IMG defends fashion week conflict

MELBOURNE: Australian Fashion Week (AFW) organiser IMG Fashion has had a tough couple of weeks.
Forced to defend itself against accusations of a hidden agenda owing to its decision to bring forward the Melbourne edition of Australian Fashion Week, the company last week denied rumours its parent company was manoeuvring to purchase retail event Motorola Melbourne Spring Fashion Week (MMSFW).
For the past four years AFW, formerly Mercedes Australian Fashion Week, has staged its autumn/winter collections over a three-day period in Melbourne in late October.
However this year it has brought forward the showing to September 4 to 6, resulting in a clash with MMSFW - which showcases ready-to-wear clothes directly to the public and is being held September 4 to 10 - as well as trade fair Fashion Exposed which runs from September 3 to 5.
The move has been applauded by buyers but has left some designers complaining it had left them too little time to get collections together.
IMG managing director Simon Lock defended the decision to re-schedule the event, arguing it had been made only after consultation with industry and designers.
Lock said the new schedule was better suited to both domestic and international buying cycles.
AFW's old slot was "far too late in the year" as it followed fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris, stretching both overseas and domestic buying budgets.
The new schedule would generate a media buzz around Melbourne fashion, he said, adding AFW had also been re-branded to cater to the trans-seasonal market.
Lock dismissed claims from high ranking unnamed sources that AFW's new schedule would to override MMSFW as part of a hidden agenda to purchase MMSFW and claimed there was "absolutely no foundation" to the rumour.
"There have been no discussions about it and this is the first time I've even heard that comment," he said.
For its part MMSFW organiser Melbourne City Council said it would "closely monitor" the economic impact of the new schedule, which threatened to take MMSFW out of the media spotlight.
Melbourne City Council councillor Fiona Snedden said The City of Melbourne had worked very hard to make MSFW a major event, so understandably it was "a little nervous".
"The new schedule will be a challenge for some exhibitors because they will have to provide product for two seasons within a very short space of time. It will be particularly difficult for smaller emerging designers," Snedden said.
Meanwhile, established Sydney label Alice McCall had decided not to show at Australian Fashion Week, its publicist Keaoni Rowe confirmed.
"It's very short notice for IMG to have given everyone only about eight weeks to prepare," Rowe said.
Lock conceded the short notice was "regrettable but unavoidable", as IMG had been obliged to go through due diligence before the change was announced.
By contrast, Myer business manager womenswear Mark Bingemann described the move as "extremely advantageous" to buyers, while high-profile label Nicola Finetti claimed it saw no setbacks in the clash.
Nicola Finetti would have spring summer collection samples ready to send to MMSFW, while its fresh autumn/winter product would be sent to MAFW, confirmed Nicola Finetti PR and sales manager Magdalena Ivanovska.
Lock said different business models would be differently affected by the change and would need to take strategic decisions accordingly.
"If you're primarily a vertical retailer it would probably be best to focus on the retail event [MMSFW], whereas if your business is mainly wholesale it would be better to put your resources into that [MAFW]," he said.