NATIONAL: London-headquartered consumer and trade show firm Single Market Events has continued its assault on the Australian market.
The company confirmed it would extend its annual shopping fair Fashion Weekend, which launched into Sydney over May 2008, to Victoria and Brisbane later this year.
The inaugural instalment included designer stalls from Alex Perry, Fleur Wood, sass & bide, Kate Hurst, Leona Edmiston and Marnie Skillings along with a series of 450-seater catwalk shows and live demonstrations. First introduced in London in 1998, the event had grown from 60 designers and 5000 visitors to 150 designers and 18,000 visitors in 2009.
Event organiser Jo Duncan said the Australian response was even more impressive with 10,000 visitors recorded in 2008 up to 15,000 expected for the next Sydney Fashion Weekend in May 2009. Designer brands Fleur Wood, Camilla, Nicola Finetti and Natasha had already confirmed their attendance for the event, which would run from May 14 to 17 at Moore Park's Royal Hall of Industries.
"The number of designers this year has increased from 70 in 2008 to just over 100," Duncan said. "It gives designers the chance to clear excess stock in a controlled and boutique-style way, in keeping with the ethos of a designer brand rather than the usual warehouse sample sale."
Growing interstate demand meant it would now also run in Melbourne from October 1 to 4 at the Royal Exhibition Building Carlton and Brisbane's RNA Showgrounds from October 16 to 18. Participating designers would be charged $55 per square metre of space booked, plus a commission on sales generated over the exhibition period.
Duncan said a strategic marketing partnership with ACP magazines Shop Til You Drop, Madison, Harper's Bazaar and Cleo meant the event's profile had grown significantly since its launch.
"It also means designers who show at the fair are part of a marketing campaign valued at over $500,000."
Single Market Events also headed up London Fashion Week, National Small Business Week and a range of corporate and lifestyle events showcases.