Chapter 23 / Special Event Fashion Shows
467
stockholders meeting is seen by those who would
have attended even if no show were to be held.
A created audience is established after
the show is planned, as a result of publicity and
advertising. A created audience wants to see the
new fashion trends and attend a social event. The
audience might be created as a result of mailings
to lists of store customers. General publicity and
advertising may be done to the public, through
local newspapers and radio stations. However, a
specifi c audience profi le is always targeted.
The size of the audience has an impact
on the type of show and location, since all
persons in the audience must be able to see the
fashions from a comfortable location. The age of
the audience infl uences the type of music and
amount of extra entertainment to be included in
the show. An older audience usually wants softer
music and a more explicit, detailed commentary.
A younger audience may prefer louder, faster
music with more entertaining action and less
commentary.
Deciding on the Theme
The theme of a fashion show is developed
for the target audience, holiday or time of year,
and merchandise to be featured. It is the basic
idea of the show. Then a title is chosen for the
show that indicates the content of the show.
The theme and title are used in the coordinated
publicity/advertising, merchandise, staging, and
other planning for the show.
The theme might be “back-to-school” in late
August, or evening wear just before New Years
Eve. A current movie theme or travel destination
might be enthusiastically received by certain
audiences. If a designer/manufacturer, fashion
magazine, or other organization is featured, that
sponsor is usually included in the theme as a
courtesy. This promotes the cooperative sponsor,
can attract a larger audience if the name is
well known, and can help the image of both the
vendor and the store.
Timing and Location for
the Show
The date and time for the show should
not confl ict with other events such as major
community activities. Setting the exact time for
the show must take into account travel time to
and from the show for models, show workers,
and the audience. An evening might be chosen
if most of the audience is employed during the
day. Retailers who want to attract customers
who wear business apparel also sometimes
stage breakfast or lunchtime shows. These
feature a simple, quick meal and an entertaining,
educational show during a time when these
customers would be away from work.
Although a small show may last 30 minutes
or less, consumer fashion shows often last about
45 minutes for the fashion segment. This fi ts the
attention span of most audiences. An additional
15 minutes may be allowed for refreshments,
announcements, and door prizes. This brings the
entire event to one hour.
The location of the fashion show is
coordinated with where the audience is and the
Apparel Design, Merchandising and Production / Iowa State University
23-8 Although not many fashion shows
feature only formal wear, fancier clothes
are featured at the end of shows for a
spectacular fi nish.