The Value of Mercedes Australia Fashion Week – A Designers Perspective
The Value of Mercedes Australia Fashion Week – A Designers Perspective
Sydney, Australia (PRWEB) July 29, 2006
Paris, London, Milan and New York – these places are known for their fashion events. But what about Sydney and Melbourne? The increased success of Australian fashion events is now attracting European, Asian and American buyers and if you are part of the Australian designer world, participation in the two largest fashion events in the country, the Mercedes Australian Fashion Weeks, is touted to be simply a must. In contrast to the alienating exclusivity at other fashion destinations around the world, the Mercedes Australian Fashion Weeks reflect the Australian lifestyle in their own way; laid back, friendly, exciting and open to everyone.
In the past there might have been some questions about how much participants really profit from such a festival. The music stops playing, the lights go out, the models go home and the Designer stands alone waiting for the buyers to walk through their doors. But the value is not always in just new orders, as we all know in any business, it’s not what you know – it is who you know. With more than 150 designers everybody has the opportunity to build up connections and these relationships are built on a long term basis.
A strong impression from foreign journalists is that boutiques will go to Fashion Weeks to look for new trends, news lines and new colours. Are they going to buy a lot? Only time can tell.
Just take the example of MaraJoara. MaraJoara was part of the 2006/2007 Spring/Summer Collections held in Circular Quay. They are Australia’s newest swimwear export and were one of the few Designers paid a visit at the Source by the US Trend Analyst from Victoria Secrets. Woman’s Day, Madison and Celebrity Photographer Tito Antonio also paid them a visit. Now, through their very own Sydney based Publicity and Creative Agency BluePedal, MaraJoara is the swimwear chosen by no other than Miss World Australia, Sabrina Houssami, who will be wearing MaraJoara’s stylish line ‘Nautica Sophistication’ at the Miss World finals in Warsaw, Poland, and under their new label MaraJoara WhiteLabel they will continue to whitelabel for Ipanema stocked by Victoria Secrets. MaraJoara’s runway has been played by Fashion Tv across Australia, New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris and Rome.
On the MaraJoara catwalk, their models struck a pose wearing Tristan Blair’s shoes. His footwear is now also worn by Sabrina. But not only has Miss World Australia been presenting Tristan’s shoes, they have also been seen in a number of recent Fashion Editorials styled by BluePedal. No doubt the networking opportunities found at Mercedes Fashion Week have assisted to open doors for his label.
At the end of the show MaraJoara designer Leesa Fogarty walked down the catwalk wearing Davis Eyes which generated considerable traffic to their stand. Orders were even taken by buyers from Dubai. At the Miss World crowning Leesa was wearing Davis Eyes once more and photographs of the dress were afterwards splashed across newspapers’ social columns.
A further example is the Celine Victoria hats and Bamboo Chutney Accessories. Photographs of the fashion accessories worn by MaraJoara’s models were sold to fashion magazines and newspapers all around the world by Reuters and Sabrina Houssami loved them so much that she was wearing the hats and bracelets on her swimsuit shoot on a multimillion dollar boat in Sydney. These hats and accessories have also been used in stylings for Editorials.
Throughout the Fashion Week MaraJoara models walked around the Source carrying handbags from How.U.C.Me. How.U.C.Me handbags have now made their way on to Miss World Australia’s arm and Sabrina will carry them all over the world as she competes in Poland. Blue Pedal also introduced Designer Natasha’s corporate clothing label, Design Palace to a beneficial partner who will now onsell Design Palace to their corporate clients. How.U.C.Me and MaraJoara have discussed joint marketing and investment in foreign markets and it was How.U.C.Me who introduced MaraJoara to AusTrade. MaraJoara are now working with AusTrade on their Export Development.
These are only few examples of the successful connections made at the Mercedes Australia Fashion Week and there are surely more advantages yet to come. Investing in the Source may appear like a significant expense at the time, and the true return may not always be realised immediately. But as this team of Designers have found, patience really is a virtue and that all good things can come to those who wait.
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I must admit that this is one great insight. It surely gives a company the opportunity to get in on the ground floor and really take part in creating something special and tailored to their needs.