SYDNEY: Valerie Tolosa has taken the extraordinary step of selling tickets to her Rosemount Australian Fashion Week (RAFW) show for $180.
The Sydney-based designer issued an invitation to "VIP" customers in a promotional email today, inviting them to her individual runway show on May 4.
Tolosa told customers that each purchased ticket entitles them entry to her official show and after party, a discount on collection pieces, as well as drinks, canapes and a goodie bag.
RAFW is being staged by events management company IMG Fashion and is Australian fashion's largest trade event.
When asked if designers were allowed to sell tickets to events on the official RAFW schedule, IMG Fashion's regional marketing and communications director Graeme Lewsey was to the point.
“No,” Lewsey said.
“Designers who stage individual shows have an allocation of tickets for their own guests, whoever they may be. These are limited and are not sold as the demand from a designer’s wider production/manufacturing team and VIP customer base often outweighs this allocation.
“Some designers use it to leverage their own individual sponsors that don’t conflict with RAFW generic sponsors,” he said.
He added the general public could attend official RAFW events only if invited by a designer as a “guest” to their show. The guest would also need an official invitation, he said.