The L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival (LMFF) unveiled its latest campaign last night, along with a raft of fresh initiatives to boost the event next year.
As reported in ragtrader.com.au, the new campaign launched via a VIP function at Melbourne's Two Ton Max yesterday, and represents a change in creative direction for the festival.
Speaking at the launch, newly appointed LMFF CEO Graeme Lewsey said the focus of the 2012 festival would be to support the industry and embrace consumers to ensure the future of Australian fashion.
“Consumers are the new fashion authority. The 2012 campaign is level headed, tactile and does not pull on celebrity endorsement alone. It puts everyday consumers in the heart and soul of this campaign which is geared to profile our talented designers and support our diverse retail environment. It's your festival and it's for everyone to enjoy,” he said.
Lewsey also revealed a set of key initiatives for this year's festival, designed to rejuvenate the proceedings and encourage both consumers and retailers to participate.
These include Runway to Retail, a new tool which will allow consumers to shop the runway online and via mobile. The platform will also enable customers to access imagery, video and stockist information after the show and share their favourite looks across social media.
As previously reported in Ragtrader [November 18] the festival has also developed a tactical retail tourism strategy. In partnership with Tourism Victoria and Virgin Australia's Blue Holidays a suite of bespoke travel packages have been developed for interstate customers as part of the national 'Play Melbourne' tourism initiative.
An LMFF Cultural Program, which will run throughout the month of March, will also feature a variety of free and ticketed events to “inspire, engage and provoke”. The program will be made up of fashion inspired artistic and creative installations, international exhibitions, forums, photographic works and films. In 2012 the program will also include a Princess Grace: Style Icon exhibition and a set of Windows By Design installations throughout Melbourne's CBD.
The LMFF business events series will make a comeback for 2012, with a twist. The series, dubbed Power to the People, will bring together global and local thought leaders over a five day fashion focused business program.
Lewsey said 2012 presentations are set to offer “the latest in multi-channel commerce, social marketing, customer experience, data driven forecasting and brand management, as well as on-stage conversations with designers and brand leaders, and networking opportunities with international and Australian professionals”.
LMFF next year will also see the return of the L'Oréal Paris Runway series, which in 2012 will offer seven runways hosted at waterside venue Central Pier. The runway series will also host the L'Oréal Paris Powder Room, the National Designer Award, the National Graduate Showcase, and an all-new LMFF VIP Bar and International Media Centre.
Lewsey also identified celebrity Dita Von Teese as a a guest star for the 2012 Festival. She will take to the runway on behalf of Target Australia on March 10, 2012 to showcase the retailers latest collections.
The 2012 L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival (LMFF) will run from March 8 to 15, 2012.