Episode 20: Fashion Forward: Uncovering the Essence of Fashion Week

0:00 Hey, hey, hey, welcome back to the Part Two fashion week. Last week we talked about the who the what the where the how of Fashion Week, and this week we're going to be talking about why Fashion Week matters. So we're going to be unveiling some fashion events; Industry Insights;. and then we're going to talk about some engaging student activities. So I'm so excited to share this information with you. I hope you're ready to listen in and learn. And as I'm sure and brand new, some pen, a pen and some paper and be ready to take some good notes. In the end, we'll have information where you can gain activities and projects for your students to engage them in Fashion Week. So come on in.

0:52 You're listening to Marketing EdVenture, the hub for business, fashion marketing and other CTE educators who integrate marketing into the learning experience. I'm your host, Jacque Walker. Each week, I'll cover marketing, education concepts, strategies, tips, trends, frameworks, and other information to equip you to connect your classroom to digital natives while cultivating an engaged learning environment. So come on into the room, where your favorite beverage snacks and even your cell phone are all welcome.

1:32 So last week, we talked about what Fashion Week is; where it is held;who organizes the Fashion Week; and how often Fashion Week occurs. So now we're gonna get into some information about the fashion events; the industry insights; and then how you can engage your students in fashion week with some activities. Okay.

2:01 So first of all, why do they have Fashion Week? We talked about the designers, you know, showcasing their creations; buyers going there to find out what the latest trends are, so that they can prepare their stores for the next season; and then industry journalists having something to write about with forecasting and trends and all of that stuff. So those are things that Fashion Week is about. It's about introducing trends. You know, people are excited to see what's coming up in the next season so that they can go ahead and get their pocketbooks ready to spend some money, especially those who love to be the trendsetters. We've talked about fashion cycles in fashion theories before and the trickle up, the trickle down, and trickle cross of fashion. So this is where you will see that kind of thing, how fashion trickles through the different social groups. And so Fashion Week is really big for trendsetters, and those who are eager to, you know, be the ones first to do something. So it has to do with fashion trends.

3:23 Also it gives new designers an opportunity to put their collections out there and be seen. Some really look forward to being able to showcase their new collection at Fashion Week, because there are so many eyes on the industry at that time. So this is really their time to shine. And of course, the existing you know, designers and things of that nature just want the opportunity to show what's next for them, and to keep the wheels turning on their brands.

3:58 All right. And, of course, this is all about economics is all about money. There are so many levels of the industry that make money. When Fashion Week occurs. Of course you have your primary level where the raw materials are those designers are buying from those raw material producers. Then you have your secondary level where the designers are and where the manufacturers are. They're churning out apparel, accessories, shoes and all those things. So there's money to be made there when they turn around and sell to the wholesalers. So the buyers are they're buying wholesale large quantities to dispersed to all their stores across the nation or internationally. You have sales people who are making money have models making money photographers, advertisers, there's all these levels of the industry that are involved in this whole process. So it's a very money making opportunity for the industry as a whole. So that's key to the economy. Because in America, there are millions of people who are involved. Or I should say there's trillions of dollars being made in, in the fashion industry, but there's hundreds of 1000s of people that are involved in the industry, from primary to retail level, an auxiliary level, which is the photographers; the newspapers; the models; the agencies; and all that. Okay. So that's why Fashion Week is key, because it helps keep the wheels turning in the fashion industry. That's the big thing they look forward to. Just like with football, the Super Bowl is the target. That's the key. So Fashion Week is the Superbowl of fashion, two times a year, at least, depending on what type of fashion it is. So every industry has that mega theme that they're going for. Just like the music awards ceremonies that happen for the recording artists, theEmmys and the Oscars that happen for filmmakers in the show's Fashion Week is that for the designers, okay, so that's why Fashion Week.

6:43 So what happens during fashion week, what kind of events are going on? I tell you, if you go to New York Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week on any social media outlet, you will see what type of things are going on during that week. Yes, there are fashion shows going on. However, there's so many other things going on as well, because this is an industry with various levels. And people are networking, there are meet and greets that are going on. So you can either meet the designer or meet someone key in the industry and go to hear them speak about whatever there could be. So when I'm on a panel discussing, you know, the technology of fashion, you know, all those different things, how AI is affecting fashion, you see those commercials on TV right now. So, there's a lot of things being presented at Fashion Week, at various levels. You have vendors that are out there that are not, you know, designers who are on stage, but there are vendors who are have items that are maybe accessories, maybe it's a vendor that has like a fiber company, maybe there are you know, different vendors that are supporters arm accessories to the industry, you know that want people to know more about them. There's just all kinds of vendors you could have in the space. And since a lot of these events, especially like the big events take place in a large facility, they may have a hall in or a room or a place for these vendors to be set up. So that industry people can have access to them. There may be panel discussions going on about various things. There could be product demonstrations for some of the apparel because maybe their apparel is functional, and needs to be shown how it can be worn and the benefits of the features that are on the apparel or this reason, what have you, but product demonstrations. There are lifestyle events that cater to, especially celebrities and influencers. So there's just like a lot going on. The buzz is everywhere. If you just go out there and look at New York Fashion Week and just see a lot of the activity. There's so much that's out there, especially on YouTube. Nowadays, you'll see a lot of events and things that are happening related to Fashion Week that are not a fashion show. The fashion show, of course is the main attraction but there's all these other little outlining, outlining things that are happening during that time that Fashion Week is going on. And I don't think I mentioned this before, but Fashion Week lasts four days. So the New York Fashion Week, I think lasts for a week, or six days, or five or six days, something like that. So the fashion weeks go on for almost a week, and some of them go on little longer than a week. So there are a lot of activities. Of course, there's fashion shows going on every day. It's definitely like the first day the Fashion Week happens. Usually that's like party time. And of course, there's parties going on and then the events, the fashion shows start happening. All right, so that is what's happening during fashion week.

6:48 What is the industry itself learning from Fashion Week, we know that we get to see all of this stuff, but what is the industry learning, the industry itself is learning about, again, trends, they're learning about the designers to look for, like the buyers. And of course, we're looking at the designers, but then you may have fashion houses that are looking at these new and trending designers, and wanting to invite them into their house to be a designer for them. So you have people connecting with others for profit for bigger and better things for their brands. So you have the industry learning about the new upcoming things that are happening within the industry. And the industry is learning about the latest and greatest fashion news. Just because you're in the industry doesn't mean that you have your finger on the pulse of everything that's happening. So this is the opportunity for those things that may not be visible to everyone to shine, and for people to become aware of them. So the industry is learning and growing about itself and taking on, you know, taking a look at new opportunities that may be available in various ways. So that's what the industry learns, from Fashion Week.

12:28 Now that we've gone over all of these things about what Fashion Week is, why it's important, how often it happens, where it happens, what type of events are happening there? Why Fashion Week and all of that? How can you connect your students to fashion week to the industry? There are so many things that you could do to engage your students in the Fashion Week world, pre Fashion Week and post Fashion Week. There are so many things that you can do. I had so many activities and projects that I did with my students to really help immerse themselves into fashion week and what was going on in the different regions and learning about the various regions from the trade centers and all of that. So with that being said, I have one activity, which is pretty simple. It can be a starter activity for the students to do. It's a fashion center poster, which helps them learn about the various fashion centers around the world. Mainly in the United States is where we focus, but we also would have each student doing a different fashion center, so that they can introduce that fashion center to the class. And so the class would be able to learn about what's happening in fashion in the different regions of the world, and what centers focus on which type of apparel. So that's an activity that you can do.

14:14 You can also have the students do a fashion trend board so that they can, you know, look at maybe a designer or take a note of the various things that are trending on the runways at Fashion Week and create a board. Like if it's jackets, then they can do a fashion trend board about jackets, or if it's slacks, or if it's a certain color, you know, they can do a trend board that represents those trends for that particular identifier or that particular apparel item. You know, so they could do that.

15:00 There's a project that I have, it's called a brand niche blog. And this helps the students write reviews of fashion, whether it's about a designer, or if it's about a collection, or if it's about any event that's going on. This particular project helps them learn about the resources that are used in things like journaling, or journalism, or writing reviews, or newsletters or blogs. So that's a really great project that could help them with their writing, and reviewing of any event, or designer.

15:44 And then one of my really big projects that the students do at the beginning of the year, because the Big Four Fashion Week happens in the first week of September, which is right when school starts. So the students generally get into teams, because this is a pretty detailed and involved project. They're going to cover all four fashion weeks from the beginning of September to the end of October: New York, London, Milan and Paris. It's a lot of information that they have to provide because they're really looking at designers or really looking at trends. And they have to write about it, at least eight designers. They have to talk about all of the things that are trending; to look at the principles and elements of design; fabric; the colors; and all that kind of stuff. So that is a very intensive project that really does require collaboration. So it's really good for the students and it's fun. I think, because it helps them to open up their eyes, and really begin to look at the details of fashion, and not just at the aesthetic of fashion. Because kids these days are just really looking at fashion from "Oh, that's cute, that's pretty", what have you. But then don't ask them the name of a designer. They probably can't tell you the name of one of the classic designers. They may come up with somebody who's a celebrity that has a fashion line. Not going to knock it, you know, they created the idea for the design. So in essence, they are considered a designer. But we're talking about a designer that has a fashion house that has a team of people working with them to create, you know, classic fashion, or what have you. So this really opens up their eyes to help them begin to understand true fashion. Not fast fashion, but true fashion.

18:03 So I'm going to have a link to my website that's going to have these projects listed there. There's also another project that I'm working on that's called the Devil Wears Prada. And let me tell you, if you don't have your students watching "The Devil Wears Prada", (because these kids have no idea what "The Devil Wears Prada" is, first of all) they don't have that knowledge of how insightful that movie is. And if you haven't heard of "The Devil Wears Prada", go and get it right now and watch it.

18:53 It's really based on the life of Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine, and it's my all time favorite. It really gives you an inside look of fashion from a magazine editor's perspective and also from a girl who knew nothing about fashion, and how she quickly learns the intricacies of the industry. It also just gives you an insight of the fashion world. I love it because it really, I feel, touches on the pulse of the fashion industry. From one perspective, really from a marketing perspective, not necessarily from a designer perspective, but I really love the movie. I have a project that I used with my students and I have to put it together in a format where I can make it available to others. But I love it. It's a great project that you can use that really ties into fashion week as well because they do talk about Paris Fashion Week because the ultimate goal is to go to Paris Fashion Week. Anyway, that is how you can engage your students with fashion week in the different types of activities that you can give them to do. So look for that in a link in the description and also in my show notes. Like I said, there's going to be a page on my website that you'll be able to access that will show you all the different products, I mean projects and activities that I have that are related to Fashion Week.

20:36 So there you have it. That concludes my talk about fashion week. I hope it's been very insightful for you. And I hope that you're excited to get ready to do some of these activities or something with your students to engage them in the Fashion Week. environment in the whole event in excitement of everything that fashion week brings. So until next time, I hope you have a wonderfully blessed day.

21:13 Thanks for listening to Marketing EdVenture. Remember to subscribe, rate, review and share this episode with someone you think would benefit from the information shared here today. If you have any questions or want to connect with me, find me on Instagram at marketing adventure. All links and resources discussed in this episode can be found in the show notes at marketingedventure.com.