Moscow hosts the Russian Creative Week, where leaders of creative industries such as cinema, media, advertising, animation, fashion share their experiences and discuss new opportunities, including the law of creative entrepreneurship. But I will tell you what is particularly important for a successful fashion brand when creating a government support program.
On the one hand, the logistics crisis and fluctuations in exchange rates, on the other hand, manifest themselves in the metaverse and collections created by artificial intelligence. A logical question: are fashion shows really needed when there are so many challenges in producing collectibles in the physical world and there are endless opportunities for self-expression and presentation in the virtual world?
In the last three years, the brand Alena Akhmadullina has tried almost all digital options to interact with its audience: we released several digital clothing capsules and presented our own avatar, we held a virtual show in honor of the brand’s 20th anniversary, and we did not break with the traditional. non-painting tools – logbooks, photo shoots. But the best result for the brand in terms of image, positioning and sales came from a fashion show at Moscow Fashion Week, which took place on the set of Zaryadye Park. Friends and customers of the brand say this is the best show they’ve had in years, and I can’t help but agree. The show has been the most effective tool to develop my brand, but this is not new news to us.
I believe that the show is one of the most important tools of any brand, the culmination of the collection work according to the date when all business processes are adjusted.
The fashion show is the “language of fashion”: the presentation of the collection concept and the brand as a whole is expressed through the choice of location, scenery, direction, lighting, music, cast and even the seating arrangement. Everything is important and there are no details worth paying attention to, because in 15-20 minutes of the show you should not only show a few dozen outfits, first of all you should promote your brand, not just shoot them. invited not only those who saw the photos and videos from the show, but also those who saw it, to his private world.
In the post-quarantine period, I remember being asked the question: Are live screenings necessary because the pandemic has proven that the collection can also be shown online. Digital fashion advocates like Amber Slooten, founder of The Fabricant, believe that the environmental agenda requires moving away from many processes in the industry, particularly the myriad flights from one fashion week to the next. Without denying the importance of environmental issues, I’m sure that to save the fashion industry (as opposed to the clothing industry), we need magic that is only found in offline shows: to feel the energy of the hall, to watch the fabric move to the beat of the music, to follow the light play, to experience the excitement before debut – and after the last one almost theatrical catharsis. This energy is accurately conveyed to the audience, and not just on the catwalk where designer clothing from small brands like mine helps compete with luxury giants.
In addition, shows and fashion weeks as a whole have a very important function: they unite and shape the industry. These events bring together designers, buyers, editors, stylists, influencers, brand owners, investors and customers. In this powerful exchange of energy comes the magic of fashion, which everyone working in the fashion industry loves so much.
The author expresses his personal opinion, which may not coincide with the editors’ position.