'No photos, please': What the Olsen twins' social media blackout says about privacy

The biannual Paris Fashion Week show by The Row, the Olsen twins' hyper-elegant and expensive brand, is catnip on social media. In the past, Instagram and TikTok were typically saturated with content from an event that lasted around five minutes – from images of The Row's enigmatic founders Mary-Kate and Ashley bowing out after the show to fancy gifts served to guests (think fresh figs). on silver platters).

However, in an unexpected twist last Wednesday, before the show, guests received a missive: "We ask that you please refrain from screenshotting or sharing any content during your experience,” it read. Naturally, many took to social media to share the message.

Reactions to phone ban varied. Some saw it as snobbery; others saw it as a clever, if elitist, marketing ploy. Maybe it's not that deep. Maybe the Olsen twins, like Bob Dylan, who banned phones on its UK and Europe tour in 2022, thought it might be good for guests to watch the show screen-free. "Our eyes open a little more and our senses are slightly sharper when we lose the technological crutch that we have become accustomed to," Dylan said at the time.

See image in full screen

Social networks have, to a certain extent, democratized fashion week. It gives online fans access to all areas, not just a front row view. From unboxing elaborate invitations to behind-the-scenes interviews, anyone with a phone can participate. However, The Row sells cotton T-shirts for £330 and cashmere coats for £13,000. It's a brand built on exclusivity – not having instant access seems appropriate.

The Olsens are notoriously private. They rarely give interviews and neither of them has a personal Instagram account. The Row's dedicated Instagram account sporadically and primarily posts images of artwork to inspire rather than products to promote. As a private company, The Row does not disclose financial information but its annual revenues are estimated between $250 million and $300 million. It's clearly not necessary to have a strict social media strategy to drive sales.

This shift towards increased privacy is a bubbling trend, visible everywhere , from restaurants to celebrities to weddings. One of the hotels in New York...