Fundamentally, Fashion shows inspire future designers and models with shimmering spectacle and outrageous designs. Fashion shows are held in major metropolitan cities of the world like New York, London, Paris and Milan. Internationally, most over-the-top designs worn on the catwalk set out to inspire the imagination. The clothes on display act as exaggerations of the designers' truly marketable merchandise, which will eventually be sold at clothing stores for public consumption.
There are two types of fashion shows:
HAUTE-COUTURE - These are the most fashionable shows, the true haute couture fashion shows almost always happen in Paris, there are even laws to protect this term, not as ´willy-nilly´ as some of us use it. These designers do made-to-order with a few fitting sizes, employ technicians and use just high-end products. These shows are seemingly the most important as the designers (Jean Paul Gaultier, Amarni, etc) seem to dictate the next trends in terms of cloth, texture, colors, stamps and so on, sometimes years ahead of hitting the consumer market. These designers usually do clothes for socialites and wealthy people by order, and oh lawddd, they are damn expensive.
READY TO WEAR - These are the most commercial fashion shows what you are seeing there probably is going to be sold almost the same or just with slight differences in the store. Often it´s a little exaggeration of the designer`s actual commercial (in store) collection. This happens so people can see trends being used and what to expect from that designer. These are the majority of fashion shows you see today.
In my perspective, the fashion show serves to drum up excitement for future sales/business of the showcased designs. However, fashion shows locally are increasingly becoming more of a merriment for entertainment or an event to showcase one´s financial disposition and social class.
Are we hosting fashion events to really promote the brilliance of local fashion designers or is it just another ´set ah fireworks´ to boost egotistical esteems or just another ´something to do this weekend´ event?
¨Where in Trinidad and Tobago, a lot of people don´t understand fashion business. They don´t understand it and they don´t respect it. When yuh say fashion, you are a free artist, so you come, perform, do a fashion show for dem. And they make the money, you pack up yuh clothes and gone home with all yuh dutty clothes and have no money to clean it next day. ¨- Heather Jones – Fashion Designer (Entrepreneurs Anonymous) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2NPtlPR84Qh
¨When I produce a fashion show, it´s business. A Designer, Show and Sell. This is what fashion business is about, Show and Sell! Once they hear show, its entertainment. ¨ - Heather Jones – Fashion Designer (Entrepreneurs Anonymous) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2NPtlPR84Q
From an economic standpoint, fashion weeks/fashion shows can generate a huge amount of peripheral revenues in cities that it´s hosted in and furthermore, for the country.
A study by NY Times suggested that the total economic impact exceeded $20.9 million in some fashion capitals. It also found that twice-yearly fashion week events, bring in an annual $9 million to area restaurants, $6 million to local hotels, $6.8 million in retail revenue and $11 million to venues.
I would agree that our economic structure isnt the same as other countries but this doesn´t mean that we must be indifferent to achieve the same commercial successes that are available with effective planning and management. Which I expect are the roles of institutions such as CreativeTT, ExportTT , FATT and any other associations that host fashion shows.
Fortunately, our celebrated local designers and artisans, who have endured and sacrificed to access all of their achievements. Have exported what ´CAN´be originated with the label ´Made from Trinidad and Tobago.´ Now its time to improve and accelerate forward, with what we as Caribbean people are naturally gifted with, Creativity.
Nonetheless, the creative industry in Trinidad and Tobago, is argumentatively expanding. With the emergence of new youthful designers, that chaperon a fresh contemporary and modernistic advent to the creative landscape of what can be produced from sweet T&T.
Objectively, as many other forms of creativity can be lucrative and prosperous. We must also endeavour and keep in mind that we must build a successful fashion industry locally and internationally.
No matter the arguments for more modern solutions, it would be unrealistic to expect the sudden end of the conventional fashion show. The catwalk remains the most logical place in which to show a collection, communicate a group of ideas, create buzz and involve influential retailers and cooperate entities. There is a place for local fashion shows but they must restructure themselves away from being just a show and become a platform for business, trade and investment.
¨Profit in business comes from repeat customers, customers that boast about your project or service, and that bring friends with them. ¨W. Edwards Deming
As with everything in fashion, its about finding the right fit.
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