by MIKE CHAIKEN
CTFashionMag.com
Hartford Fashion Week is remaking itself. In the process, it is looking at how it can best serve the region’s fashion community.
To that end, HFW is holding a forum on Oct.5, bringing in the assorted stakeholders in the local fashion community, to talk about its plans and to answer questions.
“Largely, this event is the culmination of some feedback and introspections,” said Jeff Devereux of Hartford Fashion Week. “We’ve sought to make the momentum that HFW has had luck building into a platform that is helpful to the local industry as it can be given its capacity.”
“We have some ideas we’ll present and we’ll be looking for both ideas and discussion on what we can do to be most helpful going forward,” said Devereux.
Katrina Orsini of Naugatuck, the founder of Hartford Fashion Week, has stepped back from the organization to focus on her continuing education. But she is still keeping an eye on the organization because it is her “baby.”
She explained that Hartford Fashion Week as it started five years ago is no more.
“HFW is currently being shut down as a business, and being revamped as a nonprofit,” said Orsini.
The first few years of HFW were about runway shows, complete with models and hair and makeup. Venues varied from Union Station in Hartford to the Colt Building.
“While fashion shows are wildly fun and entertaining — and that is nothing to be downplayed in life or community– they are also a lot of work for designers,” said Orsini. “Live events are unsustainable and wasteful, and, unfortunately, we do not feel that designers have seen a return on the work they put into shows, specifically in regards to actually selling garments.”
Zoe Ilana Grinfield, a Connecticut fashion designer who won “Project Runway Threads” several years ago, is a past participant at Hartford Fashion Week. “I agree with what Katrina’s saying about the lack of sustainability in shows.”
“I think it’s important exposure for designers, but the cost of putting it on far outweighs what we make back,” said Grinfeld.
Instead, said the Connecticut designer, “I think it’d be interesting to see a pop up shop or presentation style show versus several days of runways.”
Aside from providing an outlet for runway shows, Orsini said, “There may be other, better ways to support (the local creatives) budding or growing fashion or textile businesses –for example sustainable material sourcing, small run production, or digital pattern making. But we do not want to assume, so we would like to hear what they want in this forum so we can support them in the most useful way possible.”
The discussions surrounding Hartford Fashion Week are similar to ones happening industry wide…
The Council of Fashion Designers of America recently issued a report “Examining the Future of New York Fashion Week” that discusses, among many issues, the efficacy of fashion runway shows.
“The purpose of a fashion show depends on the brand maturity, the brand tier (e.g., contemporary, accessible luxury to luxury), the product focus (e.g., accessories vs. ready-to-wear), target consumers, share of wholesale vs. retailer business, and the level of digital influence in the business,” said the report from CFDA. “Therefore, it is up to each designer and brand to define what is best.
The CFDA encouraged designers to try alternatives to fashion shows.
The CFDA report broaches the idea of simpler presentations where designers show to retailers and the press alone to sell their latest collections.
CFDA, like Hartford Fashion Week, said it wanted to hold continuing conversations with stakeholder meetings, panel conversations and workshops as the industry changes.
“A Forum on the Future of Hartford Fashion Week” will be held Saturday, Oct. 5, from noon to 3 p.m. at ReSET (Social Enterprise Trust), 1429 Park St., #114, Hartford.
