When it comes to fashion, designing original clothes is half the battle. Iconic designers like Karl Lagerfield pride themselves as innovators in both clothing and production. With unforgettable set pieces like Chanel’s Autumn/Winter 2015 collection’s Casino-style show to Valentino’s Red Dress exit — it’s impossible to separate fashion from the catwalk. While it will take some time and practice to come up with a fashion week worthy show, we all have to start somewhere.
Team Up
Behind every memorable fashion show is a hardworking team. Not everyone can plan and execute a dazzling event themselves. Start by hiring an event organiser with whom to share your plans. Tell them everything, from the theme and story of your event to the budget you expect to have. And don’t forget to ask for feedback as well. Organisers often have contacts for the remaining staff you need to hire, be it production teams, make-up artists, hosts, DJs, and even fashion photo retouching services. But feel free to hire someone you know as well. It always helps to have familiar people you trust running the show with you.
The Location
If you’ve binged as much fashion shows as I did while procrastinating on a paper, you’ll know that the venue is one of the most crucial parts of any designer event. The best shows are always in premier locations like lavish hotels in New York or even an actual jumbo jet (I’m looking at you again, Karl).
When finding a location for your show, think of where your audience would go. Is your brand focused on streetwear? Hold the show in a skatepark or a mall. If you’re showcasing eco-friendly materials, find the nearest garden event centre. Just please, don’t hold your event in a rec centre.
The Models
The easiest way to get models for your show is by visiting a modelling agency. They often have a diverse group of professional models to grace your runway elegantly. You can also ask your aspiring model friends to join in. They’ll benefit from the event as much as you will through the profit and photos they’ll get for their portfolio.
The Right Influencers
Sure, getting media attention is great for your show and your brand, but influencers are a more organic way to get your message out. In fact, most of Instagram’s users follow models. If you find that one of your models has a wide fan base on social media, use them as the flagship of your show. Give them incentives to post about the event on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram before and after it happens. You’ll be trending in no time. Otherwise, it’s best to consult an influencer marketing agency to cover your event.
Having a fresh and original show is what makes most designer brands successful. Start building your fashion empire with by creating a great event for everyone to enjoy.
Remember to tell a story and don’t be afraid to be as outlandish or as minimalist as possible. In the end, a fabulous fashion show doesn’t always have to be perfect — it just has to be memorable.
