Over the last few months, we’ve seen Loewe’s creative director Jonathan Anderson choosing between his favourite viral moments, and its artisan Idoia Cuesta constructing a classic Puzzle bag; Fenty Beauty’s IT team getting quizzed on their makeup knowledge; Marc Jacobs showcasing his The Wizard of Oz collab, while clacking his signature XL nails; and Ganni’s marketing team fighting on office chairs over its New Balance collaboration. Every level of a company is now part of the content machine — and audiences can’t seem to get enough.
UK-based editorial platform and marketplace SheerLuxe was an early proponent. Launched in 2007, the publication began leveraging its own team to create organic, editorial-style content that resonated with its audience 11 years later. SheerLuxe now has 542,000 followers on Instagram and 600,000 on TikTok (plus 11 million likes). British cosmetics brand Lush was another player quick to tap in. In 2019, the brand rejected traditional social media advertising in favour of purely organic user and employee-generated content, letting its store associates and product makers post videos pressing bath bombs and cutting soap, which resulted in millions of views without a single paid ad.
Despite these early adopters, luxury only started to get involved over the last two years, as young consumers showed increased interest in the inner workings of the brands they buy from. And now, luxury fashion and beauty brands are leaning into employee-generated content, or EGC, like never before — for good reason. “Craftsmanship, culture and community matter more. People don’t just want to see the final product; they want to know who made it, how it’s made and why it matters. That’s a story best told by the people behind the scenes,” explains Thomas Walters, Europe CEO and co-founder of influencer marketing agency Billion Dollar Boy. “For a long time, we’ve known that audiences are showing a preference for authentic content. [EGC] is about real people, with real expertise, sharing real stories. Employees aren’t just selling a brand; they are the brand.”
But while brands may see employee-driven content as a silver bullet for authenticity, it comes with its own set of challenges. What happens when employees — once hired for behind-the-scenes roles — suddenly become stars in their own right? Does it strengthen the brand, or does it blur the line between personal identity and corporate messaging?
Why employee-generated content works
EGC arguably originated from the concept of user-generated content (UGC), which is social media content created by regular consumers, not affiliated with the brand. Increasingly, brands from The Frankie Shop to Refy reshare UGC from regular consumers discussing and testing their products, to boost brand relatability and serve consumers who desire more in-depth information about the goods they buy. While UGC provides authentic product information, EGC allows employees to share behind-the-scenes insight, product knowledge and workplace experiences with audiences in a relatable and engaging way.
Take luxury natural skincare line Irene Forte Skincare, which recently launched its ‘Meet the Makers’ series on Instagram. The initiative introduces audiences to the artisans behind the products in Sicily, the workshops where formulas are developed and the heritage of the brand’s craftsmanship. “Every detail of our products — from the tactile stone-finished bottles and hand-painted watercolour liners to the organic farm-grown ingredients — reflects our commitment to craftsmanship,” says eponymous founder Irene Forte. “We wanted to bring all of this to life in a way that felt genuine and immersive.”
While it’s still early days for the campaign, the brand is already expanding its EGC efforts. Their upcoming Forte Insiders initiative will have employees sharing personal travel recommendations from Italy, reinforcing the brand’s deep connection to its roots. “Employee-generated content has been instrumental in strengthening our audience relationships, making our brand feel more genuine, approachable and human,” Forte adds.
TikTok content
“When done right, EGC can be a game-changer for building long-term brand familiarity and loyalty or nudging consumers who are on the fence about a purchase,” says Michelle Bower, associate strategy and transformation director at brand innovation studio Dalziel Pow. She points to bridal couture house Galia Lahav, which recently launched ‘Bridal Diaries’, an EGC campaign that follows its head of PR on her personal journey to find her dream wedding dress. As she tries on various gowns and shares her experience, she seamlessly showcases the brand’s craftsmanship, design details and latest collections — all while forging an emotional connection with fellow future brides.
Although influencer partnerships still play a role in introducing products and expanding reach, brands are recognising that employees bring a different kind of influence — one rooted in expertise, trust and lived experience. “The best approach is to blend both strategies,” adds Walters. “Use influencers for scale and visibility, but leverage employee content for depth and authenticity.”
Creative directors and CEOs
As some of the recent luxury examples demonstrate, it’s not just employees that are driving engagement and reach for labels this year. Younger consumers, in particular, are increasingly drawn to the personalities, values and narratives of brand leaders — seeing them not just as corporate executives, but as tastemakers and cultural figures in their own right. Loewe’s Anderson, who’s featuring more regularly across the brand’s TikTok, explained on Bella Freud’s ‘Fashion Neurosis’ podcast that he’s stepped a little more into the spotlight as “young audiences want to know who is behind the brand”.
Anderson’s observation is playing out across the industry, from Marc Jacobs and Simon Porte Jacquemus to fast-growing, founder-centric labels like Represent and Djerf Avenue — all of whom levy their high-profile founders across an array of social-first, trend-reactive content.
TikTok content
Scarlett Johansson’s beauty brand The Outset has implemented EGC since its launch in 2023. Content includes Gen Z co-workers updating their millennial counterparts on all the TikTok drama, founder Johansson jumping on the viral “Oh my god I love this question” soundbite, or the whole team vlogging their annual volunteer day.
“We see both EGC and influencer marketing as two important and complementary pieces of our marketing programme,” confirms The Outset co-founder and CEO Kate Foster. On their personal channels, engagement with the team is “exceptionally high”, she adds, and many followers even know team members by name. This deep connection has helped reinforce The Outset’s identity beyond its celebrity roots. In fact, some of their best-performing videos of all time aren’t traditional product promotions but rather behind-the-scenes office content, proving that authenticity and relatability drive engagement just as much as star power.
While a founder’s personal brand can propel a label to cult status, it also makes the business vulnerable to leadership shifts or public missteps. This was evident when Djerf Avenue founder Matilda Djerf faced allegations of workplace bullying in 2024. Former employees accused her of fostering a toxic work environment, sparking widespread discussions on social media. While Djerf denied the claims, the controversy led to scrutiny of the brand’s internal culture.
Empowerment, not enforcement
Just like with paid influencer content, audiences know that employees are on the company payroll. That means the success of EGC hinges on authenticity — if it feels too scripted, forced, or overly promotional, it loses its impact. That’s why the best EGC is voluntary, supported and rewarding, experts agree.
“The key to great EGC is empowerment, not enforcement. Employees need creative freedom, but brands can make participation easier by offering content prompts, social media training and recognition programmes,” says Billion Dollar Boy’s Walters. He references Nordstrom’s Style Creator programme, which encourages store associates to share outfit ideas on social media, as a strong example. “It’s voluntary, rewarded and has helped the brand build a community-driven aesthetic that customers love.”
Others have taken efforts to help upskill their employees. “Many of our employees aren’t accustomed to regularly producing content or don’t see themselves as natural content creators,” says Forte. However, there’s a strong desire across the team to improve and develop these skills; to support this, the skincare brand is providing content creation training for everyone involved. “This would help them become more comfortable and confident with the process, from capturing compelling visuals to crafting engaging narratives that resonate with our audience.”
TikTok content
“The best employee-driven content often comes naturally when employees love the brand. Brands should foster a culture where employees feel comfortable sharing without pressure,” says PR and brand director Amy-Louise Sturgis. She adds that some level of formalisation, like recognition programmes, content challenges, or incentives (for example, featuring employees on the brand’s main page or internal bonuses), can encourage participation without making it feel forced.
Steering through the risks
EGC walks a fine line. Consumers aren’t naive — they know employees work for the brand. That’s why transparency is non-negotiable. “Employees should disclose their connection to the brand in line with FTC and ASA guidelines, and brands should never pressure employees into unpaid content creation,” says Walters.
He adds that there’s also the issue of content ownership. If an employee creates viral content, who owns it? “Brands need clear agreements to ensure both parties are protected,” Walters notes.
Ownership disputes also become tricky when employees develop a personal following alongside the company account. Take the case of Jony Lee, a creative producer at content marketing agency The Attention Seeker. Lee played a pivotal role in growing the agency’s Instagram following from 9,000 to over 300,000 by regularly posting engaging, personality-driven content. Through consistent tagging and visibility, she built a substantial personal audience in the process. Then, she decided to leave. “Unfollowing because Jony is the only reason we follow The Attention Seeker,” wrote one comment beneath her Instagram resignation post, which accumulated over 500 likes. “I followed Attention Seeker just because of you,” wrote another.
This kind of reaction exposes a risk for brands: when an employee becomes the reason people engage, their departure could mean losing a significant portion of the audience. Some brands have structured their content strategy to avoid this issue. Platforms like Threads Styling and SheerLuxe ensure that no single personality defines their brand by constantly rotating a cast of contributors — from Gen Z interns to PR girlies. This way, if one creator leaves, the brand’s identity remains intact and the platform’s momentum isn’t lost.
Beyond boosting the brand’s visibility, employees can also build substantial personal followings — sometimes large enough to attract their own lucrative brand deals. For example, SheerLuxe’s marketing director Mia Luckie has amassed 339,000 Instagram followers. With an audience of that size, her influence extends beyond her employer, making Luckie an attractive partner for outside brands, too. Should companies be entitled to a share of the earnings when an employee’s platform was built, at least in part, through their corporate role?
“It largely depends on the exclusivity agreement between the brand and the employee, particularly whether the brand is entitled to a percentage of any work the employee generates outside of their full-time role,” explains Sturgis, who adds that Sheerluxe and Who What Wear editors that secure paid deals are now required to share a percentage of their earnings with the publication. “If the employee is a freelancer and there are no non-compete clauses in place, they have the freedom to take on more social work as their profile grows,” she adds.
As EGC becomes a key pillar of marketing, brands must strike a balance — empowering employees to build their own platforms while ensuring that growth doesn’t come at the company’s expense. Walters believes the solution is simple: “Treat employee creators with the same respect you’d give external influencers. Recognise their contributions, compensate them fairly and let them have creative autonomy. That’s how you build a culture where EGC thrives.”
Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@voguebusiness.com.
