Australian fashion's week in the sun
Mercedes Australian Fashion Week founder Simon Lock doesn't much care for clichés.
But like many successful event organisers who have trod before him he recites at least one business mantra that rarely, if ever, sees him wrong: if it ain't broke don't fix it.
With this is mind, those looking for big changes to the structure of MAFW spring/summer 06/07 Sydney installment following the buyout of Lock's company Australian Fashion Innovators by international marketing group IMG last October are likely to walk away disappointed.
Officially staged from April 26 to 30, but with pre and post event celebrations now creeping either side, Lock believes this year's event - being staged in Sydney's Overseas Passenger Terminal in Circular Quay - is shaping up to be the party to end all others.
This is no small claim when last year's event was rumoured to have generated an estimated $60 million in sales and a further $125 million worth of domestic and international media exposure.
While his new role as IMG Asia Pacific managing director suggests it is in his interest to talk up the popularity of the event - in this case at least Lock has mounting evidence to substantiate his theory.
While the official schedule had yet to be released at the time of printing, an interim posting suggested the enthusiasm of Australian designers for the event had done anything but wane. Owing to the fact at least 100 designers were demanding space in the schedule, Lock says he has been forced to spread the event over five days (instead of the usual four) for the second consecutive year.
"From our perspective it's a really exciting thing. We went to a five-day schedule for the first time last year to celebrate our 10th anniversary and we expected to return to normal for this year's show."
Sponsors too have jumped on to the bandwagon, with Mercedes continuing its long-standing naming rights sponsorship, and DHL, Mumm Champagne and Schwarzkopf remaining on board as premium partners. M.A.C has this year been named as the official cosmetics supplier to the event.
The IMG tie-in is also believed to have been behind the attraction of new blood in the form of communications brand Motorola, which has come on board as a premium partner. As part of its strategic alliance with the high profile event, the brand will allow consumers to download footage of the collections directly to their mobile from its website.
Now able to tap into IMG's global resources, Lock says labels at the show - which include big names Akira Isogawa, Alannah Hill, Fashionassassin, Bare by Rebecca Davies, Lisa Ho, Zimmermann and Leona Edmiston - will also be exposed to a greater audience with increased media focus, including a new MAFW-based publication dubbed The Daily, and a new television distribution deal helping up the ante. A unique global online deal should also help boost sales, he claims.
While reluctant to divulge the financial value of the sponsorships nor the cost of the staging of the multi-million dollar event Lock says the budget for the S/S 06/07 event is up at least 20 per cent.
National trade body Austrade, which has had a long involvement in the event, has this year stepped up its involvement to help ensure designers exhibiting at MAFW have the opportunity to show to and meet with international buyers.
Austrade media advisor Adam Blight says it is part of the group's brief to also assist designers with advice on export strategy, marketing and practicalities such as export pricing and logistics.
Blight claims that while it is too early to confirm the exact list of international buyers expected to grace the event, he anticipates at least 60 international delegates from 20 countries will make the journey.
These include Yasmin Sewell from Browns in London and Gio Moretti, Italo Lazzari and Morena Gandini from Italy who will join other representatives from Hong Kong's Harvey Nichols, Lane Crawford and Joyce Boutique, Browns Focus and Antipodium (England) and Brown Thomas from Ireland.
Additional department store and boutique buyers from France, the UK, Italy, Norway, Greece, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Japan, the US and Canada are also expected.
"Because of the large number of sales Australian designers made to our buyers last year, Austrade has maintained its presence. We do have more internationals visiting Australia this year and more Australian designers are seeking assistance from us now. This reflects the international attention that is now given to the Australian industry as well as the importance that designers see in selling their collections overseas," says Blight.
Not to be outdone, Austrade's Kiwi counterparts New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE) will also have a strong presence at this year's event supporting four labels - first-time exhibitors Veronica Keucke and Cybele together with MAFW veterans Zambesi and World.
NZTE communications manager Sandeep Bhim says Australia and MAFW are very important for the internationalisation of the New Zealand fashion industry.
Bhim claims NZTE is keen to support designers and help them make the right connections with buyers and media and also exposing New Zealand creativity and innovation to Australian audiences.
Like Blight, Bhim denies the group's expectations have changed in relation to the change of ownership.
"It is really great that the new owners have continued to support the New Zealand and wider Asian presence at MAFW and we hope this continues. Both Australia and New Zealand need to work closer together to draw the international buyer and media attention to this part of the world."
As one exhibitor keen to attract attention from both domestic and international buyers Olivia Reeve from Olive, who parted with $6000 to show in the new generation show sees her attendance at the event as an investment in her future.
"It is a small price to pay for an amazing opportunity and huge label exposure. Exposure and new accounts go hand in hand in our eyes. We definitely want more people exposed to what we are doing and the showing will definitely afford us this."