Exclusivity has always been a defining feature of fashion week. Whether in New York, London, Paris or Milan, it’s an invite-only affair that will chew you up and spit you out if your name’s not on the list. Indeed, that’s all part of the allure, the mystery of the biannual event.
At least, it used to be. This season has seen a sea change in the way designers present their collections. Exclusive is out, inclusive is, well, in.
It all started with Givenchy. At the start of September, the French fashion house announced that it would release 820 tickets for the SS16 show at New York Fashion Week to the general public on a first-come-first-served basis. A further 280 tickets were allocated to students and professionals at local fashion colleges, and 100 seats reserved for residents living around Hudson River Park, where the show was staged.
It was something the brand’s creative director Riccardo Tisci had wanted to do for years. He grew up with the dream to “to be a part of this moment that was the runway” and now, as arguably one of the most influential figures in fashion, he wanted to give that opportunity to those with the same dream. “You know, fashion is amazing and very exclusive. But [I’ve long thought] one day I would love to do a show where anybody — which is the reality — could be a part of it,” he toldWWD.
Young French designer Simon Porte Jacquemus is following suit and offering 40 members of the public the opportunity to attend his upcoming show at Paris Fashion Week, simply by entering their email address into a prize draw on his website. So far he has received over 3,000 entries. It makes sense that the 25-year-old would do such a thing – as an entirely self-taught designer he’s never fitted the mould.
Misha Nonoo, a London-raised designer now based in New York, has gone one step further. She eschewed a show entirely and decided to take to Instagram to present her latest collection because she wanted it to be a more “approachable” experience. The account mishanonoo_show displays her entire SS16 collection in one continuous-looking super-image made up of Instagram’s signature squares (turn your phone sideways). To add a further layer, Nonoo enlisted key influencers like Olivia Palermo, Eva Chen and Lena Dunham to Instagram images of themselves in the full looks from the collection.
Today, Kanye West will present his second collection for Adidas. It is guaranteed to be a media frenzy, but it will be a media frenzy that non-editors can get involved with. The show is being simulcast in cinemas all over the world – UK-dwellers in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Belfast all have the opportunity head to select Odeon cinemas to pick up a free ticket to watch the show in real time. You can say what you like about West’s design talents, or lack thereof, but this is a pioneering move in the fashion show stakes.
The inclusivity will continue at London Fashion Week, which begins on Friday, September 18. The British Fashion Council will, as ever, serve up a comprehensive schedule of livestreams. Hunter Original, the British wellington boots company headed up by Stella McCartney's husband Alasdhair Willis, will launch BeaHeadliner Mobile Sessions, which will see three emerging musicians play sets on their way to the show live on Periscope, meaning livestream viewers needn't put up with the tedium of watching the invitees file into their seats. How thoughtful.Read more at:www.marieprom.co.uk/prom-dresses | www.marieprom.co.uk/formal-dresses