A fresh scheme could make it simpler for young Australians to achieve the US fashion and beauty market, Sharon Krum writes from The big apple
IN 2005, Kit Willow Podgornik appeared at The big apple Fashion Week included in an organization show for emerging designers. The response was extraordinary. Within a year business was up 110 percent and Podgornik was fielding orders from Saks, Barneys and Neiman Marcus, among others.
But difficulties with production and fit issues soon arose, mostly because the company wasn't set up to accommodate the demand. Because of this, accounts were lost.
``We learned hard way,'' says Podgornik. ``I see now we came into the market industry without enough of a assistance available. Britain marketplace is significantly less foreign, while Americans are so different the way they do business and the way their stores work. Should you be set on the market you should really invest lots of energy to make it profitable.''
Last season Podgornik skipped Nyc vintage cape Fashion Week to squeeze company capital into retail, which is now going from strength to strength. In September she'll show again and already has someone within the Big Apple helping her plan case.
``It's inadequate to reach four days before your show,'' Podgornik says. ``We have someone to set my way through place, to drag an incredible team together.''
Willow has 20 stockists in the usa but key stores don't carry the number, which has over the past few seasons shifted from the corseted to a more draped silhouette.
`` 's what were working towards,'' Podgornik says.
Inspite of the early road bump she remains serious about the modern York market, a sentiment that goes beyond the well-known financial incentive.
``I think showing in The big apple continues to be pivotal to my development like a designer. It's definitely pushed me. You need to be original, your line has to say what you are while being creative and commercial.''
Before decade Australian labels including Maticevski, Sass & Bide, Willow, Jayson Brunsdon, Aurelio Costarella, Alice McCall and Josh Goot have all shown regularly at New York Fashion Week, while yesterday swimwear labels Zimmermann and Tigerlily dipped their toes to the waters when they previewed their new resort lines to Nyc fashion editors.
But the recession has taken a toll on Australian designers showing within the Ny and Goot has decamped to London Fashion Week instead.
Last season only Maticevski flew in from Australia, anf the husband is going to be joined in The big apple the following month just by two others: Podgornik and Melbourne-born, New York-based Michael Angel. However, despite the headlines and the economic hurt, many Australians inside fashion industry still look to work or show in Ny, while using amount of editors, publicists, stylists, models, photographers, make-up artists and agents with secret stashes of Vegemite in their apartments multiplying.
How come they are offered?
Designers talk of the city hungry to learn new talent, and it is status because premium gateway on the enormous US retail market.
Creatives in style media, beauty or PR speak of the chance to test themselves in the highly competitive magazine or advertising arena that demands lots of their fashion muscle, with most referring in positive terms to New York's go-go-go attitude.
Though the many young Australians who arrive using a resume or lookbook desperate to gain experience often labour to navigate the labyrinth that comprises the fashion and beauty industries in The big apple, complete with well-groomed gate-keepers and tight-knit networks of the knowledgable.
Given this, the economic crisis plus a recent exodus of high-profile Aussies from Ny, the timing could not improve with the Australians in Ny Fashion Foundation, a brand new body that has been launched inside the city a week ago to mentor and open doors for the following generation of Australian fashion and beauty industries.
Attendees on the opening bash included Nyc consul-general Phil Scanlan, actress Sarah Wynter, models Nicole Trunfio, Stephanie Carta, Elyse Taylor, Karlie Kloss, Kristy Hinze and Pania Rose, designer Angel, Calvin Klein head designer Francisco Costa, and AINYFF founding board members Julie Anne Quay, Malcolm Carfrae and Antony Todd.
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