Lookbooks are a great way for retailers and buyers to get a closer look at a designers line. Hosting a fashion show is a start, but the lookbook shows the details of the garments, and allows you to look at the clothes for longer than the 30 seconds that they are on the runway. Here is an inside look from the Vince Camuto Fall 2012 lookbook.
Lookbooks can be very handy, even for your average consumer. We get a closer look to see if we actually want to buy.
Trunk shows are a major part of our industry, particularly for the designers themselves. These shows allows the designers to sit down and talk directly with their consumers to find out what they like and what they don't like. Stores also benefit from the trunk shows because they bring people into their stores but the stores themselves are not in charge of the merchandise presented at these shows.
A "trunk show" is a special sale in which vendors present merchandise directly to store personnel or select customers at a retail location or another unique venue.
Here is an article I found that tells a little more about the benefits of trunk shows.
With all of the technology that we have now, fashion week has changed. Most of the shows are streamed live on the internet. I think that this is so great. There are only so many people who are able to actually attend the shows, so this is a wonderful asset for anyone else who would like to watch. We used to just be able to see pictures but with videos we get to feel like we were actually at the show. Here are a few of my favorite ever shows that were captured on video.
Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2012
The use of the carousel is genius. This is probably my favorite show of all time.
Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2012-2013
Marc Jacobs always puts on a fantastic show. This one did not disappoint.
Chanel Fall/Winter 2012-2013
I adore this show. It's not too over the top, and it's Chanel. How could you not love a Chanel show!?
Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2012-2013
Alexander McQueen was one of my favorite designers, and still is one of my favorite brands.
I love when designers bring their creativity to the show itself rather than just the clothes. I believe that it is a whole package. It gets a little boring when the models are just walking down a white runway. These are all amazing and definitely worth watching the whole video.
Visual merchandising is a huge part of the retail industry. The windows of a store is the first thing the consumer sees. Most people think that the set up of the clothes at the front of the store is the most important. I believe that the windows are. They are the hook. The creativity is what draws consumers into the store. As I was walking in the flat iron district the other day I came across two stores that had amazing windows and would definitely draw me in to come shop.
Madewell
5th Ave between 18th & 19th
I absolutely love the way they used yarns in the backdrop behind the clothes. It goes perfectly with their words of "Layer up in sweaters". They also draw people in by picking the fall colors that everyone is dying to get their hands on right now. I'm also a big fan of the dress forms they use. I don't like the mannequins that places like H&M uses. When they have faces and fake hair it really freaks me out. By using these, consumers can picture themselves wearing the clothes. These windows are very true to Madewell's aesthetic. I think that is very important in this industry.
Kate Spade
5th Ave between 20th & 21st
I love love love the use of the crossword puzzles in the background. Even though the windows are pretty simple I think they stay true to Kate Spade. The crossword puzzles have some fall words on them which is perfect for this time. They are also displaying their best fall clothes in amazing colors. I don't love the mannequins, but they work with the way they displayed them.
