This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/07/fashion/paris-fashion-week-mercedes-benz.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Almost Every Week Is Fashion Week Somewhere in the World Almost Every Week Is Fashion Week Somewhere in the World
(about 17 hours later)
You can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Paris Fashion Week is almost at an end. After four weeks (that’s including New York, London and Milan) and hundreds of shows, the women’s ready-to-wear collection carousel is finally over.You can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Paris Fashion Week is almost at an end. After four weeks (that’s including New York, London and Milan) and hundreds of shows, the women’s ready-to-wear collection carousel is finally over.
Hah. Dream on.Hah. Dream on.
As soon as Paris’s fashion week ends, Moscow’s begins. Then there’s Tokyo. Shanghai. Australia. From Turkey to Brazil, South Africa to Guatemala, it seems like every country now has at least one fashion week — or two, like Kazakhstan, or three, like Indonesia. As soon as Paris’s fashion week ends, Moscow’s begins. Then there’s Tokyo. Shanghai. Australia. From Turkey to Brazil, South Africa to Guatemala, it seems as if every country now has at least one fashion week — or two, like Kazakhstan, or three, like Indonesia.
Ironically, just as the big four (New York, London, Milan and Paris) have started to question their own structure and the validity of the system, it continues to be adopted in spots around the world. Theoretically, you could now spend practically the entire year going from fashion week to fashion week without ever having to land back at home.Ironically, just as the big four (New York, London, Milan and Paris) have started to question their own structure and the validity of the system, it continues to be adopted in spots around the world. Theoretically, you could now spend practically the entire year going from fashion week to fashion week without ever having to land back at home.
Mercedes-Benz, a sponsor that played a major role in the proliferation of the events, says it is involved in more than 50 fashion weeks and related platforms for fashion around the world.Mercedes-Benz, a sponsor that played a major role in the proliferation of the events, says it is involved in more than 50 fashion weeks and related platforms for fashion around the world.
Not that anyone expects everyone to go to everything (breathe a sigh of relief). Rather, with widely varying levels of success, these smaller weeks represent attempts by peripheral countries to participate in the design process of fashion instead of simply occupying their traditional roles as textile producers, assemblers or consumers — as well as engage in some national marketing. The shows become steppingstones into the global conversation.Not that anyone expects everyone to go to everything (breathe a sigh of relief). Rather, with widely varying levels of success, these smaller weeks represent attempts by peripheral countries to participate in the design process of fashion instead of simply occupying their traditional roles as textile producers, assemblers or consumers — as well as engage in some national marketing. The shows become steppingstones into the global conversation.
Valerie Steele, director and chief curator at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, who curated the exhibition “Global Fashion Capitals,” in 2015, said: “It’s globalization. These events help to build the brand of a place. People can realize, oh, Mexico City, for example, is a young vibrant place, with an active creative community.”Valerie Steele, director and chief curator at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, who curated the exhibition “Global Fashion Capitals,” in 2015, said: “It’s globalization. These events help to build the brand of a place. People can realize, oh, Mexico City, for example, is a young vibrant place, with an active creative community.”
For the countries themselves, the weeks are often part of an attempt to climb the slippery ladder into rich, developed-country status. If in the 20th century developing countries often thought the key to catching up with global economic leaders was industrialization and heavy industry, today the buzzword is “branding”: building a country’s image in an effort to attract the producers of luxury or high-profit goods. In many cases, governments provide direct or indirect backing for the fashion weeks, which are a lot less expensive than building a steel mill or power plant.For the countries themselves, the weeks are often part of an attempt to climb the slippery ladder into rich, developed-country status. If in the 20th century developing countries often thought the key to catching up with global economic leaders was industrialization and heavy industry, today the buzzword is “branding”: building a country’s image in an effort to attract the producers of luxury or high-profit goods. In many cases, governments provide direct or indirect backing for the fashion weeks, which are a lot less expensive than building a steel mill or power plant.
“Fashion as an industry has low barriers to entry, as it requires relatively little capital and investment,” said Luca Solca, head of global luxury goods at Exane BNP Paribas. “My sense is that setting up a fashion week is an attempt to put a foot in the door in the sector. If successful, it creates not just employment, but an image benefit. Now, I can hardly think of country which does not have a fashion week.”“Fashion as an industry has low barriers to entry, as it requires relatively little capital and investment,” said Luca Solca, head of global luxury goods at Exane BNP Paribas. “My sense is that setting up a fashion week is an attempt to put a foot in the door in the sector. If successful, it creates not just employment, but an image benefit. Now, I can hardly think of country which does not have a fashion week.”
Growing up in a small town in Kazakhstan, for example, Abzal Issa Bekov never thought he would participate in a fashion week in his own country. Like most of the rest of the world, he always associated runways with capitals in Western Europe, or New York.Growing up in a small town in Kazakhstan, for example, Abzal Issa Bekov never thought he would participate in a fashion week in his own country. Like most of the rest of the world, he always associated runways with capitals in Western Europe, or New York.
But last year, after showing his acclaimed first collection in London, he received an invitation to be part of at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Almaty, and before long was showing his fetish-inspired men’s wear alongside a host of more traditional dresses and Central Asian motifs presented by designers based in the region. Just as in Paris or Milan, small groups of well-dressed elites peacocked for street-style photographers outside the venue. Journalists from the United States, France and Italy were there, hobnobbing alongside other press from the Russian-speaking world.But last year, after showing his acclaimed first collection in London, he received an invitation to be part of at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Almaty, and before long was showing his fetish-inspired men’s wear alongside a host of more traditional dresses and Central Asian motifs presented by designers based in the region. Just as in Paris or Milan, small groups of well-dressed elites peacocked for street-style photographers outside the venue. Journalists from the United States, France and Italy were there, hobnobbing alongside other press from the Russian-speaking world.
“There were some slip-ups with the organization in Almaty,” said Mr. Bekov, now a ready-to-wear designer for Céline in Paris. “But that’s how creative growth happens. Our region was able to put its designs on display, international visitors and foreign press got to meet locals, and a wide cultural exchange took place. I think that’s an achievement of sorts for a post-Soviet country like ours.”“There were some slip-ups with the organization in Almaty,” said Mr. Bekov, now a ready-to-wear designer for Céline in Paris. “But that’s how creative growth happens. Our region was able to put its designs on display, international visitors and foreign press got to meet locals, and a wide cultural exchange took place. I think that’s an achievement of sorts for a post-Soviet country like ours.”
Still, according to Ms. Steele: “These events vary really widely in terms of effectiveness. It takes a lot to move from being a small-scale project, almost a vanity project, into something that leads to success, and I think it depends a lot on how much the relevant country can get local consumers to engage with local designs.”Still, according to Ms. Steele: “These events vary really widely in terms of effectiveness. It takes a lot to move from being a small-scale project, almost a vanity project, into something that leads to success, and I think it depends a lot on how much the relevant country can get local consumers to engage with local designs.”
She called Shanghai (April 7 to 13), Kiev Fashion Days (February), and Berlin (June 25 to July 1) some of the most successful examples, though the imperative is sinking in more broadly. Over the past few years, Mercedes-Benz has sponsored a twice-yearly fashion week just in front of the Kremlin in Moscow, where ladies in white fur have mingled with young hipsters in black sportswear. As relations with the West have soured and sanctions raised the price of imports, some of the local designers, otherwise troubled by the political situation, said they detected a silver lining as patriotism generated local consumer interest in their wares.She called Shanghai (April 7 to 13), Kiev Fashion Days (February), and Berlin (June 25 to July 1) some of the most successful examples, though the imperative is sinking in more broadly. Over the past few years, Mercedes-Benz has sponsored a twice-yearly fashion week just in front of the Kremlin in Moscow, where ladies in white fur have mingled with young hipsters in black sportswear. As relations with the West have soured and sanctions raised the price of imports, some of the local designers, otherwise troubled by the political situation, said they detected a silver lining as patriotism generated local consumer interest in their wares.
In St. Petersburg, high-end designers were recently given a substantial push by the local government, which has put on exhibitions, offered subsidies to manufacturers and extended low-interest loans to small fashion businesses.In St. Petersburg, high-end designers were recently given a substantial push by the local government, which has put on exhibitions, offered subsidies to manufacturers and extended low-interest loans to small fashion businesses.
And in Brazil, the government even changed its laws in 2008 to recognize fashion as an expression of cultural identity and to allow it to be part of government cultural projects, said Paulo Borges, who in 1996 founded what is now called São Paulo Fashion Week.And in Brazil, the government even changed its laws in 2008 to recognize fashion as an expression of cultural identity and to allow it to be part of government cultural projects, said Paulo Borges, who in 1996 founded what is now called São Paulo Fashion Week.
“S.P.F.W. was created to develop the culture of fashion in the country, and we see fashion as a path to social and economic development,” Mr. Borges said. “I don’t think we’ll get to a place where we’re effectively ‘competing’ with every other part of the globe. But I do think we can participate actively in the creation of our own national style.”“S.P.F.W. was created to develop the culture of fashion in the country, and we see fashion as a path to social and economic development,” Mr. Borges said. “I don’t think we’ll get to a place where we’re effectively ‘competing’ with every other part of the globe. But I do think we can participate actively in the creation of our own national style.”