Fashion Week 101: All You Need to Know

"Another Fashion Week? Wasn't it just last week? How many times a year does it take place? How do brands attend? Can I buy a ticket?” If you have asked yourself at least one of these questions and are still looking for answers, you are in the right place. Let’s start from the beginning...

1. What is “Fashion Week”?

Fashion Week is a special occasion where designers present their upcoming collections to the public for the first time. One may say that it’s a sort of presentation of things that will ultimately be sold in stores.

2. Where does it take place?

There are now several capitals around the world that host their own Fashion Week, from Lagos to Copenhagen, through to Kyiv. But the four most important Fashion Weeks take place in New York, London, Milan, and Paris.

3. How many times does it take place?

First, let’s make it clear that there are three kinds of Fashion Weeks: Haute Couture (which stands for high-end handmade tailored dressmaking) - Prét-à-Porter (Ready-to-Wear), and Menswear.

Paris is the only city that holds an Haute Couture Fashion Week. Fun fact: In France, the term “haute couture” is a legally protected trademark that can only be used by the Ministry of Industry under the tight norms and regulations established by La Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture de Paris.

The second type is Ready-to-Wear which refers to the collections that can be found in boutiques or department stores usually four to six months after the show. The final one is Menswear, which has been around since 2012.

In fashion terms, a year is divided into two seasons: Spring-Sumer and Fall-Winter.

• Haute Couture Week takes place twice per year: Once in January for the following Spring-Summer season, and a second time in June or July for the following Fall-Winter season.
• When it comes to Ready-to-Wear it is a bit different. That is, Ready-to-Wear Week takes place in February/March for the Fall-Winter season that follows and in September for the Spring-Summer season of the following year.
• For Menswear Week, Fall-Winter collections are presented in January and Spring-Summer collections are presented in June.

Fact #1. Most important fashion weeks always take place in the same order

Twice a year, the major four cities welcome designers to present their collections, always in the same order: New York opens the show, followed by Paris at the end of the month.

There may be interseasonal collection showings in between the big fashion weeks. These occasions, where designers can present portions of their collections in several nations, are more of an advertising/commercial character.

There are other fashion weeks that are specifically focused on a certain type of clothing, such as the Miami Fashion Week, where bikinis are showcased.

Typically, "local" designers (like Armani in Milan, Hermes in Paris, Donna Karan in New York, etc.) showcase their collections during Fashion Week, but it's common for designers to plan showings in other cities such as Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks.

4. What is the purpose of fashion week?

Simply defined, fashion week marks the beginning of the two major fashion seasons—fall and spring—when designers show off their newest offerings to members of the media, retail buyers, and other influential figures in the industry. In the same way, that cinema critics might cover new releases at Cannes, fashion journalists evaluate the collections. The editors of fashion magazines analyze the season's vibe to determine the trends that should be photographed and covered in articles.

The same trends are recognized and evaluated by buyers who make selections for larger department shops like Saks Fifth Avenue or smaller boutiques. Others with power—Hollywood stylists looking for Oscar night gowns, socialites, and famous people whose fashion choices are widely imitated—make what amounts to shopping lists of the outfits they'll purchase and don.

But there is also a more comprehensive and nuanced response to this query. Even though it frequently seems like a business gathering, fashion week is not just about business.

Depending on where you are in the fashion world, it might mean different things:

Designers depend on the specified schedule of a fashion show to bring an otherwise endless creative cycle to an end: After months of experimentation, proportions may be perfected, and color schemes may be improved.

Fashion journalists frequently use the week to look for interesting stories—a moment of brilliance from an unknown talent, for example, or the story of how a once-adored star crashed and burned—but they could also be doing something more benign, like rewarding a social favor with an unjustified positive review, appeasing one of the publication's major advertisers after a previous slam, or giving emerging talent a pass when the clothes don't impress.

For fashion buyers, who select the inventory for the stores, the fashion shows provide a chance to interact with people in person instead of staring at their computer screens; they won't make their purchases until weeks after the shows. In other words, business—the material of agreements and budgets—is not done outside. The shows make a lasting impression and, in this industry, where first impressions matter enormously, that is sufficient for business.

5. How long do shows last?

Traditional runway shows usually start later than it is stated on the calendar or invite and last between 10-20 minutes. There are no minimum or maximum looks to be presented during a certain show, the number of looks can vary from 20 to 100 – if the menswear collection is presented at the same time.

Fact #2. You can’t buy tickets to visit the Fashion Week

All participants attend with special invitations, which designers or designers’ PR agents send to their clients, buyers, partners, and other designers, journalists, and friends. At the shows, many celebrities or influential figures can be noticed as well: singers, actors, influencers, etc.

If you represent a magazine or want to purchase a collection, you need to contact the designer’s manager/PR agency/Press contact in advance and privately arrange for your participation in the show. The Brand’s PR/Press contacts are usually available online and easily reachable. Or you may watch fashion shows on Fashion TV channels – online or on TV.

The fashion show is almost always followed by the after-party – a party at a club, where designers can communicate with clients, partners, and friends in an informal environment. However, not everyone attending the fashion show participates in the after-party. It also requires an additional special invitation for it.

6. Do influencers/fashion show attendees keep the gifted pieces for themselves after the show?

First, let’s talk about seeding - an industry term for product gifting. It’s a strategy that PR uses throughout the year, however during Fashion Week the opportunity increases.

Before the shows, we see a big number of attendees get gifted. It’s not always the top editor on the glossy print magazine masthead, yet (not surprisingly) Instagram numbers carry more weight than job titles. In many cases, gifting to an attendee with a high social following is the most effective way to move the product. During fashion week, additional focus is placed on potential street style exposure as well. PR agents look to editors who get photographed and then editors who have a strong social following. However, bloggers and influencers are a priority. Social sharing is “highly encouraged”.

Getting back to the questions, most pieces are gifted with the hopes of increasing visibility and image, yet when it comes to loan outfits and accessories to wear to the show, they are usually to be returned to the brand the next day.

7. How are the labels on the show schedule chosen?

La Féderation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, a regulating body, oversees Fashion Week in Paris. It consists of three associations: menswear, ready-to-wear, and haute couture, and counts among its 100 or so members some of the biggest fashion firms in the world. Fashion houses on the Official Calendar, a few invited members, and corresponding members are chosen by the Fédération all exhibit during Couture Week.

8. How to avoid conflicts in the schedule? How can a small designer ensure that there aren’t any bigger shows scheduled at the time they arrange their own?

The convoluted issue of too many designers trying to show over too few days (roughly 150 designers over seven days) has long been handled by an industry company known as the Fashion Calendar; the service is run by subscription and produces a weekly schedule of international fashion-related events that buyers and editors look to throughout the year. Overlapping shows might lead to conflicts. The little guy typically loses out when editors and buyers have to decide which show to watch.

9. How does the perceived success of a fashion show correlate to the success of the designer in a given season?

If editors and buyers leave a show feeling exhilarated, it only serves the designer well. Major stories might be written and photo shoots planned. Orders might be increased and the clothes featured in a store’s advertising or window display. This is particularly true for a new name. For established designers, a knockout show might increase media exposure, but it doesn’t necessarily translate into more money.

10. Do designers make any money from the shows themselves or are they just a massive expense?

Designers don’t charge admission for fashion. An average show—generally thought of as a promotional expense—costs about $150,000, though many are produced for less and certainly many for much more.

Major expenses are the venue, which on average costs $30,000; the models (fees start at $2,500, and most shows include about 25 models); invitations (design and printing costs can run to $5,000); hair and makeup artists with a team of assistants (top stylists can get more than $25,000, and each assistant might get $250); and shoes (even at a wholesale price of $275 per pair, shoes can total tens of thousands of dollars for multiple pairs).

Fledgling designers are lucky if they can get sponsorship to help deflect costs. Some break the bank trying to produce shows beyond their means. Paradoxically, the more prestigious a show, the less money the designer may have to shell out: Marc Jacobs is rumored to never pay models, who consider it a badge of honor to walk his runway, whereas more commercial houses say, Kenneth Cole, have to pay up when they don’t have much status to trade on.

11. What is the ROI (Return on Investment)?

The success of Fashion Week shows comes down to the communication strategy also known as the marketing, branding, and visibility of a specific fashion label. Not every brand is present in the fashion month calendar, those that are there are considered the top brands in the industry. Being able to hold a fashion show is a huge recognition by everyone. One important metric that can be taken into consideration to measure the impact and investment return of a fashion show is the MIV (or media impact value) – an algorithm that measures the impact of media placements to derive a number for performance outcomes.

Fact #3. Fashion shows are evolving.

In recent years, some fashion shows are becoming more like theatrical productions, while others are focusing on the presentation of the clothes and some on the immersive experience of the attendees.

Social media and technology play a huge role in fashion shows and it will continue to do so, which leads the line between traditional runway shows and online presentations to continue to blur.

12. How can brands use social media efficiently to promote their shows or their presence at fashion weeks?

In order to use the power of social media, one can focus on extending the life of the show while turning a one-off event into a content machine and amplifying the conversation around the brand. When Alessandro Michele sent models carrying dismembered heads and baby dragons down the FW18 Gucci catwalk, social media lit up. “From 20 to 22 February, mentions of Gucci across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit jumped by more than 121 percent, according to Brandwatch, while mentions of Michele spiked 753 percent,” stated Vogue Business. Or think about Coperni’s latest collection presentation with Bella Hadid. That iconic moment was everywhere for months! Another example could be Botter’s condom hands - which shows even with a limited budget or a little cost, you can put something to the show that will create a buzz around social media.

13. Are there any regulations for the shows?

As with many other events or organizations, there are some legal concerns that could vary from country to country. One of the main things to consider is trademark registration when organizing a fashion show. Registration has its own benefits: it helps to protect the public from confusion and deception by identifying the origin of a particular product and safeguards the goodwill attached to the goods or services of the trademark. Permission for the event venue and music license follow, as well as the visual rights used during the show if applicable. One should also consider other legal aspects such as insurance and contracts with models/other contractors.

14. What alternative ways do small brands have if they can not afford to organize a show that is officially in the Fashion Week schedule?

As a small brand with a limited budget, one can consider renting a space -a garden, a hotel suite, an Airbnb, a specific area inside a museum- and transform it into a collection presentation area with decors and models. Most of the emerging designer shows that I have attended, were in fact like that. During the presentation, one would also have the opportunity to create a shoot set and take photographs for the new collection while models are wearing the most amazing and show-stopping designs for editors and buyers to walk around and see. One could also consider turning it into an interactive/immersive presentation. Talking from experience, neighborhood gardens, parks or local museum locations work pretty well. Throwing a cocktail party at a popular local lounge area that features a few models and inviting lots of friends, buyers, bloggers, influencers, local boutique owners and the press could also be an option. In that case, you will also have some of the location’s regular foot traffic to rely on. Another option would be to work with a showroom that would put emerging designers together to present their collections and even help with contacting the editors/buyers.

15. What alternative ways do fashion enthusiasts have if they can not get an invite to Fashion Week?

You can always find the contact information of the designer brand you are interested in online and reach out to them, asking for an invitation. It’s highly likely that their list is already full of potential buyers, press, influencers, celebrities, etc. However, smaller brands could welcome you easier than the bigger names. Other than that, watching fashion shows online is always an option. If you are one of those who are crazy about this fashion world and experience Fashion Week at any cost, you can always follow the online show schedule, find the locations for the shows, and go there. There are usually huge amounts of people waiting outside a fashion show -especially the ones of big names-, to see the models, spot the celebrities, or just to feel that atmosphere. You might even get lucky - who knows!

by Gamze Üç