Could fashion weeks be going out of fashion?

Social media may be changing the game internationally but Pakistani designers feel they have nothing to worry

LAHORE:

Even those aloof from the world of fashion would have heard of the many fashion weeks that have been taking place of late. On the international front, the coveted New York Fashion Week (NYFW) wrapped up on February 10, just in time for the ongoing London Fashion Week (LFW). The Pakistani fashion fraternity itself is bustling with activity, with the year’s first major event, the Pakistan Fashion Design Council Sunsilk Fashion Week, just three weeks away.

Despite all the hype surrounding the events scheduled for this year, international designers, retailers, editors and critics now seem to be rethinking this trend of hosting a plethora of fashion weeks. In fact, many of them are questioning the relevance of such events altogether, seeing as how much of what is showcased on the ramps has already surfaced on the internet beforehand.

Belgian-American fashion giant Diane von Furstenberg has pioneered the new ideology by shunning fashion weeks in exchange for private events, wherein guests can view clothes up-close. Burberry also recently announced that it would be scrapping the usual format of its Spring/Summer collections in September, as well as the Autumn/Winter shows in February. Designer Tom Ford followed suit, shortly after. It seems like the new catch is to ‘see now, buy now,’ ripples of which can be felt across the global fashion scene.



Now that the usual ‘fashion calendar’ might be undergoing major modifications internationally, what does it mean for fashion enthusiasts sitting here in Pakistan? Could it be that fashion weeks have become the latest fashion faux pas?

Of course, the West has always had a slightly different system than ours, with the clothes being displayed at month-long shows running twice every year in Paris, Milan, New York and London. Once the designs hit the ramps, retailers pick the best and take about six months to get them ready for the stores. The problem, however, is that in the meantime, the social media, television and magazines are inundated with pictures of these clothes from every angle possible. By the time the outfits hit the stores, people have already grown bored of them.

Conversely, us Pakistanis do not have to wait very long as designers usually put their collections on sale almost immediately after showcasing them.



On point already

Talking to The Express Tribune, the doyenne of fashion, PFDC Chairperson Sehyr Saigol said, “The difference in our part of the world is that we don’t have to do what the West does as it doesn’t suit us. We don’t have four seasons. We have a long summer and very short winter so we cannot show in July what we will wear in December,” added Saigol. She further explained that designers have to gauge the market as well. “Looking at our market, we can say that one can’t be ready to buy so much in advance!” Considering this, it is evident our local fashion industry is already practicing what the West is trying to achieve. “Our designers take much more risk. We eliminate the retailer because they know the market and what will sell,” added Saigol.

Designer Shehla Chatoor mirrored Saigol’s sentiments, saying that she is usually able to sell whatever she displays on the ramps. “Personally, I have always sold everything I showcase as it is. But if a client wants sleeves or some other minor adjustment, I am happy to oblige, so as long as I agree with the changes aesthetically,” she said. “Fashion is a game of time and our region is on schedule. We are simply doing what suits our region. It’s the global fashion attitudes that are changing.”

This change in attitude has been helmed largely by the social media, as New York Times Fashion Director and chief fashion critic Vanessa Friedman recently pointed out.

Too much of anything is never good, even if it’s the most exquisite of designer outfits. Designer-duo Sana Safinaz agree social media has changed the way fashion is marketed and advise fellow designers to move with caution. “It’s all about ‘see now, buy now’ and if you are willing to embrace that as a designer, then social media works in your favour,” they said in an email interview. “The business works differently for different designers: it’s time to re-strategise without getting overwhelmed.” On this note, they wrote that, “The world of fashion is just a few clicks away and it’s brilliant! We would rather embrace it than be left behind.”

Umair Tabani of Sania Maskatiya, however, remains cautious. “I have mixed feelings regarding this as on one hand, it [social media] helps generate orders. But on the flipside, there is overexposure and clients feel designs are seen and we lose out,” he said.  Chatoor took Umair’s stance a step further, adding that social media requires a strong balance. “The platform should be used to create and build the thirst – not quench it,” she suggested. “Although I agree social media forwards mediocrity and can confuse consumers as there is no way of authenticating a post ... but you can’t put reigns on it.”

Teasers and first-looks

Sharing candid images prior to campaign launches has become a common way of generating a buzz. Sometimes it works great while at other times, the strategy backfires.  “The key is to not give away too much. Behind-the-scene (BTS) pictures should be like trailers that get you to buy the ticket to watch the films,” said Chatoor.

Saigol added that people only see fashion when its designer wants them to see it. “The fashion business is very hush-hush. The media is only given access when the designers want,” she said. “This means designers are ready to sell the concept.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2016.

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