Simon Doonan, Barney's creative director in New York, recently declared that it was time we re-thought who reigned in the fashion market. He criticised designers who put celebrities at the forefront of their campaigns and showered them with presents in order to promote their brands. He says it's become clear that the customers are being shunned from the marketing aspect of the brands in favour of celebrities who most of the time don't even pay for the clothes in the first place. He urged that with the current economical situation, if designers wanted their clothes to sell, the customer needed to be cast in the spotlight, not the celebrity. He also added that despite the critical recession, fashion devotees are still buying. If they are convinced the product is quality, they'll buy it. What's changed is that instead of 5 pairs of Jimmy Choos, you're buying 2. There is still room for business and more importantly, expression through fashion.
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It is with this in mind that Anna Wintour, Vogue's astute editor in chief, announced yesterday the launch of Fashion's Big Night Out to be held in New York, Paris, London,Tokyo, Madrid and Mumbai amongst other cities. The concept? A night where all fashion stores stay open until 11pm to the sounds of live entertainment, delightful canapes being served to clients and Vogue staff on hand giving style tips and fashion advice to all customers. A T Shirt will be sold to promote the event, of which 40% of its proceeds will go towards the September 11th Museum Memorial Fund. In the UK, all the money raised will go towards the charity Crisis, the UK charity for the homeless. Designers and celebrities will make appearances so as to encourage the client to go to their favourite stores and mingle with the best of them.
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The lineup includes Alexander McQueen, Prada, Gucci, H&M, Topshop and many more in London and Alexander Wang, Philip Lim and Tory Burch in New York. For these small designers who are most affected by the economic dowturn, events like this will prove vital to renew interest and revive consumer participation. "This worldwide activity is to remind us all that fashion is to be enjoyed and to mark the contribution that the shopping environment makes to all our lives," Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman said. "We're delighted to be in a position at Vogue to undertake this enterprise and to bring retailers and shoppers together in central London for this unprecedented feel-good occasion."
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All in all this little scheme is most cunning...Customers are lured into a comfortable and exciting zone of entertainment where they are partying with models and celebrities 'in the name of fashion'.They may come out with a few pennies less, but at least they'll have had a good time and a new dress (all the Vogue hostesses will no doubt have been briefed to tell the customers just 'how beautiful it looks dahling'). Vogue promotes its magazine, singers their songs, and designers their brand. Cheaper than an advertising campaign and probably more effective in the short term, this might be exactly what the fashion world needs to boost its morale (and turnover). Pourquoi pas? We wouldn't want Mr Blahnik to go bust now, would we?
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For more info on Fashion's Night Out go to: http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/090521-fashions-night-out.aspx.
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