The Strand stands by Oz designers

Cash registers clicked overtime at The Strand's fourth annual An Evening with the Designers, with sales up 34% despite concerns the VIP crowd lacked A-List panache.
For three hours this October 25, Sydney's The Strand Arcade was transformed into a private, three-floored fashion show, complete with catwalk models, champagne, Frangelico and designers on hand to meet the people.
According to John Klein, group marketing manager of Ipoh, owners of The Strand Arcade, sales for the night were up 34% on last year's event "and a long way up from your average Thursday night".
Klein attributed the jump in part to a sponsorship deal with thesydneymagazine, which added 300 readers to the guest-list, and to using email to invite guests and request RSVPs.
The event's guest-list was pulled from each store's "VIP" list, as well the Strand's VIP list. While some in the crowd thought mingling shoppers lacked "A-list" glamour, Klein defended the line-up.
"It's not really our prime objective to get the A-List," said Klein. "We don't want to outshine the designers - it's really their night - and it's also really about our VIP shoppers, the people who are loyal to The Strand.
"Obviously it's an event that generates sales, but it's also an opportunity for our VIP customers to be pampered, to feel special, and for us to thank them for their patronage and loyalty."
Designers in-store at the evening included Lisa Ho, Joe Farage, Leona Edminston and the team from Zimmerman. While all embraced the sales opportunities of the night, the overwhelming feel was that it was a positive step for both the industry and its consumers.
"Above all things, this is about branding and giving back to the customer," said Farage. "It's a great environment for creating excitement - other events are more removed, whereas this is a personal way of getting a hook, of meeting your customers.
"I think it's a great idea to have this once a season, where we can invite our best customers," Edminston said. "It's a very competitive market out there, and we all need to do everything we can."