Do you remember Gucci's Fall 2018 show which grabbed attention due to models walking the ramp with replicas of baby dragons and dismembered heads? The brand certainly pushed the barriers and generated curiosity within the industry.
Each year, London Fashion Week kicks off with a bang, and becomes the talk of the town long before the event even starts. The popular show, eagerly anticipated by the entire sector, went fully online in 2020.
In the fashion world, creating the right buzz is just as important as designing good attire. Well-planned events generate excitement and attract attention globally. These shows are not just a platform for designers to display their collections, but are also an equally engrossing experience for publicity teams as well. Below, we’ve outlined some well-designed promotional tactics that you might want to try out for yourself.
Add a new element
While the big four fashion events sell themselves, the hype around the shows is necessary for the brands to get the right attention. Every promotion must promise something fresh, as it’s always good to give a taste of something new to people.
Since the digital element has ruled this year, Burberry decided to mix clothes with technology during their London Fashion Week show. This inventive collaboration between Burberry and live-streaming platform, Twitch, garnered attention from two different fields – fashion and tech. Additionally, musicians like Erykah Badu, Rosalía and Steve Lacy graced this exclusive extravaganza, adding an extra layer of excitement.
Build the hype
In our online era where we often have to send constant reminders to the audience, preparing a press calendar beforehand is a good idea. Everything from exclusive interviews with designers, to a sneak peek and more, can be revealed over time, leading up to the actual event.
Some designers like Jonathan Simkhai run countdown clocks on social media to ensure constant audience attention. Building up a frenzy can include glimpses of behind-the-scenes presentations to showcasing a trendy piece - like the Rixo Emma pink tiger-stripe dress from Rixo’s Fall Fashion Week show in 2018.
In the fashion industry, these pieces have an everlasting impact and help with brand promotion long after the event. They also influence the purchasing decisions of customers who are seeking the latest trends.
Utilise influencers
Style bloggers and influencers have a significant presence on social media and can successfully promote fashion events or products. With their followers in the millions, influencers can sway audiences and direct their attention towards specific things. Fashion marketing in London is heavily impacted by the influencer culture and
stars like Cara Delevingne, Zoella and Iskra Lawrence are considered to be big UK-based influencers. Being popular, relevant, and having a great sense of style puts them in a favourable position to generate the right curiosity before major fashion events.
While having influencers on-board is a great move, as a brand you must have a strategy in place. This can include everything from Q&A sessions with the designer to helping people understand the collection better or event contests where audiences can interact with the brand and share show information.
Post-event promotion
While the above steps are limited to event promotion before the show kicks off, advertising tactics after the event ensure that everything stays fresh in the mind of the audience. If the exhibit is held online, publicists can give a shout-out to important members on their social media handles. They can also reach out to online magazines, influencers and other guests who can cover the event in their digital lookbooks, accounts and editorials.
Budding designers keen to carve their own identity must have good knowledge of the industry which can be obtained from a Fashion Design degree or Fashion Media and Promotion courses. A good programme, such as the BA (Hons) Fashion (with Foundation) Degree offered by the London College of Contemporary Arts (LCCA) can help you gain your solid first steps in the sector.
The courses offer a holistic understanding of the fashion industry - covering the cultural, economic, environmental aspects, and more, and the Foundation in Art and Design pathway allows students to explore and choose a specialist route for their career. Taught by a highly-trained and experienced faculty, the course will help you become an industry expert. Click on the links above to give your career a brilliant start!
This article was written by Nandita Kaushal.