RSFF: What about the Average Joe?

SYDNEY: Organisers of Rosemount Sydney Fashion Festival (RSFF) need to break away from the "fashion fraternity" and make the event more consumer driven, participants have said.

International marketing and events firm IMG, also responsible for staging the trade-only Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, launched RSFF in a bid to showcase designer and retail fashion collections to the public.

However, leading domestic brands have claimed not enough was done to promote the event to consumers with many attendees being trade or media delegates. Swimwear brand Jets by Jessika Allen, which has just secured an exclusive partnership with department store David Jones, was one of the prominent labels to stage a runway show over the five-day schedule.

Managing director Adrian Allen said while the brand secured strong press coverage across television, newspapers and digital channels, not enough was done by organisers to engage the everyday consumer.

"Even though the Jets show was a sell-out, awareness was very much in the fashion fraternity," he said. "I think greater promotion of the actual event prior to the week of activity is key to driving the momentum of the event as well as advanced ticket sales."

Allen said ticketing for the Jets showcase was largely driven through on-the-spot sales at Sydney's Martin Place precinct. He said additional marketing and promotion for the event was vital to providing potential clients with a "greater confidence" to participate.

A spokesperson for IMG confirmed 4,000 tickets had been sold for RSFF through official ticketing partner Ticketek. The spokesperson said organisers were not focused on ticket sales in RSFF's first year but on building community awareness of the event.

Le Black Book founder Kath Purkis, who staged an official satellite event for her online store during RSFF, said more consumers would be drawn to the event through interactive on-site marketing.

"Martin Place is such a landmark within the Sydney CBD with much open space and consumer traffic flow. Visual displays and small viewing platforms around the site where consumers can get a taste for the event would entice them into the venue."

Purkis said large plasma screens featuring fashion show footage and a heavily planned evening presence would also add an extra element to the event.

"Being the first event of its kind, there are always going to be improvements made. If I were to think back to some of the early Fashion Week's in Sydney and how far those events have come, I have no doubt this event will evolve as the years go by."

By Assia Benmedjdoub