FASHION WEEK: ARE WE OVER IT?

A friend of mine asked me the other day, "Are we going to a fashion week this year?" and I responded, "I feel as if it's becoming a thing of the past." The increase in social media and use of bloggers advertising for companies has changed the way we view fashion these days. Now, especially in 'smaller big cities', these events all seem to be the same: a bit chaotic, disorganized, not enough sponsors, always in the same locations and no one spending money - with a race to sit in the front row only to put their cell phones high in the air waiting to capture the models walking down the runway for their Instagram. It is quite rare these days to see people actually observing the flow of the fabrics as the models walk down the runway, feeling inspired by the collections, talking with the designers or reading about their collection goals, about the creative process and understanding the connection between the collection and designers. "It was good. I liked the blue. Dramatic." Our ways of communicating about the designs have disappeared into thin air, along with the forgotten videos we posted online.

I remember when I was young, flipping through fashion magazines with my mom, watching Fashion Television and waiting for Jeanne Beker (Canadian personality/designer/author) to give us the updates on what was in/out, fashionable/a disgrace. If you know what I'm talking about, this song will immediately pop into your head. While I was visiting home this summer, IMG decided to pull the plug on Toronto Fashion Week for the coming season (read article HERE) - hugely disappointing news for Canadian fashion. "The Toronto market is just not seeing the local support for the industry." IMG claims to want to direct their focus on bigger projects around the world and Toronto just "wasn't generating enough local commercial funding". Some of you may not know what this end means: no more start up packages for emerging designers, no run way shows, no events, a huge decline in the use of models and modeling agencies, makeup artists and photographers just to name a few. It is difficult and costly for people to cough up the higher prices of local designers, but instead, consumers are looking towards the big, known labels rather than supporting their talent at home or looking to fast fashion. I can understand - when someone sees you wearing Dior or Gucci, they'll be impressed; but mention Greta Constantine or Ruzica (hello my darling Mariana!) or Pink Tartan, then your audience (or Insta fans) are not so impressed? Hopefully another sponsor will be interested in taking this event under their wings.

Today, it was announced that Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week has decided to cancel Warsaw's event this October (read Polish version HERE), with fingers crossed that another organizer/sponsor will be up for the challenge for running next year's fashion week. Runway shows, lectures, workshops, pop up stores and exhibitions will not be available. Who's getting cut next?

I don't believe that Toronto or Warsaw are the 'centres of global fashion' BUT what I DO believe is that there is an abundance of creative and talented designers who will feel the heat by having these major events cancelled and there is a deep sense of sadness for designers in these cities BUT there is also hope for change and discussion around how to make things unique and interesting in fashion weeks once again. Which in turn, also got me thinking about Budapest's Fashion Week and the intentions and desires of Hungarian designers who show their creations at the FW in Budapest. Living in Budapest and starting up this blog/online diary/ creative outlet has allowed me to meet many interesting people in Hungary, talk to incredibly talented designers, attend events and from what has been 'heard on the street', most of the designers don't feel that they are being noticed on a global scale. With so many designers these days, it is difficult to weed out the 'lower quality ones' as they sell their clothing for a bit more than the price of Zara or H&M but the 'higher quality ones' aren't affordable. Who is willing to wear one jacket all season these days? Also, many designers have to fight with mass corporations when creativity is 'stolen' (or shall we call it inspired by?) and at the end of the day, there is a smug smirk as nothing will be done about it. This is where it boils down to to the consumers: What are you willing to live with/without? How important is it to have quantity over quality?

OFF THE RUNWAY

Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter make it easier for people to post backstage teasers and sneak away images of inspiration hours before a show even begins. Although some designers have strict rules of no social media behind stage, other brands to get their collections out to the public using these forms of social media ASAP, without having to orchestrate an event or present their months of work in 3-4 minutes on a runway. In this case, is the runway the best place these days to show off your talent? Probably not. Round up some influencers to come around to your showroom and have them Snap away at your latest designs. Or, if you are an introverted designer who doesn't want to make small talk with randoms, hire an intern who can do the Snapping and Instagraming for you.

EMERGE OF THE MERGE

Some designers are choosing to merge their women's and men's collections into one show, eliminating the need for 2 separate shows for the collections - showing that there is indeed a decline of the runway presentations at fashion weeks. Let's just kill two bird with one stone? Other designers are now focused on creating unisex clothing, which is a whole other ball park for needing separate women's and men's collections all together - but it is being described as the evolution and future of fashion. Emerging designers Hoang and Musara of label WRKDEPT from Montréal, Canada who are getting mentions in Vogue Italia and Elle Québec for their innovative unisex clothing and accessories. (Proud of you Tinashe!)

THE STREET IS OUR RUNWAY

Chanel presented their 2016/17 resort on the streets of Havana, Cuba. Karl Lagerfeld is known to go the unusual route and with Fendi, for their 90th anniversary, they just made fashion history by showing their Haute Couture F/W 2016/17 collection ON the Trevi fountain in Rome. In order to stand out these days, designers need to come up with unique ways of presenting their collections to get noticed around the world. Clothing needs to be seen in a real life setting (and on real life models!) to be understood and for the audience to get inspired. 

Chanel in Havana above and Fendi in Rome below

IS THIS THE END OF THE FASHION WEEK RUNWAY?

Designers will begin to show their collections more independently and continue to press for a break in traditional runway shows. We will most likely witness the extinction of fashion weeks in cities around the world due to the mass emergence of social media, but have no fear as there are good things to come. The runway can be located anywhere around the world and collections can be shown at any time of the year, instead of being season specific. This will all conveniently be Snapped, Insta-ed and streamed to a global audience who are ready and hopefully wanting to BUY. Perhaps my response "I feel as if it is a thing of the past" isn't totally off (nor am I trying to be pessimistic but optimistic for what is to come!) to the traditional fashion week idea, even though it has served us well and will always be fond in our hearts and mind. The fashion week runway is reaching its end.

Written by Justyna Bilska

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