L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (LMFF) chief executive Graeme Lewsey has described changes to the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia (MBFWA) schedule as a "disappointment" for the industry.
As reported on ragtrader.com.au this morning, the trade event will be shifted to the final week of March following ongoing consultations between organiser IMG Fashion and local designers.
IMG Fashion said the move would better allow designers to make deliveries which coincided with the international fashion calendar.
A recent survey revealed over 70 per cent of delegates would prefer the event to take place towards the end of March.
However, Lewsey said the change would divide the industry and force designers, buyers and media to choose between consumer and trade outcomes.
LMFF has occupied the March time slot for the last 16 years, he told ragtrader.com.au.
"While we are a consumer festival, we also have substantial business-to-business outcomes through showrooms and designers like Alex Perry, who has shown his [new season] collections for two years running.
"The simple fact is that both events also have a lot of shared sponsors and delegates, and the demand involved in stretching time and resources over that one month is not constructive.
"Many of the magazines that attend Fashion Week also put on a show as part of LMFF, as do the designers, because it's ultimately about reaching your customers.
"It's a huge disappointment to think our incredibly vibrant industry is going to be divided."
Lewsey said the move would also see broader clashes between the cities of Sydney and Melbourne.
While Destination NSW and the NSW Government have thrown greater support behind MBFWA this year, the Victorian Government has also created a calendar of events around March including LMFF and the Grand Prix, as well as food, wine and comedy festivals.
"LMFF is a not-for-profit venture aimed at stimulating retail sales for the industry," Lewsey said. "We have a lot of robust and supportive partners and we'll work through this to meet the best needs of the industry."