Top 10 luxury influencers in France

They boast several million subscribers, are courted by some of the world's leading luxury brands, and sometimes even run successful businesses. Fashion, beauty, jewelry, lifestyle... Whatever their field of communication, their content is followed and shared massively by their community. So, who's behind these French influencers who are seducing audiences beyond our borders?

Influencers and the luxury market

While luxury has long been considered a rather inaccessible and closed world, in recent years marketing strategies have tended to desacralize this image, to create a real link with the public and, above all, to be present in the digital sphere. This transition involves reaching out to a younger clientele with greater purchasing power. Generation Z is looking for a certain closeness and authenticity in brand discourse. For luxury brands, the choice of influencer marketing is clearly at the heart of communication strategies.

According to a recent study, 86% of luxury buyers from Generation Z and millennials use digital channels for inspiration or to consider a purchase, while 81% use them to discover new products, and 87% make their purchasing decisions online.  What's more, 80% of luxury purchases are now digitally influenced. These figures illustrate the growing impact of influencers on purchasing behavior in the luxury sector.

The importance of choosing the right influencer

The importance of brand positioning and values

Influence is an essential 2.0 marketing method, and has even become one of the most important communication channels. However, in order to consistently convey its image and hope for positive repercussions, it is essential for luxury brands to precisely target their luxury influencers. The risks are high, especially when it comes to excellence and high-end products, where reputation is essential. To achieve this, luxury brands need to identify fashion influencers who are consistent with their brand and target, and ensure that they share the same values and vision as the brand.

Micro vs. macro influencers: what impact for luxury?

Then there's the question of choosing between micro-influencers and macro-influencers. Macro-influencers (several hundred thousand or millions of subscribers) provide high visibility and can be very effective in reaching a large audience quickly. However, their real impact on purchasing decisions can sometimes be less direct, as their audience is very diverse. Conversely, micro-influencers (between 10,000 and 100,000 subscribers) can offer a significant impact in the luxury sector because they generally benefit from a higher rate of engagement, a real proximity to their audience, and a credibility often perceived as more authentic.

How do you measure an influencer's engagement and relevance?

Before collaborating with an influencer, it's essential to measure their engagement and relevance. The number of subscribers is not enough: you need to analyze the actual interaction with your community. What are the rates of comments, shares and positive reactions? A good engagement rate (generally above 2% in the luxury sector) is a key indicator of an influencer's potential performance. But engagement alone is not enough. Relevance is just as crucial. Does the influencer's audience correspond to the brand's target audience? Is the influencer's content qualitative and consistent with the brand's luxury image? For this, it's necessary to examine his publication history, his previous collaborations and, above all, to verify that his influence is authentic, i.e. that his audience is real and engaged, and not artificially inflated.

Top 10 luxury influencers in France

1. Léna Mahfouf (@lenamahfouf)

Known under the pseudonym Léna Situations, Léna Mahfouf is an emblematic figure of influence in France. With over 4 million followers on Instagram, she regularly collaborates with luxury houses such as Dior, Valentino and Balmain, sharing her daily life and fashion discoveries with an engaged community.

2. Thylane Blondeau (@thylaneblondeau)

Model and actress, Thylane Blondeau was named “most beautiful little girl in the world” at the age of 6. Today, with over 6 million followers on Instagram, she is the face of prestigious brands such as Miu Miu, Fendi and Elie Saab, sharing her catwalk and shoot experiences with her community.

3.  Caroline Receveur (@carolinereceveur)

Former reality TV star turned businesswoman, Caroline Receveur is followed by over 5.5 million people on Instagram. She collaborates with numerous luxury brands in fashion, beauty and hospitality, sharing her sophisticated lifestyle and advice with her followers.

4. Iris Mittenaere (@irismittenaeremf)

Elected Miss France 2016 and then Miss Universe, Iris Mittenaere has become a key influencer in the luxury sector. With a community of several million subscribers, she is an ambassador for major fashion houses and shares behind-the-scenes glimpses of her glamorous daily life, between fashion shows, travels and prestigious events.

5. Tina Kunakey (@tinakunakey)

French model Tina Kunakey has a large following on social networks. She collaborates with renowned luxury houses in the jewelry, beauty and fashion sectors, sharing her professional and personal projects with her fans.

6. Camille Charrière (@camillecharriere)

French-British influencer and fashion journalist Camille Charrière is renowned for her keen sense of style and French taste. She works closely with luxury brands such as Saint Laurent, Chopard and Dior, sharing her inspirations and looks with her followers.

7. Flora Coquerel (@floracoquerel)

Miss France 2014 and third runner-up to Miss Universe 2015, Flora Coquerel is now a committed influencer. She shares her inspiring lifestyle, travels and collaborations with luxury brands, while actively supporting various charities.

8. Sananas (@sananas2106)

A beauty and fashion influencer, Sananas is followed by a vast community on YouTube and Instagram. She regularly collaborates with luxury brands, sharing tutorials, product reviews and fashion advice, all the while displaying a refined style that seduces her subscribers.

9. Paola Locatelli (@paolalct)

A rising young influencer, Paola Locatelli is known for her sense of style and freshness. With a growing presence on social networks, she collaborates with luxury brands and shares her experiences, travels and fashion inspirations with a loyal audience.

10. Grégory Kom (@momentsofgregory)

The only French male influencer in this top 10, Gregory Kom is a content creator specializing in luxury travel, sharing his experiences in prestigious destinations around the world. With a strong following on Instagram and TikTok, he highlights hotels, resorts and travel-related brands, offering his followers a glimpse into a luxurious lifestyle.

Influencers and the luxury market

In the world of luxury, influencer management has become a real strategic challenge. It's not enough to call on an influencer: it's now essential to collaborate with them on a regular basis to guarantee authentic, effective campaigns aligned with the brand's image. This is why luxury brands often turn to specialized agencies, capable of managing complex collaborations more securely, with a precisely detailed brief and expectations.

These agencies, such as Ykone, Launchmetrics and Talent Village, have in-depth expertise in the field of luxury influencers. They play an essential role in identifying relevant talent, negotiating contracts, ensuring strict quality control of content, and monitoring the impact of campaigns in real time. Their mission is to protect the brand's image while optimizing the results of collaborations with influencers.

But managing a luxury campaign with influencers can't be improvised. This talent requires solid training, a thorough understanding of luxury codes, and in-depth knowledge of social networks and digital marketing. A good influencer manager must not only master the tools of performance analysis, but also possess an artistic sensibility, a taste for detail, and an ability to understand the prestigious nature of luxury brands.

Faced with these growing demands, specialized training is becoming essential. Sup de Luxe offers the MSc In Luxury Fashion Management program, designed to train experts capable of managing high value-added influencer campaigns in the luxury sector. This Master's degree offers comprehensive expertise in strategic management, digital marketing and communications, ideal for mastering the challenges of influence in the exclusive world of high-end brands.