Getting Beyond the Runway: A Designer's Reality or Myth?

For many designers, fashion shows and fashion weeks are very essential seasons they work towards all year through. They hustle earnestly in anticipation for all the glitz, glamour and the pomp associated with fashion shows and weeks. Thus, to have the platform to showcase their creativity and best designs to all who matter in the fashion industry.

In Ghana, many fashion shows have been organized over the years and each year designers are looking forward to cashing in on such opportunities. The likes of Glitz Africa Fashion Week, Ghana Fashion and Design Week and a few other fashion shows have gain lots to media attention in recent years.

An ideal fashion week and fashion show targets fashion editors, bloggers, fashion photographers, stylists, fashion publicists, buyers, celebrities and the likes.

Yes I would agree it feels awesome to be accompanied by these tall intensely looking but thinly gorgeous models after your designs have been showcased and then you have all the guests applaud. I know that sounds like I have been there before!

But after all said and done, the question is how do you get your fashion brand beyond the runway. What happens after the fashion show and fashion week? Do these fashion events have to offer to your brand?

As I mentioned earlier, an ideal fashion show and fashion week targets specific people for a reason; to converge all industry players to one place to create business and network opportunities.

 
Fashion Editors are very important people at fashion events. They influence fashion content and trends for publication in magazine, website, newspaper and television programs. They are most likely to leave such places with ideas on what their next issue will be about.

Fashion Bloggers are give visibility to your brand and design by writing and reviewing them. They can even go the extra mile to do series of features about your brand which will keep you in the spotlight for who knows how long.

Stylists are also very important at fashion shows. They have relationship with celebrities and fashion editors and are trend savvy people. During fashion shows, they have the opportunity to make decisions on what designs to use in styling their clients and also when having photo shoots for celebrities, fashion magazines, music videos etc

Fashion Publicists have also become important people in the fashion industry. Their work is to connect industry players to your brand through media relations, celebrity relations, consumer driven events to give you the right exposure that will attract buzz around your brand for years to come. They also ensure that they advise you on sustainable ways to engage your brand using effective PR strategies and tactics.

Fashion Photographers are there to show off designer’s creations. Their aim at a fashion event is to get the best shots of your designs which could be used to tell different beautiful stories about your brand. 

Buyers attend fashion shows because they influence what items will be stocked in shops based on their observations and predictions on trends.

Celebrities at fashion shows add glitz and glamour to the event. However, they also play very significant  roles beyond the runway such as having first hand exposure to the designers which could be followed by brand endorsements, requesting for some of the designs for their photo shoots, red carpet events, media appearance etc. 

Fashion weeks and shows are not for friends and families. They are business platforms for participants to make the most out of.

To organizers of fashion shows and fashion weeks, ensure that you invite these influential people to your event in order to give participating designers the best business platform to build on beyond the runway.

And to participating designers at fashion shows, a lot happens after the runway which you need to capitalize on so go for it and grow your brand. Whether a reality or a myth, you’ve got to make the most out of it.

If I did leave some other important personality at fashion shows, feel free to comment below.

 Faith Senam Ocloo

CEO

E’April Public Relations

Follow me on twitter @eaprilPR and @faithsenam

CREATING A FASHION BRAND IDENTITY

It has become arguably relevant to truly understand your brand before creating a brand identity. As the fashion market place grows bigger, it’s becoming harder to set your brand apart and remain memorable to buyers, stylists, editors and customers. 

Creating a fashion brand identity will help you plan your way through to the top of your game and make you stand out from your competitors.  African prints are in vogue; almost everyone is using prints to design. The question is how different is yours from the others? Why will someone choose your product above any other? In order to achieve this, you need to start working on creating a brand identity for your business. The following points could be helpful.

Create a New Category

First, take the initiative to do something new. Many a times, people are too afraid to start something new. The thought of it failing, being rejected or ignored stifles their thoughts to get that new idea pumped out. Successful entrepreneurs take risk. The best way to creating a fashion brand identity is to create a new category. Bring out a new idea. This means research. Do your homework well to know what your competitors are doing and what they are not doing and what your target market needs and design products that will fit in.

Understand your Brand Image

Creating a fashion brand identity requires that you understand the kind of image or reputation you want for your brand. This way you are assured of creating the right impression on the minds of people who come into contact with you and your brand. Knowing what you put out there helps you to control your brand and how to best reach your target market.

Build Relationships

People wear brands and are constantly telling others about the brands they love. If your product can deliver to their satisfaction, they are more likely to be associated with you and your brand. Use this to build and maintain healthy relationships with key players in the industry. Relationships are built on trust. Ensure people are satisfied with your dresses, shoes, makeup products, designs etc. Put in place feedback mechanisms to obtain the right responses needed to keep your customers coming back.

Be Consistent in your Overall Communication

Communicating to both internal and external audience is key in creating a brand identity. What is more crucial is ensuring that your messages are consistent on all the media platforms being used. Carefully explain your brand values, brand image and message to stakeholders and make sure they understand where and how to apply it. Photos and images communicate a lot about your brand persona thus the need to match that with consumer expectations.

A brand identity sets you apart from a million others

  
Faith Senam Ocloo
CEO

E’April Public Relations

Follow me on twitter @eaprilPR and @faithsenam

Image Credit: Monica Almelda/New York Times

Meet Ghanaian Fashion Publicist Faith Ocloo

Meet Ghanaian Fashion Publicist Faith Ocloo

Fashion Icons Awards this weekend

Its on this weekend for the first ever Fashion Icons Awards. The event will take place at the plush La Palm Beach Hotel, Accra on the 6th of September, 2014. It will kick start with a Red Carpet at exactly 6pm.

The night promises to be exciting with a blend of fashion and music from the fast rising star Wiyaala Noella, the Afro Soul/Pop singer Irene Logan, Sala, Chemphe Among others.

The event will be hosted by the delectable ChrisKata and Mercury Quaye with Selly Galley on the Red Carpet.

If you haven't gotten your ticket yet, go grab it now for a cool ghc 50 at Woodin Store, Osu; Movempick Ambassador Hotel; A&C Mall, East Legon and Silverbird, Accra Mall.

Its barely 4 days to this big event and I still havent decided on what am going to wear. Any suggestions and assistance?

5 Questions you should answer before considering a Brand Ambassador for your fashion Brand

The African fashion market is growing spontaneously and everyone is striving to gain consumer attention and retention. One of the many ways fashion business owners are working hard to create awareness and gain trust about their product is to get celebrities or brand ambassadors to wear or endorse their product.

Brand ambassadors play a very vital role in the positioning of a brands Image. They become the face of the brand and most times use their personalities to promote the brand. Partnerships between a product and brand ambassadors are meant to increase awareness and generate consumer appeal and trust. In other cases it could go terribly wrong and affect the product’s revenue. Whether you are opting for a celebrity brand ambassador or brand advocate, consider the following when deciding on choosing a brand ambassador for your product.

1.     Is the person credible?

When considering a brand ambassador for your product, it is imperative to do a thorough research on the personality and know who they are, what they do, what they represent and their values. Review their history and past affiliations with other brands. Be sure the person has a good track record that will make consumers trust him or her and which will certainly be translated onto your product. Consider someone who is trust worthy and can represent your brand at all times.

2.     Is the person media friendly?

Brand ambassadors must be media-friendly and relate to all persons across board. They must be able to answer questions about your product and speak confidently and directly about your brand to the media and also help you in achieving your entire communication goal. Again, they should be able to properly deliver your message to the right target market. Being in a new media era, I will also add that the person must be tech-savvy thus being able to interact with brand users on social media platforms.

3.     Can the person appeal to your target?

Different personalities appeal to different target markets. Your research should reveal to you the kind of personality that will appeal to your target consumers. Once consumers can identify themselves with a specific brand ambassador, they are most likely to go in for such products. Many a times, buying decisions are influenced by the desire to look or feel the exact way as the brand ambassador. The whole idea is to gain the confidence of prospective customers and also retain the loyalty of the existing ones.

4.     Is the person a reflection of your brand?

Evidently, brand ambassadors are supposed to represent your product on diverse platforms therefore they ought to share the same values as you do. They should be using the brand or likely to use it. Portraying a contrasting representation could affect the entire integrated communication process of your brand. You are your brand, so is your brand ambassador.

5.     Does the person have the tendency to drive sales?

The ultimate goal of every integrated marketing communications campaign is to drive sales. The celebrity or personality to be endorsed must have the tendency to drive people to make purchase. Their affiliation to your brand should get consumers engaged and create sales opportunities for your product.

Photocredit: heartifb.com

Faith Senam Ocloo

CEO

E’April Public Relations

Follow me on twitter @eaprilPR and @faithsenam