QVC Goes InstaGlam For ‘Red Carpet Style’ Live Show

QVC is harnessing the power of social media for its fifth annual Red Carpet Style — Live From L.A. broadcast from the Wetherly Gardens at the Four Season Beverly Hills.

The three-hour event, which airs Friday at 6 p.m. PT, will feature fashion icons such as Joan Rivers, Isaac Mizrahi and Nicole Richie introducing luxury items to QVC viewers.

Muppet Miss Piggy was selected as the designer of the event’s VIP tote bag, a version of which will also be available for purchase online. And Joe Zee, creative director of Elle, will debut his new collection.

The broadcast shopping network is also encouraging viewers to participate in the event from home. Makeup artist and television personality Jeannie Mai will host the evening’s InstaGlam Suite during the live show, where she will share moments posted online using the hashtag #QVCRedCarpet.

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“What we want to do is really bring the party to life for our community so they can feel like they’re there and that they have a true behind-the-scenes view of the party,” says Craig Donato, head of social at QVC.

QVC is hosting 20 of the top L.A. fashion and beauty bloggers, called “InstaGlammers,” who will share behind-the-scenes snapshots from the event. Last year, the InstaGlam portion of the live show helped drive 32.5 million total online impressions for the bloggers and Instagrammers invited to cover the event.

This year their images from the event will be splashed around the garden via the Dell InstaGallery monitors.

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QVC also will be leveraging its new social shopping platform toGather during the event. The Pinterest-like social network, which allows people to share their favorite styles and recipes, has grown to 200,000 users since its launch in September 2013.

During the event, toGather will showcase the items being presented on television. Viewers can purchase them directly from toGather as they watch.

“Live TV in particular has a very social context to it,” says Donato. “You’re watching the show with everybody else, so you feel like you’re part of it. It’s all for us about deepening that sense of engagement.”