This Designer Got a Major Business Bump After a Met Gala Coup

The Met Gala may be referred to as the "Oscars of fashion," but the jury is still out on how, exactly, the storied red carpet can actually influence sales. Certain outfits worn by celebrities at the event may have a hard time translating into trends that shoppers want to emulate.

But a good look can bring major heat to a designer's brand — and lead shoppers to try to find out more about a label.

Take Zac Posen, for example. He created what was perhaps the most talked-about look of the night, a Disney-inspired princess gown for Claire Danes that lit up using LED technology. It was a supurb interpretation of the night's theme, "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology," which honors an accompanying exhibition at Manhattan's Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Zac's creation for Claire earned her the top spot on our best dressed at the Met Gala list — and, as a result, is translating into serious interest in Posen's brand. According to our sister site, the shopping portal ShopStyle, searches for Zac Posen were up 20 percent in the three days after the Met Gala, relative to the period prior.

It wasn't an effect limited to Zac's label. Ralph Lauren, who dressed Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Rose Byrne, and Amber Heard, experienced a search surge of 106 percent. Louis Vuitton, whose Nicolas Ghesquière dressed a number of elegant actresses including Alicia Vikander and Selena Gomez, saw an increase of 150 percent.

Search data isn't always tied to a completed purchase, of course. But the Met Gala is both a major charity event and branding opportunity; and here's proof that putting in the effort to make a splash on the Met Gala steps pays for itself in terms of promotion.