Sponsors rush to back Fashion Week

By SIMON HENDERY

Sponsorship of L'Oraacéal New Zealand Fashion Week is clearly in vogue.

Organisers of the five-year-old annual event, which will be staged in Auckland next month, point out it has attracted almost as many sponsors (about 40) as it has designers.

Fashion Week managing director Pieter Stewart, who developed the concept, says the growing profile of the event, and the activities going on around it, make it an attractive proposition for sponsors.

"The amount of support we now have to make it bigger and more inspiring on so many levels just reinforces its credibility and relevance for the New Zealand market," Stewart says.

Early support from Government agencies Trade NZ and Industry NZ (now joined as New Zealand Trade and Enterprise) enabled the event to win global recognition for its export potential.

Naming rights sponsor L'Oreaacál saw the potential of the event for brand exposure and as a hosting opportunity for key customers and accounts.

"L'Oraacéal's synergy with L'Oraacéal New Zealand Fashion Week goes well beyond the natural synergy of fashion and beauty," says L'Oraacéal New Zealand managing director Frances Stead.

"At L'Oraacéal, we know true innovation takes extensive and sustained commitment to research and development. New Zealand's top designers, also truly innovate - they offer something daringly different, that indefinite uniqueness, that 'je ne sais quoi'. The marriage is perfect."

Stewart will not reveal the cost of L'Oreal's naming right sponsorship, but says other major sponsors contribute between $50,000 and $100,000 in cash and kind to the event.

NZTE also makes a "substantial" contribution.

Stewart says the sponsorship funding is necessary. While the designers pay for staging their shows, there are huge additional expenses in running an event that will see almost 10,000 people through the doors by the end of the public day, Newmarket Fashion Friday.

She says even though the event is in its infancy by international standards, VIP guests expect the same facilities and treats they find at the London and Milan collections.

Stewart says the ability to offer corporate entertaining around the week is a major reason international and local businesses line up to parade their brands at Fashion Week.

Corporate hospitality is an attractive drawcard because most events are not open to the public.

The "family" of sponsors meet regularly and organisers encourage them to work with each other, for example by being involved in joint promotions. One sponsor, Auckland's Hilton hotel, say most of its fellow sponsors have booked functions at its venues, although not necessarily for events related to Fashion Week.

The sponsors can also individually capitalise on their involvement in the event. Retailer Max, for example, sponsors the official T-shirt - worn by delegates and staff - and the official delegate bag, which is to be sold at Max stores after the event.

Media promotion is also a large part of the event with involvement from publications, including Style magazine, Fashion Quarterly and the Herald.

Herald Feature: New Zealand Fashion Week

L'Oreal New Zealand Fashion Week official site