Featuring about 800 guests, a runway lined with spindly gold chairs, a battery of photographers and a pumping soundtrack, the live catwalk show is a cultural phenomenon — but one under increasing threat.
The fragile state of the economy in the U.S. and elsewhere means that designers are having to fight even harder for critical and commercial success. New York fashion week alone is expected to generate $770m over the year for the city. But as designers unveil their collections for spring 2011, a question mark hangs over the future of the catwalk formula in the face of technological advances, scheduling complications and infighting.
British brand Burberry, due to show during London fashion week in nine days’ time, is leading the charge with its quest to speed up the fashion cycle.
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Earlier this week the label announced a new concept, dubbed Burberry Retail Theatre. When the new collection is launched the show will be broadcast live to 25 of its stores worldwide. The invited customers will then be able to browse the collection on iPads and buy selected outerwear and handbags immediately for delivery in seven weeks’ time. It is hoped this move will shorten the usual six-month cycle of buying and production. Burberry is at the forefront of catwalk live-streaming, which has been embraced by big brands including Prada and Dolce & Gabbana over the past two seasons.
Milan fashion week has raised eyebrows over its decision to beef up its schedule. Last season the event was squeezed after Anna Wintour, the editor of U.S. Vogue, announced she would only attend the event for three days, forcing designers to reshuffle their shows, and smaller designers to miss out on media coverage.
This season the heavyweight brands have spaced themselves out evenly, forcing editors and buyers to stay in the city for longer. As a result the Milanese event starts before the London fashion week is officially over, clashing with a final day of menswear shows.
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As a result of these challenges each of the four fashion cities — New York, London, Milan and Paris — are seeking to increase their individual appeal. Both Milan and New York boast shiny new venues. Next weekend guests at London fashion week will attend shows sponsored by Topshop at the old Eurostar train terminal in the city’s Waterloo railway station. The city will host a range of events, from big catwalk shows by Burberry to smaller shows by brands that are growing in influence, including Erdem.
Copyright: Guardian News & Media 2010