Fashion Week coming to Aspen
Dec.12,2008
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Aspen is slated for a style upgrade next year, as former Aspen Chamber Resort Association Director of Marketing Lisa Johnson brings the inaugural Aspen Fashion Week to venues around town March 1-5.
The 2009 event is being planned on a relatively small scale - with on-mountain parties, in-store presentations and after-hours parties - but is already set to grow in 2010 when white tents and runways reminiscent of New York Fashion Week in Bryant Park hopefully litter parks in Aspen.
But in addition to what Johnson describes as "a perfect marriage of fashion and winter ski culture," Aspen Fashion Week has the potential to be big business.
Worldwide, fashion weeks are a multi-billion dollar industry. And for the cities that host them, millions of dollars are raked in annually through direct and indirect spending. New York's prestigious semi-annual Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, for example, brought in $177 million dollars in total profits for the hospitality and tourism sector in New York City in 2008, according to a report by the city's Economic Development Corporation.
"I wondered why, with all the high-end retail, in a town that really is the king of ski resorts and winter culture, there wasn't something that specifically focused on fashion," Johnson says. "It's something that's in all of our lives, for locals and tourists, whether it's walking around town or looking good on the hill."
Johnson says her role as director of marketing for ACRA, which she officially relinquished this past October, routinely forced her to think of the next big event in town. She's been working on the fashion week for about a year and a half, adding that the event was completely in line with her job title.
"I felt it was something I could very easily justify as part of my job, she says. "Ultimately what the chamber is charged with is putting heads in beds, and that's exactly what this type of event does."
For this year's event Johnson estimates that 12 designers will bring "winter resort wear, ski and snowboard apparel and accessories representing the mountain lifestyle" to venues - mostly retail store locations - around Aspen. But local fashionistas shouldn't get too excited: The guest list, at least for this year, is expected to be quite exclusive.
"We're going to really focus on media in year one," Johnson says. "Media, people in the fashion industry and just key people in the fashion world so that it can grow in the future. Eventually, though, we're going to have a consumer crossover for people, like myself up until now, who have wanted to go to fashion weeks but couldn't attend because they weren't in the industry."
It's difficult to predict the draw for a new event in the first year, but Johnson says each of the designers will likely bring about a dozen people, as well as each of the sponsors - who so far include IMG model management firm, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin and W Magazine. And, of course, the invited media will also serve to increase the numbers.
The timing of the event was also specifically chosen to fill the void left by the HBO Comedy Festival after it ended its 13-year reign in 2007 as Aspen's major March festival. Hotel occupancy was down 15 percent year-to-year in 2008 for the first week of March, the week Comedy Fest would have been held.
"Looking at the occupancy for March 2008 and with the departure of HBO, it seems Aspen Fashion Week would really be a wonderful fit, from both the chamber's perspective and from the guest perspective," says Debbie Braun, President of ACRA. "We'll definitely be promoting it."
Adds Johnson: "Not only is the weather great, for the most part, but the second homeowners are here and the hotels won't be full. And if you look at the peaks and troughs of occupancy, there is so much room for growth in March"
But launching a new event during an economic recession - and amid cancellations of other ski town-based events like the 16-year old Jeep-sponsored King of the Mountain race series and the Sessions snowboard competition in Vail - doesn't come without reservations, even an event as seemingly well fitting as a fashion week in Aspen. And Johnson's plan to start small is a nod to economic realities while also recognizing the power of the Aspen brand.
"People always kind of look at me crazy when I say I'm starting something new in this environment," Johnson says. "But I say there's no better time to try to do something new than when times are challenging. There are a lot of empty hotel rooms and a lot of space not being utilized."
Braun agrees.
"For something like this you have to start small and grow. I don't think you can come in the middle of a recession year and try to knock it out of the park. That's how Food & Wine (Magazine Classic) started, and look at it now - thousands of people show up every June for that event."
And the Aspen brand goes a long way. Johnson cites companies like Prada, Ralph Lauren and Louis Vuitton that maintain full stores in Aspen despite often losing money.
"This is an important market," she says. "People keep retail presences here because they know what happens in Aspen has ripple effects around the country. And it's the same for stores like Gorsuch, Performance and Hamilton. These are important buyers who'll be looking at what's going on in the winter fashion world."
Lee Keating, co-owner of high-end winter clothing boutique Performance Ski, says that while fashion is undoubtedly important in Aspen, she's not sure if it's at the forefront of people's minds.
"Aspen is definitely at the center of ski fashion, but I think people are usually so busy having a good time with their sports to ever think about it. We might see a little bump in some of our brands we carry, but that's something we'll just have to wait and see."
But Johnson remains resolute in her belief that Aspen Fashion Week could soon become a signature event, much like the Food & Wine Magazine Classic, or even X Games.
"Aspen likes its events," Johnson says. "And Aspen Fashion Week is one that will never leave and go somewhere else. We have a perfect fusion of fashion, function, mountain lifestyle and winter wear. There's no place this really works but here."
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Source: 中国皮具网
