I recently wrote about NY fashion week and the purpose of it all, and you really nailed it with the point about who pay for these shows. Of course it’s the consumer, and is this what we really want?? Or do we want clean, pleasant store environments, well-made clothes with the right margins to pay fairly everyone in the supply chain, and investment in beautiful and inspiring brand imagery (art direction has really fallen off a cliff). I don’t want to pay for a brand’s click-through-rate, that’s for sure!
I come from the luxury brand world in NYC and have witnessed fashion shows evolve from simple presentations in the designer's showroom (for press and buyers) to the extravaganzas we see today. You're so right to question who actually pays. The consumer is also paying for the insane amount of freebies for celebrities in the name of marketing. They're not sitting in the front row for nothing!
I recently wrote about NY fashion week and the purpose of it all, and you really nailed it with the point about who pay for these shows. Of course it’s the consumer, and is this what we really want?? Or do we want clean, pleasant store environments, well-made clothes with the right margins to pay fairly everyone in the supply chain, and investment in beautiful and inspiring brand imagery (art direction has really fallen off a cliff). I don’t want to pay for a brand’s click-through-rate, that’s for sure!
True Anon episode 401 is an excellent, well-researched conversation about this very bloated industrial complex. It’s even worse than you think.
I come from the luxury brand world in NYC and have witnessed fashion shows evolve from simple presentations in the designer's showroom (for press and buyers) to the extravaganzas we see today. You're so right to question who actually pays. The consumer is also paying for the insane amount of freebies for celebrities in the name of marketing. They're not sitting in the front row for nothing!
Fantastic piece!
i'm extremely close to impose myself this rule: to never buy anything from a brand who pay too much for (a) advertising or (b) runway show.
i'm well aware the devil is in the 'too much' definition.
Great essay thank you.