ANZFW shows off
When it comes to getting international buyers to open their wallets, the organisers behind New Zealand's biggest annual apparel fair pull out all the stops.
For the chosen few - many of whom have made Air New Zealand Fashion Week (ANZFW) an annual pilgrimage since its inception six years ago - a generous hosting package, the use of a personalised 'minder', a bountiful allocation of sponsor product and enduring 'VIP' status are all par for the course.
As the Kiwi nation's closest neighbour - and thereby the largest importer of New Zealand fashions - Australia accounts for an impressive $221.7 million or 71 per cent of the country's annual export earnings, leaving Aussie buyers clearly at the top of the pecking order when it comes to securing accounts. This is clearly evidenced by the fact designers demanded the event, traditionally held in October, be brought forward to September to capitalise on buying cycles in key markets of which Australia was named as the highest priority.
But with recent media reports questioning the long-term viability of the privately-run event - which reportedly has a turnover of $A2.7 million but for the past two seasons has only just broke even - the question needs to be asked, does the preferential treatment shown to international guests translate into actual dollars?
On paper, at least, this year's event - staged in Auckland's Viaduct Harbour - saw a slight increase in the number of Australians making the trek across the Tasman. This despite the fact overall delegates numbers dropped by around 100 with Australian trade fair Fashion Exposed and Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in Melbourne just two weeks before the September 18 to 22 event as well as London Fashion Week (LFW) - staged during the same period - competing for the same audience.
While both David Jones and Myer stock New Zealand labels - including ANZFW 2006 participants Trelise Cooper, Kate Sylvester and Karen Walker - the clash with LFW meant only David Jones made the effort to attend ANZFW this year.
A fact that does not appear to have escaped the notice of the event's managing director - and founder - Pieter Stewart.
"David Jones has attended regularly and came this year for the intended amount of time on its way overseas. However, Myer has never been. [Representatives] registered last year - the only time - but then pulled out at the last minute due to internal business reasons."
Despite the absence of the Aussie big-hitters, early indications suggest that of the boutique buyers who did attend - including Francesca Bayley from Spoleto (NSW), Andrea Horvatt and Jake Weir from Side Street (QLD) and Nanette Carnachan of Mid 70's Concept Boutiques (WA) - most left with more baggage than with which they had arrived.
While many orders were still being processed or followed up at the time of press, all designers spoken to by Ragtrader reported strong interest in their labels from the Aussie contingent.
Auckland designer Cybèle designer Cybèle Wiren, who also showed at Fashion Week in Sydney earlier this year - says while it is still early days she is confident of increasing her Australian presence for the forthcoming season.
Cybèle, who currently has four Australian stockists, says the market here accounted for 16 per cent of the label's turnover for sping/summer 2007.
"We anticipate this will become a higher percentage for the forthcoming season. It is still early days with orders coming in steadily since ANZFW and the collection still selling in Australia. White Trash Charms from Los Angeles ordered on the day and we have Showing at ANZFW for the second time, Wellington-based designer Deborah Sweeney says ANZFW provided great exposure for her five-year-old self-titled label.
Already boasting 14 stockists in New Zealand and a further 28 across Australia, Sweeney says the larger country now accounts for around 40 per cent of her total turnover, a figure she hopes to increase.
"We are not really looking for new accounts in New Zealand and we are really happy with the presence we have here already - we need to be careful where the label is stocked and that it does not become over-exposed. [At the event] I saw Side Street from the Gold Coast and Subway DC from Perth who came to ANZFW for the first time. I have yet to see the balance of my Australian stores and will be catching up with them in Australia later this month."
Auckland-based streetwear label Federation also had a good showing with label owners Jenny and Nick Clegg processing reporting strong interest from Australian buyers, on top of a major order from Singapore after a VIP buyer approached them backstage immediately after their show.
While disappointed many delegates hadn't received their vital seating allocation by the time her show started - due to a "technical hitch" - Wellington-based label Andrea Moore says like many of the designers who staged shows at ANZFW, her sales process started well before fashion week.
"That said our agents did direct potential new customers to the fashion week show. We expect growth in Australia this season but not all orders are in yet."
More store owner Maria Short confessed she too felt a little "lost" after not being able to plan her week because of the glitch but admits that did little to deter her from renewing existing orders.
Admitting she had struggled to find a "new darling" at this year's event, Shorts says she had - or planned to - Already stocking a host of New Zealand-based labels including Trelise Cooper, RJC and Saga, Short says she plans to Again proving its willingness to take a punt, Blondies owners Joanne and Terry Griffin The boutique chain has also scheduled a viewing with Verge Breakthrough designer Lisa Payne, of Firefly, with plans to include the Dunedin-based label in its range for winter/autumn 2007.
While no Australian-based labels opted to make an appearance on the catwalk at ANZFW 2006, several - including distributors International Fashion Group (IFG), jewellery label Mingk and womenswear label Fanny Lam - paid to have a stand at the event. And it seems for most, the gamble paid off.
IFG public relations manager Isobel Klempka, whose company took its labels including True Religion Jeans, 7 For All Mankind and C&C California, says it took a stand at ANZFW to increase brand awareness.
Boasting around five New Zealand stockists prior to attending ANZFW, Klempka says the brand secured around 12 new accounts, totaling more than $A100,000 while also adding New Zealand-based agent Rodelle de Vries to its payroll.
"ANZFW was a great success, we secured around 12 new accounts, managed to develop existing accounts and gained around 30 contacts which could potentially lead to new business. Before we went to ANZFW the New Zealand market contributed to around two per cent of our turnover. We have been able to double this."
Basile Moschidis, owner of Sydney-based jewellery label Mingk says while he was a "little disappointed" by the number of New Zealand buyers that came through the exhibition area, he was surprised by the number of new accounts and reorders from existing accounts the brand received from Australian visitors.
Queensland-based exhibitor Fanny Lam had a somewhat different experience.
Lam claims most stands were there just to "fill up the hall" rather than to tempt both domestic and international buyers.
Most people went to ANZFW mostly to see the new collections of their existing designers rather than to discover new designers, she claims.
Disappointed with the number of buyers seen making their way through the exhibition area, Lam says the event could be improved by combining the ANZFW trade fair with the bi-annual New Zealand trade fair The Fashion Source.
Clearly Tony Hope, from Morrinsville-based label Annah Stretton, disagrees and claims designers and exhibitors themselves need to take more responsibility for their success at the event.
"The organisation and systems in place are excellent. I believe designers now have to take a more active role in using the event to make sales. I do think we have remained very passive and expect ANZFW to bring everything to us when we should see the event as an opportunity to expand our own contacts and sales."
Auckland streetwear label Huffer and Wellington-based directional womenswear designer Deborah Sweeney received extra kudos after taking out the Air New Zealand Fashion Export Awards. Announced during the official ANZFW opening party attended by Prime Minister Helen Clark, the $A50,000-plus awards will allow both designs to travel overseas to expand into new markets. Huffer, which began exporting in 1999 and has more than 20 stockists across Australia, received the lion's share of the award, scoring $A28,000 worth of international travel and $A2200 worth of international and domestic freight, which it plans to use to help it boost its Australian presence. Meanwhile Sweeney, which holds around 30 Australian accounts, received $A14,200, made up of international travel, accommodation costs and $A1100 worth of free freight.
AUT student Sherie Muys was awarded the Deutz Fashion Ambassador Award while four fashion graduates also shared the spotlight, each securing a week's worth of work experience with Karen Walker after being named finalists in the Air New Zealand Inspiring New Zealanders in Fashion scholarship.