The Winter Olympics 2026 in Milano-Cortina were not just a global sporting event, they were a defining moment for fashion, sportswear and brand visibility.
Published On: March 4, 2026
The top celebrity-led Super Bowl activations generated the majority of their EMV within the first 48 hours of game day.
From opening ceremony uniforms to performance outerwear on the slopes, Olympic team outfits generated millions in online press coverage and social engagement. But which brands truly won in terms of Earned Media Value (EMV)?
Using EMV to measure impact across digital press, Instagram, TikTok and broadcast-driven coverage, we ranked the top-performing fashion and sportswear brands at the Winter Olympics 2026.
| Rank | Brand | Earned Media Value |
| 🥇 1 | Ralph Lauren | €1,637,178 |
| 🥈 2 | Moncler | €839,525 |
| 🥉 3 | Lululemon | €490,068 |
| 4 | EA7 Emporio Armani | €352,119 |
| 5 | Adidas | €347,952 |
| 6 | UNIQLO | €224,840 |
Ralph Lauren once again emerged as the highest-performing fashion brand at the Winter Olympics 2026, generating over €1.6 million in EMV.
As the official outfitter of Team USA’s Opening and Closing Ceremony uniforms, the brand benefited from the single most visible moment of the Games: the globally broadcast Parade of Nations.
But beyond broadcast, Ralph Lauren’s EMV was heavily press-driven, echoing the dominance we often see from heritage luxury houses during major award seasons.
This mirrors the Golden Globes dynamic, where heritage brands dominate through mainstream media visibility and syndication scale.
At the Olympics, ceremony visibility converts directly into media value, and no brand owns that moment like Ralph Lauren.
Moncler’s Olympic presence reflected a trend we also saw at the Grammys: luxury brands winning through visual impact and fashion conversation.
The brand’s sculptural puffers and high-gloss winter silhouettes were built for social shareability, and they delivered.
Influencer @heyitsbruno’s Instagram Reel commenting on the collection generated €27.8K EMV, showing how fashion-led commentary extended visibility beyond traditional press.
This is a familiar Wearisma pattern: when a brand becomes part of the cultural conversation, not just event coverage, EMV compounds.
Lululemon’s performance at the Winter Olympics followed a model similar to high-performing Super Bowl activations: innovation storytelling amplified by strategic influencer seeding.
While press coverage in Hypebeast generated €207,523 EMV, the brand also leaned into creator partnerships.
This layered approach – press authority + influencer seeding + athlete visibility – created diversified EMV streams.
@accessbytay Received the cutest PR package from @lululemon for the Winter Olympics! Go @Team Canada go!! – #teamcanada #lululemon #winterolympics
♬ Olympic Opening Ceremony ★ Orchestra – The Dream of a Butterfly
With Milano-Cortina hosting, EA7 Emporio Armani benefited from a powerful geographic multiplier.
Coverage leaned into national pride and Italian craftsmanship, a narrative-driven strategy similar to luxury brand wins during European fashion weeks.
Italian Olympic icon Federica Pellegrini’s Instagram post celebrating the collaboration generated €39,817 EMV, highlighting the power of athlete-talent crossover.
Adidas’ EMV was built less on spectacle and more on repetition.
Unlike ceremony-driven luxury brands, Adidas benefited from continuous exposure during competition broadcasts and medal moments.
This mirrors patterns seen in global tournaments, where frequency of logo visibility drives steady earned media accumulation.
Adidas proves that performance credibility delivers reliable – if less viral – earned media returns.
UNIQLO generated €224K EMV through its functional, technology-led uniforms.
While Hypebeast coverage alone drove €207,523 EMV, the broader conversation was more contained compared to visually dramatic competitors.
In a Winter Olympics defined by bold outerwear and luxury crossover, minimalist design translated into steady – but quieter – impact.
The Parade of Nations remains the most valuable branding moment of the Games, consistently generating global press and social amplification.
Moncler and Armani highlight the growing overlap between luxury fashion and Olympic sportswear.
Performance-driven storytelling (technical fabrics, modular layering, sustainability narratives) broadens coverage beyond fashion media.
Host nation brands and long-standing partnerships receive amplified editorial attention.
The Winter Olympics 2026 reaffirmed that the Games are a high-impact platform for fashion and sportswear brands.
Heritage brands won on global ceremony volume.
Luxury brands won on visual spectacle.
Performance brands won on credibility and repetition.
But ultimately, brands that paired strong design with clear storytelling were those that translated attention into measurable earned media value.
As global sporting events continue to blur the lines between fashion, performance and culture, EMV remains a critical metric for understanding which brands truly win beyond the podium.
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