tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791174269495400355.post5773510740572037044..comments2022-11-15T05:11:35.256-08:00Comments on Maque DeGorgeous: Lessons from Africa Fashion WeekMaque DeGorgeoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08536390221747792358noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791174269495400355.post-82944445159378109612010-07-10T06:17:58.708-07:002010-07-10T06:17:58.708-07:00Hi Maryse!!!
wow! you've touched on so many i...Hi Maryse!!!<br /><br />wow! you've touched on so many issues and i would like to address them all:<br /><br />Firstly, I completely agree with you on South Africa having too many fashion weeks (under SA fashion week and AFI), 5 in total and that's just silly! PS To my knowledge, Durban Fashion week is no longer active. I blame both SA fashion and AFI for diluting the value of Fashion Weeks! There are other ways of conducting fashion exhibitions (which is what fashion week really is) and these need to be tapped into.<br /><br />I want to address the more prestigious fashion weeks versus AFW:<br />1) we need to stop comparing our fashion week with the recipe implemented by these other fashion weeks because we are governed by different principals. For example, some of the collections shown at New York, Paris and London fashion week are not always available to the consumer immediately after fashion week. in some cases there's a 9 month waiting period before that collection is available to the end user - and this is what South African fashion weeks do not do. As soon as the curtain drops after a fashion show, the collection is available to the public. <br />2) should customers rely solely on press to let them know what each fashion label is offering? NO! media picks and selects what they want you to see and their selections should not over-rule what the designer would like to make available to the public (although media input plays a large contribution to the success of a brand). The public should also be engaged in the fashion shows and hence I think making tickets available to the public being a great idea. Customers need to see their favourite fashion label's collection to also motivate them to support local designers by buying what they like - and not just what the media thinks they should like. Cutting them off in the name of exclusivity will cause a drift between clients, potential clients and the fashion brand (which is a business at the end of the day) and that's the last thing designers want. International Fashion weeks can afford to do this because catwalk clothes are not immediately and readily available (unless by arrangement) and therefore rendering tickets being available to their public pointless.<br />3) it's true that some of the masses who flock to fashion week are not there for fashion but see it as a "fabulous event where they need to be seen" and that saddens me. Look, as with all, say Brand Activation parties for instance, not everybody is there to engage with the brand but amongst them, there will some who are genuine so we need to take the bad with the good.<br /><br />Competing with "our global counterparts" is good in theory. Nevermind the fact that most of them have been running for decades but what i want to point out is the fact that some of these fashion labels are owned by big groups (Gucci and LVMH for example) which, in essence, takes care of their investment by securing them space during fashion week (where they pay for models, production, PR, advertising, space and etc - which AFI and Lucilla Booyzen does on behalf of all the designers). So for us to compete, our fashion designers need to buy into the idea of being bought by these bigger groups - which I, although great for business, is something I do not want to see. i prefer independent brands that pave their own way to success.<br /><br />not to patronise you, but you should read "Fashion Babylon" which reveals a great deal about how international fashion weeks operate from the perspective of a young fashion label and compare that with what local designers are offered. It will make you proud of how our (young) fashion industry is operating, even wih its mishaps, and how it supports fashion designers. We just need to iron out certain issues because South Africa has the winning recipe for global succes.Maque DeGorgeoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08536390221747792358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791174269495400355.post-83270106027974423772010-07-09T14:04:44.424-07:002010-07-09T14:04:44.424-07:00Maque!Congratulations on a well written blog!
I h...Maque!Congratulations on a well written blog!<br /><br />I have trouble understanding the need for so many Fashion Weeks in such a small fashion market. Good on AFI for garnering global attention for african fashion through african fashion week. But one can't deny how that very same organisation has diluted the value of a South African Fashion Week in the global sphere with events like Joburg, Durban & Cape Town Fashion Week(s).<br /><br />Fashion, like any industry, needs to be making money to justify its existence. And based on that I understand why the good doctor threw her hat in and is essentially milking the South African public's desire for these kinds of events for all its worth. My biggest issue with this, though, is that it is happening at the expense of fashion. Fashion is art, and anytime art becomes too commercialized is problematic.<br /><br />France, England & USA with there more established fashion markets & overall entrenched fashion culture each only have one fashion week that matters for the different seasons, namely Paris, London & New York. And because of the exclusivity of these events, everyone takes notice and waits with baited breath to see what marvelous creations will find their way down the ramp. None of that anticipation exists for any of our many fashion weeks.<br /><br />Fashion is not a democracy. I feel like there's no reason for the masses who can afford a ticket to one of these shows to be there. It's not like they're there for the fashion.<br /><br />I completely agree that there needs to be a fashion council. I feel like the fashion industry is just in a bad place and something important needs to happen to elevate it to where it needs to be so that we can properly compete with our global counterparts.<br /><br />Enough ranting!<br />What do you think?Maryse Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09385133514995989218noreply@blogger.com