 User Posts Analysed: 22
  
• 💬 Engagement Rate: 2.5%
  
• 🌟 Key Moment: Lisa (BLACKPINK)’s tailored couture sparked global chatter.
  

2. Chanel

• 📊 EMV: $19M
  
• 📸 User Posts: 46
  
• 💬 Engagement Rate: 3.8%
  
• 🌟 Key Moment: Jennie’s minimalist archival look trended across continents.
  

3. Gaurav Gupta

• 📊 EMV: $17.2M
  
• 📸 User Posts: 19
  
• 💬 Engagement Rate: 2.7%
  
• 🌟 Key Moment: Kiara Advani’s sculptural gold gown earned international praise.
  

4. Valentino

• 📊 EMV: $13.7M
  
• 📸 User Posts: 42
  
• 💬 Engagement Rate: 7.5%
  
• 🌟 Key Moment: Chafreen’s custom red suit sparked a viral TikTok challenge.
  

5. Wales Bonner

• 📊 EMV: $11.8M
  
• 📸 User Posts: 45
  
• 💬 Engagement Rate: 7.2%
  

🌟 Key Moment: Lewis Hamilton’s culturally rich tailoring became a conversation starter.

Why Brands Need to Rethink Their UGC Strategy

The insight is crystal clear: audience-created content has more cultural value than brand-created content. Today’s consumers want honesty, identity, and individuality — and they express that by sharing, tagging, and reacting in real time.

Here’s how brands can stay ahead:

• 🎥 Create moments worth sharing. Think beyond product placement — aim for emotional impact.
  
• 🤝 Partner with creators, not just celebrities. Micro and macro creators drive niche and large-scale conversations.
  
• 🔍 Use UGC analytics to drive marketing decisions. Tools like BoF PULSE and Lefty show what’s actually working.
  

🧵 Make your brand part of a cultural thread. UGC thrives when brands are part of something bigger than themselves.

Final Take: UGC Is Not Just Marketing — It’s Meaning

The Met Gala 2025 proved that brands don’t just need visibility — they need relatability. In an age where every post is a mini press release, real voices cut through the noise. That’s why UGC is the most honest form of brand impact we have today.

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