MSFW and the business of fashion

The future for fashion businesses lies in products and services with a local personality and a global business plan.
That was the thesis put forward at the Melbourne Spring Fashion Week (MSFW) inaugural business seminar last month.
The forum - titled The Business of Fashion: Act Local, Think Global - included a talk by Melbourne fashion and business consultant Robert Buckingham, who emphasized the growing consumer demand for products and services with a local or "niche" personality that could also transcend national boundaries.
Buckingham - formerly director of the Melbourne Fashion Festival - cited Melbourne store and gallery Someday as an example of this idea.
"Pam - the streetwear label that runs Someday - started the concept internationally and they did it in a "cult" fashion by making connections with likeminded followers all over the world," he said.
Other speakers included Austrade senior export adviser Robert Sutton, who discussed how to position, brand and market fashion businesses for global markets - and Michelle Matthews - Melbourne author of the "deck of cards" city guides, which are now available in cities the world over.
This year's MSFW - which took place from September 5 to 11 - featured a number of inaugural events focussed on the link between fashion and business, including: Melbourne Central: Critics under the Cone, a session at Melbourne Central shopping centre featuring international celebrity stylist to the stars, Phillip Bloch.
Councillor Fiona Snedden, chair of the City of Melbourne's business and marketing committee, which runs MSF, described the event as "providing direct economic benefit to CBD retailers."
"The City of Melbourne does not charge designers or retailers to be part of MMSFW therefore it is much easier for the industry to be involved. Melbourne Spring Fashion Week involves the retailers at a very high level and the economic impact is significant," she said.
An economic impact statement on the commercial gain for Melbourne from MSFW will be released in the coming months.
Last year's statement - the first of its kind - showed an estimated $1.7 million was injected into Melbourne's CBD during MSFW, comprising revenue from retail, food and drink, transport and parking and accommodation.