Aesthetics + Economics

Great White (Coats) - FW 06/07

LEFT: Rodarte

RIGHT: Gucci

photos: style.com

Here a Fashion Week, There a Fashion Week

For many of us, "Fashion Week" refers to a week of excitement in New York, London, Milan, or Paris. For four consecutive weeks, fashion addicts and industry types watch as the shows of the world's best-known designers unfold, either seated before the runway (the lucky ones) or remotely, before a computer screen (god bless the internet).

However, there has been a major proliferation in fashion weeks around the world in recent years. You might have noticed style.com's coverage of Russian Fashion Week this year or heard about LA Fashion Week thanks in part to the celebrities in attendance. Blurbs about fashion weeks in Brazil, India, and Australia have appeared in a number of American fashion magazines. Sao Paulo, Toronto, Vancouver, Hong Kong, Madrid, Melbourne, Sydney, South Africa, South Korea, Montreal, Miami, Ireland, Denmark, and Finland, among other countries and localities, now all host fashion weeks, and many of these launched within the past five years. Experiencing St Barth's first fashion week has given me an opportunity to reflect on this proliferation in an economic context.

First of all, fashion weeks make economic sense. They are basically win-win situations for all involved. (Well, assuming they are successful. They are in some ways comparable to general publicity-garnering events and require a certain amount of marketing and hype to get off the ground.) The designers get greater visibility and increased brand recognition as the media picks up on their work. Holders of media credientials get invites and something to write about. The locality sees an immediate, and if the event is successful in marketing the area to tourists, a potentially lasting boost in tourism. Trade in the area's fashion/apparel sector gets a lift as buyers are connected with designers and orders are made. Additionally, launching a fashion week is a good way for a country or locality to build cultural capital over time (think Sao Paulo, Toronto or India; one small-scale fashion week in St Barths is not going to siginificantly improve upon its already high profile). Finally, in addition to all the direct economic effects of fashion weeks, just think of all the indirect effects generated by the event as attendees and employees of participating entities stay in area hotels, dine in area restaurants, and so on.

Another important thing to note is that this proliferation of fashion weeks around the world coincides with the rise of the creative economy. But more on this later. I'm going to be a geek now and check out a few economic impact studies of fashion weeks.   

Abaete in St Barths

Busy Busy Busy

Hello,

Just a note to let any return readers know that I'm sorry for posting so infrequently as of late! I am currently in St Barths for the first ever St Barths fashion week however, so expect lots of posting in the near future. I'm attending the Abaete show tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Ankle Boots - FW 06/07

Black Prada pump : Fall 2005 : Black ankle boot : Fall 2006?

Simple black ankle boots featured prominently in the Fall 2006 shows.

Wondering how to wear them?

They complement a short hemline very well. Try pairing them with a short dress, with or without leggings underneath. Or try a coat with a hem well above the knee.

If dresses are not your thing, you might try pairing them with dressy shorts that hit at the knee, or a slinky knee length dress.

Finally, they go perfectly well with the skinny jeans we already have.

Derek Lam, Thakoon

Zac Posen, Thakoon

Thakoon, Jill Stuart

Chaiken, designer Behnaz Sarafpour

As you may already know if you have read some of my earlier posts, I have a penchant for perfect basics (economic rationale: high level of utility per purchase). My pick for Fall 2006 ankle boots? The Christian Louboutin Lastic boot seen on the runway at Derek Lam.