fashion week(Fashion Week) is the main event of the fashion industry, where leading designers different countries in the form of fashion shows, they present their collections for the next season. Fashion designer shows follow each other. There are fashion weeks, lasting 6-7 days each, and which last 4 days.
Weeks during which the finished product is demonstrated women's clothing, are held twice a year: in February-April, designers present autumn-winter collections, in September-October - spring-summer. Men's Week fashions take place in July and January. Carrying out shows long before the start of sales is carried out mainly in order to have time to make purchases and delivery to the city, and for journalists to collect materials and highlight general fashion trends and determine.
The main ready-to-wear fashion weeks are held in,. They shape the fashion trends of the next season. New York Fashion Week opens the Big Four events, followed by London, then Milan, and ends with Paris Fashion Week. More often, compatriot designers present their collections at the Fashion Week of a certain country, but this rule does not always apply to the main Fashion Weeks.
Most developed countries have their own fashion weeks. There are specialized fashion weeks representing certain style or type of clothing, for example, they are shown in Miami, in New York - wedding dresses, in Palm Springs - exclusive designer products. Shows are not fashion weeks.
Entrance to Fashion Week shows is by invitation only. Basically, representatives of the fashion industry (buyers, employees and partners of fashion houses, journalists, fashion designers), as well as celebrities and friends of designers, are allowed to attend the event.
The first Fashion Week was held in New York in 1943, during World War II. Due to military operations, the United States could not keep up with new products Parisian fashion, and then Eleanor Lambert, the future founder, organized a “Press Week”, the purpose of which was to demonstrate best works American designers to journalists. IN modern form Fashion Week was first held in Paris in 1973.
Demonstrations of collections of legendary fashion houses are least similar to traditional shows - it is always a theatrical event, a real performance, where models are only part of the overall event. Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuittons and many, many other world-famous brands are ready to surprise again and again, as if they are most afraid of repeating themselves.
1973: Fashion Battle
The first Fashion Week took place in New York back in 1943. In Paris - thirty years later. The grand historical fashion show took place on November 28, 1973. It was organized by the founder of New York Fashion Week, Eleanor Lambert, and the curator of Versailles, Gerald Van Der Kemp. The main goal is to raise funds for the restoration of the famous royal palace and surrounding areas. The show was called “The Battle of Versailles” and essentially became that: French and American designers, representatives of completely different “concepts” in fashion, were invited to participate in it. Legislators of bourgeois chic Yves Saint Laurent, Hubert de Givenchy, Christian Dior, Pierre Cardin and Emanuel Ungaro clashed on the same catwalk with the creators of pret-a-porte from America ─ Oscar de la Renta, Stephen Burrows, Anne Klein, Bill Blass and Halston. For the latest show, it was, in fact, a turning point in history: American fashion finally had a chance to emerge from the shadows and loudly declare itself in Europe. The show was attended by over 700 guests, among whom were Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Minnelli (who performed the famous song “Cabaret” at the show), Andy Warhol, and many other rich and famous people of those years. It is officially believed that that fashionable “battle” was won by practical and assertive Americans. But Europe also won: after all, Paris Fashion Week began its history from that very day.
1992: Madonna walked the runway topless at the Jean Paul Gaultier show
For ordinary people, Jean Paul Gaultier “began” with a pink satin corset with cups and cones, which the designer created for the singer Madonna. In fact, this is not entirely true. The couturier introduced the legendary cones back in 1984, thereby defining the vector of his further development: shocking. And where there is outrageousness, there is, as we know, Madonna, so, in fact, there is nothing surprising in the fact that in 1992, the star of the world stage appeared at the show of her favorite designer in a black striped sundress with suspenders and “au naturel” breasts.
1995: Itsy Bitsy bikini
The bikini has always been considered a provocative element of the wardrobe, regardless of its openness - after all, with each season the concept of excessive frankness becomes more and more blurred. In 1995, at Paris Fashion Week, Chanel designers presented perhaps the most minimalist option. Then only nipple covers, which, however, did not take long to arrive.
1997: Stella McCartney presented a new vision for Chloé
In March 1997, Paul McCartney's daughter was appointed creative director of Chloé, replacing Karl Lagerfeld. By the way, the latter was very skeptical about this appointment, saying that the fashion house had gained fame in the music world, but not in its native field. However, Stella quickly dispelled the myth that talent rests on the children of geniuses, and presented her first successful collection in her new position. McCartney's debut show was so successful that the day after it, it seems, not a single negative review came out in the press about her collection for the French house.
1997: John Galliano and his debut at Dior
The first collection of the outrageous designer literally blew up the fashion world. It was dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the fashion house and was called “African Women”. Then Galliano brought models onto the catwalk with hairstyles and makeup that resembled primitive tribes. The young designer, who does not tolerate simplicity and minimalism, boldly combined motifs historical costume“Art Nouveau” and chic of the 30s, intertwined with ethnic motifs. Galliano managed to revive the Dior style, he managed to make it modern and relevant. Celebrities are starting to wear Dior clothes again.
1997: Alexander McQueen and Givenchy
In 1996, McQueen headed the house of Givenchy. Famous for his unconventional ideas, the designer continued to amaze even in his honorary position: McQueen used a disabled girl as a model, sprinkled gravel on the catwalk, or completely refused the services of models, replacing them with mannequins on rotating stands. He was awarded the title of best three times British designer of the year (British Designer of the Year). At the last award ceremony, presented to him by Prince Charles, the fashion designer rode onto the catwalk on a scooter and in a wide blue jumpsuit, puzzling His Highness with his appearance.
In 1997, McQueen asked his longtime friends Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss to appear on the catwalk. Both appeared before the public in gold corsets and extreme hairstyles.
2009: Alexander McQueen's last show
In 2009, at Paris Fashion Week, Alexander McQueen presented women's collection entitled “Plato’s Atlantis”, which became the most discussed work of the spring-summer 2010 season. During the show, pictures of the creation of the world, raging waters, and the movement of snakes were displayed on a huge screen. Models wearing outfits with patterns of cobras, fantastic fish and animals walked on the catwalk to this video sequence. The collection featured a complex geometric cut: wide shoulders, voluminous sleeves and oval hips. The audience gave McQueen a standing ovation; critics subsequently called the collection an amazing phenomenon of art. The futuristic work of the fashion designer was the last in his life.
2010: Hermès and horses
It's worth starting with the fact that the Hermès brand once produced uniforms for carriages and riding, which is probably where the logo that still exists today came from - a horse harnessed to a carriage. So, everything is not accidental, just as the latest collection of Jean-Paul Gaultier under the auspices of the fashion house is not accidental. In 2010, to mark the end of a long-term collaboration with Hermès, the designer, in addition to models in leather raincoats and boots stylized as shoes for riders, brought live horses to the podium. Obviously, to be sure to be remembered for a long time. We remembered.
2011: Smoking Kate Moss
On No Smoking Day (well, when else?) Kate Moss walked the catwalk with a cigarette. For the Louis Vuitton show, Kate chose simple Marlboro Light. By the way, in France smoking is public places prohibited since 2007 (though no one is in a hurry to implement this rule), so there was a double provocation here. However, the creative director of the Louis Vuitton fashion house, Marc Jacobs, still took a risk in order to put on a spectacular show.
That same evening, other models from the past generation appeared on the catwalk along with Moss, who was 37 years old at the time of the show: Naomi Campbell, Amber Valletta and Carolyn Murphy.
2011: Florence Welsh sings for Chanel
In 2011, Karl Lagerfeld's show was supposed to end Fashion Week, however, the designer could not afford to simply be the last. Lagerfeld turned the Grand Palace into a snow-white imitation of the seabed: huge shells, stars, corals and algae lay on the snow-white sand that covered the floor of the palace. The show was like a maritime tale told through the language of clothing. Traditionally, the accessories department of the legendary house tried its best, coming up with shell clutches and coral heels. But perhaps the most unusual element of the performance was the stunning Florence Welsh, who performed the song while standing in a large shell.
2012: Balenciaga, Alexander Wang debut
At that time, Alexander Wang, now one of the most popular designers in the world, was only 29. No one had known such a rapid rise up the “career ladder.” In 2012, Wong presented his debut collection under the auspices of the Balenciaga fashion house. The reaction to Wong's first work in the fashion world was ambiguous: skeptics did not approve of this union and considered the young designer the least suitable for the role creative director, however, Wong remained indifferent to the criticism. His 2012 collection: it was a mixture sporty style and Balenciaga classics. The bright start ensured the popularity of the fashion house and the couturier himself for many years to come.
In 2014, for the show of the autumn-winter collection, the Chanel fashion house wanted to be closer to the masses and invited spectators to the show in... a supermarket. Setting out to attract the attention of a young audience as much as possible, Karl Lagerfeld staged a real theatrical performance between shelves of products. After a leisurely walk between the various products, the models walked onto the catwalk. By the way, Cara Delvigne and singer Rihanna took part in the show. Spotlight: 80s culture. Voluminous items with a sloping silhouette and a narrow bodice waist excited attention, mainly due to the tweed of the most varied and luxurious textures. Large clips and long ribbons in the hair also worked for the 80s look. Essentially classic outfits - coats and suits - were harmoniously combined with tight trousers and sneakers made of the same tweed, sewn using a patchwork technique.
2016: Pierpaolo Piccioli's first solo collection for Valentino
We were waiting for this show with some trepidation and excitement, because after the announcement of the separation of one of the most successful creative duos in the fashion world and the departure of Maria Grazia Chiuri to Dior, it was completely unclear what Valentino would be like now, in which direction it would turn. Now all our fears have been dispelled: Pierpaolo Piccioli not only preserved the sophisticated style of Valentino, but also added even more magic and femininity to it (although we did not dare to hope that more was possible). Of course, this is one of the most romantic and luscious ready-to-wear collections of the upcoming spring-summer season.
Good evening, dear readers of the Sprint-Answer website. The site has already published an article with a full review and all the answers in the game "Who wants to become a millionaire?" for September 30, 2017. You can view it by following the link above. And in this article we will dwell in more detail on the ninth question, which was answered by the participants of the first part of the game: Alla Mikheeva and Ilya Averbukh.
In which city did the world's first Fashion Week take place in 1943?
New York Fashion Week is one of... four main fashion weeks in the world (together with fashion weeks in London, Paris and Milan), also known as “7th on the Sixth” Held twice a year: in February the collections of the autumn-winter season are shown, and in September - spring-summer trends (Week fashion in New York begins on the second Thursday of February and on the second Thursday of September).
New York Fashion Week, held in 1943, was founded by Eleanor Lambert and was the world's first fashion week. The original name was “Press Week”. The purpose of the event was to divert attention from French fashion during World War II, when fashion connoisseurs could not travel to Paris for shows. The location of the shows until 2010 was Bryant Park. Its white tents, located on 24,000 m², have become a real symbol of New York Fashion Week. Currently, due to lack of space, all shows have been moved to Lincoln Center.
1. The first official Fashion Week took place in 1943 in New York. Its main goal is to divert attention from French fashion and give a start to American designers.
2. In total, 40 Fashion Weeks and 100 official events take place every year. The five most famous events of Fashion Week are held in the fashion capitals of the world: Milan, New York, Berlin, London, Paris.
3. In order to become a Haute Couture designer, a person must receive confirmation from the Chamber of Syndicale. It is the governing body of fashion in Paris. How serious is this confirmation? Only 14 fashion houses, out of a huge number of designers, have such couture confirmation. Among the unapproved contenders are big designers such as Giorgio Armani.
4. Valentino owns five pugs. Their names are Monty, Maud, Margot, Maggie, and Molly. They travel with him everywhere.
5. Louis Vuitton allegedly burns all of its old merchandise to maintain the brand's complete exclusivity.
6. Christian Louboutin introduced shoes with blue soles so brides could wear something blue on their wedding day.
7. Michael Kors created his first piece of clothing at the age of five – wedding dress for his mother.
8. Christian Dior strongly believed in psychics. He made sure to visit one of them to determine which day would be the best to show his latest collection.
9. The ancient Greeks could easily walk naked. In fact, our word “gymnasium” comes from; γυμνός (gymnos), meaning "naked".
10. The skirt is the oldest type of clothing, second only to the loincloth. Until 1600-1700, everyone wore a skirt - men and women.
11. Initially, both men and women wore togas in Rome, but after the 2nd century BC, respectable women already wore stolas and only prostitutes were required to wear a toga.
12 Wearing shorts in public was considered unacceptable for women until the First World War.
13. The first fashion magazine appeared in 1586. It began to be published in Germany.
14. The five most common clothing materials are linen, cotton, polyester, viscose. Cotton fabric has been used for clothing for over 7,000 years.
Fun denim fact:
The word "jeans" is a local term of Genoese sailors, meaning "trousers made of cotton." One bale of cotton can make 215 pairs of jeans. The average American usually owns 7 pairs of blue jeans. The Guinness Book of World Records lists Gucci as the manufacturer of the most expensive jeans in the world. Gucci Genius jeans cost $3,134
15. Sneakers came to us thanks to Keds, the first company to create this type of shoe, in 1917. And the earliest known human history shoes are considered to be sandals.
16. More than 2 billion T-shirts are sold every year. Initially, T-shirts were an element of underwear. But now, the T-shirt is a popular wardrobe item as outerwear.
17. There was no concept of children's clothing until the 1800s. Children dressed the same as adults.
18. In the 1500s, fashion designers began displaying their clothes by putting them on miniature dolls. There was no such thing as a model yet. The first models appeared only in 1853.
19. Napoleon contributed to fashion in many ways. For example, buttons on the sleeves of jackets were invented by Napoleon when he was tired of his soldiers wiping
noses with sleeves.
20. It may be surprising that men, at executive level, actually use the fashion industry more than women. Most CEOs and Presidents (men, not women) – regular customers major fashion houses.
21. Valentino Garavani, an Italian fashion designer, made the red dress famous, just as Coco Chanel made the famous little dress into fashion. black dress. His red dresses became so popular that he earned the nickname “Valentino Red.”
22. The first fake eyelashes were invented by Hollywood film producer Griffith, who wanted to improve the eyelids of actresses. They were made from real hair.
23. Eyeliner became popular after its discovery in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in the 1920s. Since then, the production of eye pencils has been launched.
24. Mary Phelps, New York socialite, created the modern bra. The bras she made and patented in 1914 are very different from those worn today. Hers bras were made from handkerchiefs.
25. The cost of clothing has decreased by 8.5% worldwide since 1992, even adjusted for inflation.
26. It is estimated that Americans spend about 3.8% of their income on clothing, which is equivalent to about $1,700 per person. By comparison, in 1950, Americans spent 11% of their income on clothing. An American woman buys approximately 3,000 items of clothing in her life, including: 271 pairs of shoes, 185 dresses and 145 suits.
27. Bikini is named after the island, Bikini Atoll, where the US military tested its bombs in World War I. Their creator, Louis Réard, believed that the mini suit would create the effect of an atomic bomb due to the nominal size of the clothing.
28. The social status and profession of a person during the Middle Ages was represented by the color of clothing. Nobles wore red clothes, peasants wore brown and gray, and merchants, bankers and officials wore green clothes.
In Rome, purple clothes belonged exclusively to emperors and magistrates. Wearing black was taboo unless there was mourning in the house. Victorian widows were required to wear black mourning clothes for two years after the death of their husbands.
29. What pink is feminine, and blue (blue) is masculine, and that a woman's shirt has buttons on the left, and a man's on the right: this is a relic old tradition, which we transferred to the old world.
30. Average duration The “life” of clothing is approximately three years. This standard is used to compare living standards.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia ended on October 26, and Fashion Week in Moscow ended on October 29. For some, this is a period of maximum social activity, which is a sin to miss, for some it is part of the work, and for others, at the mention of the Manege or Gostiny Dvor, they cross themselves without hesitation. Among the latter are the specialized press and Russian designers themselves, who deliberately avoid both platforms, but go to regional weeks with pleasure. The main complaint of most of the professional community is “this is not Fashion Week.” Together with market participants The Village I figured out why both MBFWR and Moscow Week, instead of becoming the main industry events, have been turning into objects of criticism and even ridicule for several years.
Julia Lee
Two Weeks
There is a stir at the Manege. Young guys in fishnet tights and latex raincoats dance the tango in front of photographers. The weather dictates the down jacket, but fashion is merciless when it comes to degrees. For all Muscovites, this has already become a marker - Fashion Week has begun.
In Russia there are two brands associated with this phrase: Moscow Fashion Week - Gostiny Dvor, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia - Manege. It cannot be said that they are significantly different in essence: both have their own masters, brands - representatives of what we used to call street fashion, old-timers and newcomers. Except that Fashion Week in Moscow has a sales area for products by domestic designers, and MBFWR has a dominance of sponsors, from cosmetics to teapots. There is also a difference in the audience: Manege is young (sometimes too young), Gostiny Dvor is the opposite. Of course, MBFWR is much more popular.
But still, Moscow Fashion Week continues to withstand the competition by making cosmetic improvements. The chairs connected by one chain in the halls (and this actually happened) were replaced with cabinets a couple of seasons ago. There are fewer rows, but due to this, it is possible to see the collection even on the last of them. The scenery has become more attractive, and the podiums have become wider. And yet, this event still has the unspoken status of a “folk event” with its drawbacks: Fashion Week seems to have never heard of SMM, rare brands known in certain circles are presented as a real sensation, and their shows are delayed for a very long time.
At MBFWR, the main innovation of the season was the use of the Museum of Moscow site. The rest is stability. Everything is relatively good with the decorations, there are some delays in the shows, but they are minor, people are rushing back and forth with such intensity that sometimes the atmosphere of a subway car is created. And of course, the guests are greeted by a handsome Mercedes.
The history of the relationship between the two weeks goes back more than one year, more than one scandal. “The war was serious,” says a former Artifact employee, “to the point of the disruption of shows and the fight for venues.” At the same time, she noted that the situation at Russian Fashion Week (today's MBFWR) was much worse than this one. “There weren’t so many volunteers before. However, now this is both a plus and a minus: many young guys simply do not know the invited people, which means they are unlikely to be able to seat them correctly if the brand itself has not done this,” she says. - So the struggle for advantageous places begins, and people important to the designer watch the show while standing. But if earlier there were hellish delays in showings, now everything has more or less stabilized. There are separate entrances for VIPs, there are no huge queues at the entrance, as there were ten years ago.”
Olga Mikhailovskaya
Vogue Russia
There has always been a difference between Moscow Week and MBFW. The Moscow one was initially more Soviet; MBFW, of course, always strived to fit into the international context; it simply had no other choice. This is essentially an international brand, there are strict limits and rules, at least in relation to technical characteristics. However, after many years ago I was escorted out of Gostiny Dvor and deprived of my accreditation, I was not at the Moscow Week. The reason for such repression was a review of the collection of one of the leading Russian designers.
The diverse audience deserves special attention. Both Fashion Weeks offer all sorts of pranks invitations. This is also done the brands themselves. IN Facebook and advertisements for the sale of passes appear on Avito, messages are written to journalists and designers in the spirit of “Do you have an extra invitation?”, posts appear in blogs and publications on the topic “How to get to Fashion Week.” It is worth recalling the comment of Alexander Shumsky, president of MBFWR, regarding the mass nature of the Meduza event: “Fashion weeks around the world are events where you can attend strictly by invitation. But we are doing a lot to distribute content to those who couldn’t get here.” Now is the time to look at the experience of world fashion weeks.
Foreign experience
No matter how mysterious and inaccessible Fashion Week fans talk about, first of all, both domestic Weeks adhere to the principle “fashion is for the people”: the event is mainly attended by the designer’s friends, celebrities, and Instagram fans of the brand. Thus, the event turns from a professional one into a secular one.
Of course, celebrity guests are present at every show of the World Weeks - it’s unlikely that the media will miss Kim Kardashian’s visit to any show. However, the hall is mostly filled with people who are directly related to either the brand or the industry as a whole.
The remark “you have nothing to do there” may sound quite harsh to the guests of our Weeks. But initially, in 1943, this event was called “Press Week.” The first modern Fashion Week, held in 1973 in Paris, also maintained a serious attitude towards the show's guests. Until now, the list of invited people to the world's most important fashion weeks is limited to journalists, buyers, honorary clients of the brand and celebrities, and a very small percentage, if any, remains of “ordinary guests”.
Today, not even every journalist can get accreditation, for example, at Paris Fashion Week (the Vice story, when a journalist from the publication entered a show with fake business cards, posing as a fictitious designer, is good, but this is rather an exception). Therefore, there is a practice of asking specific fashion houses for invitations to shows. And even in this case, a media representative can sometimes count on a standing position, which, by the way, he is not offended by, because he understands that he is surrounded by colleagues, not bloggers or winners of an Instagram competition.
Largely due to the strict selection of guests, the situation of a person accidentally getting into the first row occurs, but does not cause inappropriate excitement. “The difference from foreign Weeks is the same as the difference between our fashion and foreign ones,” Mikhailovskaya clarifies. - The organization is most similar to the New York one (I’m talking about MBFW now) in that the main shows take place on one site, however, Americans are now trying to move away from this model. Although this is convenient for journalists. Otherwise, the main difference is in the audience. There are professionals in the room, here, first of all, friends, family, everyone has their own party.”
MBFWR member designer who voluntarily left the site
At our MBFWR, doing a show in the evening is prestigious. Because the public is not a professional community that could treat such events as work, but friends and celebrities. Partly because of this, people important to the brand ignore the event, 10-15 people come. The rest are bloggers, people who won a competition, and so on.
Designers leaving
Of course, participation in Fashion Week costs some money. This amount, according to the designers, is several hundred thousand rubles (the exact numbers are a strict corporate secret). However, some brands are still allowed to participate either at a discount or completely free of charge (which is also carefully hidden by the organizers). Here the question arises about the feasibility of the investment, because for about the same money you can organize your own separate show, which many do. But there are still those who want to get a share of social attention, and the MBFWR brand and Moscow Fashion Week have excellent recognition.
The regional Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week deserves special attention. For example, Georgian or Almaty Fashion Weeks invite Russian designers quite often. They, in turn, view this favorably, despite the fact that they are often quite skeptical about our Weeks.
According to participants different years, the organizers of the Moscow weeks categorically do not invite foreign buyers, the reason is “we are not interested in this.” One of the designers not participating in Fashion Week this year noted that this greatly influenced the decision to leave the site: “For example, for the Georgian Fashion Week, journalists and designers have such good attitude precisely because they work with buyers from Luisa Via Roma, Matches Fashion, Net-a-Porter and other important stores.”
Elizaveta Sukhinina
designer of the KURAGA brand (special guest of MBFW in Almaty):
MBFWA is a great organization that is truly interested in developing the industry and motivating creativity. There you can count on professional dialogue, not small talk. The places are divided in the ratio of 30% - clients and friends of the brand, 70% - journalists and buyers (and from different countries). Our Fashion Weeks are more focused on commercial development. This can be seen in the selection of designers, in the type of Olympic stadium that is packed for the show (in Almaty, for example, there were literally two or three rows at each show). This is absolutely obvious to all people in the industry. Every year I am invited to Moscow Fashion Week with different conditions, but I don’t agree, because I don’t like this event in itself, and the brand doesn’t need it.
Problems on site
Organizing a show at Fashion Week is an expensive and complex undertaking. At MBFWR, the Artifact agency provides volunteers to help designers. “They always have a lot of responsibilities,” explains Tatyana Lonshakova, who worked as a volunteer for three seasons, “from finding chairs to making sure that all the models arrived on time for makeup (sometimes you had to lead them by the hand!). In addition, there are various emergencies, you need to somehow get out.” Lonshakova noted that tension within the agency itself is growing exponentially. “You need to constantly keep your finger on the pulse, make sure that all sponsors and partners of the designer are approved in advance (or better several times) with the organizers, because otherwise they are simply not allowed to use the products,” she explains. - There are a lot of personal moments that for some reason do not disappear anywhere at work. And, to be honest, that’s why I decided to leave Fashion Week, having gained the necessary experience. Many Artifact employees openly want to leave, while others, on the contrary, firmly believe in the coolness and prestige of MBFWR, almost at the level of the Parisian week.”
The information is confirmed by the designer with whom she just worked: “If you don’t approve sponsors with the organizers (which in itself is for some reason very difficult), then permission, for example, for gifts for VIP guests can only be obtained by paying.”
Victor Kurilov
worked for MBFWR for several seasons in teams of different brands:
When a designer comes to the site of a brand like Mercedes-Benz and spends a significant amount of money on it, he wants to receive normal conditions. Nobody talks about golden thrones, but steamers that ruin things, dressing rooms with nowhere to sit, and a shortage of lanyards for badges can hardly be called normal conditions. As a result, you must rely on your own strengths and interact with the organizers of the Week only on certain issues. In addition, the main audience is children bloggers. This may be due to a team change that occurred some time ago. Respected people in the industry do not go to this event because they understand that it is made for those same children. Only they benefit from the event - hashtags and subscribers. In general - a total vanity fair.
As a result, the difficulties that a designer experiences when working on site often outweigh the advantages. And the entire industry tacitly understands that MBFWR is the people's show. The organizers are doing an excellent job with this task. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to call it just Fashion Week.
War on journalists
Every season, brands actively invite journalists to the show. But no matter how unusual the invitation, no matter how friendly the publication, authors writing about collections are seen less and less at shows. Fierce competition between the two sites creates difficulties in work. “By making a choice in favor of one fashion week or another, the designer / publication / photographer is actually in a position where he must make a political choice,” explains a PR manager whose brands have been participating in both weeks for many years. - There are no longer a list of industry professionals who have become persona non grata on one site or another. This creates problems primarily for designers who cannot invite one of the guests because he is not allowed on the site, or work with one of the photographers, directors, managers for the same reason.”
Here it is worth remembering the latest scandal associated with MBFWR. We are talking about a proposal from industry representatives to remove the head of the FashionNet National Technology Initiative, Alexander Shumsky (who is also the head of the Week Mercedes-Benz fashion) and appoint Valentin Yudashkin to it. FashionNet itself was created to form new markets and “create conditions for Russia’s global technical leadership by 2035.” The Artifact agency responded to the note of dissatisfaction - specifically to journalists - by refusing access to the site. Mikhailovskaya is one of the few journalists from major publications who attended Fashion Week this season. She described her impressions of what she saw in an article for Kommersant. From it it becomes clear that there is a place on the Manege catwalk for folk crafts, for maestro Vyacheslav Zaitsev, and for the “secular designer” Bella Potemkina, whose show was discussed in the press thanks to the accompaniment - the performance of Olga Buzova. Only there is very little from the fashion industry in this.
Designers admit that it is better to invite journalists separately to the showroom or organize a press day, because at Fashion Week there can be confusion with the seating, and an inexperienced volunteer will invite an author important for the brand to take a seat in the sixth row. Working in the press center is a different story, which is complicated by the speed of Wi-Fi from the early 2000s and, accordingly, interruptions in online broadcasting. As a result, the journalist is more like a marathon runner, running from the show to the press center and back.
The foreign press, of course, still notes some designers with MBFWR, but still even the designers themselves call it Russian roulette. Foreign publications pay more attention to street style than to fashion shows. The Artifact team is working very seriously on this area: it’s satisfying street style meet, where anyone (not necessarily a show visitor) can show off in front of a huge number of specially invited photographers, accredits many bloggers. This street style culture has already accustomed brands and stores to dressing millennials for Fashion Week: they will get into the media, they will tag the brand on Instagram, and they will attract subscribers and buyers. Because designers have to rely mainly on social networks, the status of “blogger” becomes very attractive.
MBFWR participant designer who voluntarily left the site:
Every season bloggers of the week write to me. Literally a week before the show, they become bloggers and report that they have been following the brand for a long time. This was the case even in my first season, when no collections even existed. We, of course, work with opinion leaders, but if we choose them, then with great caution: not every top blogger can be good for the image, and focusing only on numbers is like jumping off a cliff blindfolded, listening to “yes.” there’s nothing wrong with it.”
How can I change everything, and is it possible?
When talking about changes, we, of course, always turn to a dreamy comparison - so that it’s like in Paris. Shows at different venues, although not very convenient in terms of logistics, give the designer the opportunity to create the right atmosphere. The daily schedule (shows from the very morning) allows photographers to shoot excellent street style, and journalists to treat the event as work. The latter is facilitated by good filtering of accredited persons. However, visible changes are still a long way off. First of all, you need to look at the industry as a whole.
Olga Mikhailovskaya
Vogue Russia:
Now the situation is changing all over the world, because the industry itself is going through a serious breakdown. Therefore, it will change for us too. But how? I would like to go in a more or less reasonable direction. To begin with, it seems ridiculous to me that there are two Fashion Weeks in a country where, in fact, there is no professional environment. There are designers, but there is no professional environment.
