Fashion Week

These days, with the ever-dynamic fashion industry spreading its grasp globally, there are many fashion designers that are being encouraged to come up and showcase their work among the audiences, thanks to the tremendous scope this sector has presented. However, not all aspirants in this industry are capable of hosting fashion shows to attract the attention of the media and big fashion houses. It is for such kind of people that virtual fashion shows have evolved as a concept.

With the evolution of technology, the internet has touched our lives in more ways than one. Slowly entering into every sphere of our lives, it has shown us how simple things can be with a little smartness in everything. There have been many great and innovative ideas that have revolutionised industries at the click of a button, and quite literally at that!

With virtual fashion shows too, the internet has proven once again how it is an indispensable part of our lives. Just imagine, a fashion designer can showcase his/her entire collection by just uploading pictures of his/her creations on websites giving this provision, and can send the link to all the people he/she knows in the fashion industry to comment as well as spread it further to their connections. Think of it as a pseudo-social network of the fashion industry.

By hosting such virtual fashion shows, not only can one save a lot on the risky monetary investment part of organising a real fashion show, but can also improve its reach exponentially, since the internet is everywhere. Further, while a real fashion show might just run for a day or two, a virtual one will be available on the internet forever. So all you aspiring fashion designers now have a very cost effective, or let’s make that ZERO cost, means to showcase your talent and get instant recognition.

Who doesn’t love a fashion show? Whether we’re watching the catwalk divas from our favourite glossies (with all of their surefooted grace!) or whether it’s an impromptu fashion show at the local shopping centre, we’ll all take a sneak peek. Wherever a fashion show sets up shop, you can be sure that expectant and appreciative crowds will follow. It’s a glamour thing I guess.

The whole point of a fashion show is to showcase something new. Whether it’s a brand new collection, a new spin on an old favourite or an exciting birth of a whole new style, let’s face it, fashion shows bring with them an air of expectancy and excitement. The more famous the designer, the more excitement you can expect.

In all likelihood most of us are never going to attend a live fashion show unless we really put our minds to it, but with the arrival of the Internet and its rapidly advancing technology, every single one of us can watch a fashion show, 24/7.

There was once a time that streaming video over the Internet would not only bring your own computer to its knees, but you would probably tie up your whole neighbourhood’s Internet connection as well.

Not anymore! Streaming video on the Internet is now the norm rather than the exception.

Today, there are some switched on catalogue sites that actually host their own very professional fashion shows and make them available on their own sites. Despite being catalogue retailers, their fashion shows are very professional and informative, giving us an insight as to their commitment to the world of fashion and to the Internet.

The beauty of these fashion shows is the fact that the clothes and accessories are all very attainable and available for purchase and delivery to your own door with the click of a mouse, and the best part is that you don’t have to leave the comfort of your own armchair. And unlike the ultra chic catwalk fashion shows, you don’t need ultra deep pockets to pay for them.

What does this mean for you and me? In short you don’t need to be in the right place at the right time or have high powered society connections to watch some great fashion shows. You just need a regular broadband connection and a comfy chair. Sit down, switch on and enjoy.

Which celebrity does not have their own fashion line? The list seems to be getting shorter as more and more stars announce their new lines and fragrances to be sold at already well established and accessible stores around the globe. The next time Sarah Jessica Parker is seen on the red carpet she may be wearing the likes of Marc Jacobs, but her new fashion line Bitten is not aimed for this Prada toting crowd. The new trend among celebrities is reaching out to the masses by providing them with trendy and affordable duds on the high street and in shopping malls everywhere. But what does the future hold for the real designers out there?

The recent deaths and retirements of a few major leaders in fashion have piqued the interest of fashionistas everywhere that are wondering who, when, and even if, they can be replaced. Some of these designers and their associated brands such as Versace and Calvin Klein have lived on in the hands of designers happy to take on and continue the legacy. In other instances the designer brand is bought out by bigger corporations looking to cash in on the already established client base. These big name designers who are so often worn at movie premiers and award shows might continue to reign but the question lies in whether or not the public and the celebrity elite will see any new big names and faces associated with fashion, as we have seen in the past.

David A. Wolf, a fashion trend forecaster and creative director of the Doneger Group believes that the era of massive empires built upon a single name or face are probably over. “The people who have empires and giant names, happened to begin their careers with the maximum window of opportunity for that kind of enterprise,” said Mr. Wolfe. “That doesn’t seem to exist anymore. I just can’t imagine who would be a new Donna Karan.”

The task for new young designers on the scene has been made doubly difficult by the number of celebrities who already have face and name recognition coming out with their own designer fashion lines. These celebs have used the already existing economic infrastructure of big names like Topshop and Tesco to market and sell their designs, or in many cases someone else’s design that they have attached their name and face to. This strategy is what can give many new designers a ray of hope, using mega stores and recognisable brands to get their designs out there to be seen, purchased and worn.

The time may soon come when young budding designer’s dreams are not their first catwalk show during London’s Fashion Week, but a job with a big name high street store like Marks and Spencer, Debenhams or Kate Moss’s choice of Topshop. The benefits of designing for big stores has even been highlighted on shows such as Project Catwalk, a reality show where young designers compete to win a job working as one of the designers at Debenhams.

This new building ground for designers just starting to get their feet wet has potential to benefit all parties involved. The designers receive more capital via sponsorship from an array of initiatives from big names stores with deep pockets looking to capitalise on fresh new looks and the public can happily drape themselves in the newest trends for prices that will not break the bank.

The first fashion week was held in New York in 1943, with the main purpose to distract from the French fashion during World War II. Workers in the fashion industry during this time were unable to travel so many designers in the United States decided to host their own show in the U.S. Fashion week was then born, Eleanor Lambert organized the first fashion week and it was call “Press Week”. Press Week can thank Vogue magazine for making the week a great success. During this week Vogue began to feature more American more than the usual French work that they usually showed. As Vogue did this they cause a great fashion wave all over the United State, people realized that they could find great fashions in the United States sooner than if they had to wait for the fashions to come to the United States.

Until 1994 different designer shows were held at different locations, but a set accident at a Michael Kors show made the fashion week counsel change the location of fashion week and it was moved to Bryan Park. Fashion week remained at Bryant Park until 2010 when it was then relocated to Lincoln Center.

Eleanor Lambert was not the first to hold a fashion show in America, in 1903 in New York City a shop call Ehrich Brothers was thought to have put on the country’s very first fashion show to get middle class women to shop at their store. By 1910 many department stores were following this trend to draw in more customers. Stores got the ideas for fashion shows based on fashion parades in Paris. These shows were a great way to promote stores and to get designers names out into the world for them to become who they are today.

By the 1920s fashion parades and shows were happening all over the country by retailers, large department stores and small mom and pop shops were jumping at the chance to hold a show. Many shows were held in the stores restaurant during brunch or tea time, when women were most likely to be at the stores having a snack after a long morning of shopping. The theme of the shows were singular and were very dramatic and theatrical than those of the shows done today. Each show was presented with a narrative commentary that told the audience what they were looking at, what material is was made out of and they tried to sell the looks the best they could to the women of the middle and upper classes. As the fashion parades became more popular they started to bring in more and more crowds of people, starting in the 1950s any place that was indoors needs to obtain a permit to have live models for the show because of all the people that would come to the shows.

There is nothing better then being charmed and dazzled by the glamorous collections of Indian designers. Their collections vivid with colour as well as rich with Indian culture, which is particularly exciting and intriguing for us westerners. That is why it is so exhilarating when there is a fashion show that focuses just on Indian designer clothing. Last week we had the infamous Lakme Fashion Week, a mixture of Bollywood beauties and scintillating styles with innovative silhouettes and colours that left us reeling. With one fashion show finishing we can’t wait for the start of the next Indian Fashion Show, Wills Fashion Week, held in Delhi and starting on 26th March. The show promises splendor with couture designers arriving from all over India.

One particular designer we can’t wait to see at Wills Fashion Week is Raakesh Agarvwal. This designer is based in Delhi and known for his stunning red carpet Indian designer dresses. He was sorely missed at Lakme Fashion Week, however we can’t wait for him to make a strong comeback this week with a collection that will blow us away!

Raakesh Agarvwal mentioned that his upcoming show will focus on his styles when he first launched his label. For his first Indian designer dresses, Raakesh focused on party-wear and gowns, he then moved towards Bridal-wear for both women and men. The designer stated that he enjoys creating Bridal outfits because of the vast variety of options available for these particular items. His style consists of incorporating western contemporary looks with traditional Indian clothing. His dramatic Indian designer dresses for eveningwear have been predominantly gowns, corsets and stitched saris with vivid colours and delicate embroidery.

He gave us a brief hint as to his new Autumn/ Winter Collection at Wills Fashion Week where he will be using metallic gold, one of his favourite shades and a consistent part of his brand.

Raakesh is well known for his Indian designer dresses however he has also been expanding his jewellery line, which promises to be innovative and intriguing, the theme of the jewellery line being futuristic fashion. Raakesh stated that his jewellery is a break away from traditional Indian jewellery.