Fashion moves the world. Global sales of clothing and fashion accessories grew by $160 billion between 2022 and 2023. According to a forecast on statista.com, the market will continue to grow, with sales reaching $2 trillion by 2027. A significant portion of these sales comes from online sales. Europe is also doing very well in terms of fashion. It is home to some of the most lucrative clothing markets in the world, as well as some of the largest clothing companies. For example, in 2024, the United Kingdom had the fifth-highest turnover in the global clothing market, worth nearly USD 86 billion. This made it the most profitable clothing market in Europe, with Germany close behind. Women’s and girls’ clothing accounts for the largest share of the total turnover of the European fashion market. It makes up more than half of the market.
Source: Statista.comAlthough the luxury fashion segment mainly appeals to wealthy customers, it is becoming increasingly important in the fashion industry. The most valuable global luxury brands include Gucci, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Hermès. Among European brands, the Spanish group Inditex and the Swedish company H&M are the most successful.
Source: Statista.comThe atmosphere of summer stories
While luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Hermès focus on exclusivity, timeless luxury and film-style campaigns featuring iconic faces, brands such as H&M and the Inditex group (Zara, Massimo Dutti, etc.) play on trends and focus on quick emotions and broad reach. While fast fashion sells summer ideas and the immediate ‘here and now’, luxury sells a vision, a slowdown, a sparkling shine – and a story.
This is the basis of every extraordinary brand, every campaign and every unforgettable marketing strategy in the world of fashion. Consumers don’t just buy beautiful, extravagant or comfortable fashion clothing, but also a story and a dream lifestyle. And because fashion is, by its very nature, a visual industry, strong brands usually tell their story through powerful visuals. Of course, this doesn’t just mean pretty ‘pictures’. It is important that the visuals reflect the mood, tone and message of the story. This is doubly true for summer campaigns. Successful brands have one thing in common: the art of turning emotion into desire. Let’s take a closer look at typical summer campaigns by fashion brands.
COS hears the call of the beach
COS’s 2023 ad is a typical summer advertising campaign. It combines classic summer elements – the sea, the surf, the beach, a yacht – and, of course, models wearing COS clothing. Well done, but nothing surprising. Just standard:
Video: COS High Summer – The Call of Beach
Linzzi offers a typical summer
Linzzi summer campaign follows the same theme. Sun, flowing dresses, beautiful models, summer atmosphere and interesting clothing, but basically boring to the nth degree.
Video: Linzzi – High Summer 2023
Gucci rides the wave of lazy summer vibes
Gucci also used similar elements in its summer campaign. However, the result is incomparably better. Its 2023 advertisement, “Gucci Summer Stories,” which focuses on the sea, freedom, and a light-hearted lifestyle, radiates the perfect spirit of summer. What’s more, everything is impressively set against an Italian backdrop.
Video: Gucci – Summer Stories
Products from this summer collection were also presented in special pop-up shops inspired by beach huts, which were opened in selected resorts, such as Capri.
But Gucci can also go deeper, as can be seen in this year’s summer campaign “Effortless Summer” for the Gucci Lido collection, inspired by Italian beach clubs, known as ‘lidos’. The campaign is an expression of a carefree summer, when time slows down and silence speaks louder than words. The stars of the campaign, evoking ‘living pictures’, are Daisy Edgar Jones, Aliocha Schneider and David Jonsson. The musical backdrop is provided by the composition “And Birds Are Still ..., Op. 72” by composer Takashi Yoshimatsu, which supports the beautifully lazy rhythm of the summer story.
Video: Gucci Lido
Dolce & Gabbana offers a clash of opposites
Dolce & Gabbana’s 2020 summer campaign stands out from the usual fashion campaigns, offering contrasts: Sicily and Milan, black and white and bright colours, tradition and modern style. Top models such as Bianca Balti, Isabeli Fontana and Jessica Stam are the faces of the campaign. The impressive images and styling make this campaign an elegant yet lively story of Italian summer that resonates with the brand's values.
Video: : Dolce & Gabbana – Spring/Summer 2020
Zara guarantees a beautiful summer full of fantasy for children
Zara campaign, which saw the light of day in 2021, offers a balance between commercial visual appeal and minimalist storytelling. The advertising spot for the children’s collection exudes a sunny summer atmosphere. Scenes of children playing outside evoke a sense of holiday lightness and fantasy. Especially in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, this children’s collection from Zara, which emphasises comfort and colour, was seen as a symbol of the return of children’s freedom in the outdoors, which is also evident in the commercial:
Video: Zara – Kids 2021
Marks & Spencer offers the perfect look for summer
The 2015 advert is playful, joyful and full of colour. Unlike other brands, which have models in flowy outfits strolling along the beach and wading through waves that wash around their ankles, M&S has placed its models in artificial settings that evoke a holiday atmosphere.
Video: M&S Women’s Fashion Summer Sun
As part of last year’s summer campaign, “This Summer Keep Your Cool,” the M&S brand opted for a catchy rhythm and giant inflatable accessories. The soundtrack features Technotronic’s energetic hit Pump Up the Jam, which underscores the relaxed, colourful and dynamic summer atmosphere of the ad. The slogan “This summer, keep your cool” has a double meaning – it suggests both stylish comfort and clothing that won’t make you sweat in the summer.
Video: M&S – This Summer Keep Your Cool
Burberry doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not
British luxury fashion house Burberry, which offers clothing, perfumes and fashion accessories, has also broken away from the well-trodden path of typical summer advertising for fashion brands. The new advert, which captures the joy of summer fun, features the typical deckchairs, yacht, seagulls and celebrities (long-time brand supporter, English model and actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and tennis star Jack Draper), but instead of super-slim, oil-glistening, tanned beauties in flowing skirts, we see completely ordinary men and women – slim and plump, young and wrinkled. The advert comes across as wonderfully human and natural.
Video: Burberry – High Summer 2025
Valentino bets on Zendaya
American singer, dancer, actress and model Zendaya, who is the brand’s ambassador, shines in Valentino’s advertising campaign called “Rendez Vous”. Zendaya emerges from a darkened house and sets off into the sun-drenched streets, where she meets the brand’s community. During her walk, she naturally changes into a series of elegant and extravagant outfits, such as a bright yellow coat with matching mini shorts.
Video: Valentino – Rendez Vous
Gigi Hadid and Frankies Bikinis ride the wave of summer appeal
In 2022, two long-time friends and talented creative souls – Gigi Hadid and Frankies Bikinis creative director Francesca Aiello – joined forces to create an interesting collection of swimwear and comfortable clothing that literally exudes summer, cuteness and comfort. “We grew up spending our days at the beach in bikinis, so to be able to now design a collection of swimwear and loungewear—something that we grew up living in—together is really a full circle moment for the both of us,” Aiello, the brand’s founder, told Harper’s Bazaar. The ad presents a pleasant summer story with a slightly erotic undertone. And why not, when it’s about beautiful women and beautiful swimsuits?
Video: Gigi Hadid x Frankies Bikinis
Zalando wants a summer without compromises
In summer, there should be no compromises; you need to embrace your style and dress for yourself, not for anyone else, says Zalando in its 2019 campaign, “Dress for yourself, nobody else”. The campaign is based on the insight that although summer is the time when we should feel most free, external pressures and unrealistic standards can limit that freedom. Instead of feeling bold and radiant, we start to question everything: what we wear, how we wear it, how we look, and even our own self-confidence. The advert promoting individuality and self-expression was directed by Mark Albiston, with background music provided by the song ANXT by Canadian band Random Recipe.
Video: Zalando: Dress for Yourself, Nobody Else
Summer is perfect for fashion advertising
The summer season is not only a time for holidays and sunshine, but also a period when consumers behave differently from the rest of the year. They are more impulsive, more open to new styles and more inclined to shop. Warm weather, travel and a more relaxed pace of life encourage experimentation with fashion. It is during this period that a strong emotional connection is formed with brands that manage to combine fashion with an atmosphere of freedom, joy and summer aesthetics.
Summer advertising campaigns represent a key opportunity to draw attention to oneself. This is especially true for television advertising, where a brand has the chance to become part of the viewer’s summer – to transform from “something on the screen” to “something I want to wear”. Successful fashion brands make the most of this with visually appealing ads, often set in seaside, beach or vibrant urban scenes, where movement, music and a sense of relaxation play a key role. A well-executed summer campaign combining aesthetics, current trends and the emotional tone of the season can bring a brand more than just seasonal profits – it can leave a lasting impression on customers long after summer has said goodbye.