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Downtown Makes a Play For Fashion Week
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| Crowds last year filled Vibiana, a former cathedral, for a fashion show. Downtown officials hope that more events and more people will come to the area if they swipe major Fashion Week happenings from Culver City. Photo courtesy Ben Cope. |
Effort Underway to Lure High-Profile Event Away From Culver City
by Anna Scott
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Fashion Week, the biannual, seven-day amalgamation of high-profile runway shows and other events showcasing designers' upcoming collections, has eluded Downtown since 2003. Now, a major effort is underway to bring the event back to the Central City in 2009.
L.A. Fashion Week is held twice a year: in March, when designers unveil their collections for the fall season, and in October, when shows focus on spring looks (this year's event is Oct. 10-17). The event is important in part because it draws thousands of people, as well as invaluable media coverage, to its host city.
The key happening during Fashion Week - essentially an event-within-an-event - is Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, five days of media-studded fashion shows by top designers. That took place in Downtown Los Angeles in 2003 at the Standard Hotel. However, the results were disastrous, as event producer IMG complained about participants having to travel to and from Downtown (especially to Culver City, where other Fashion Week events took place), as well as the area's scarce parking and lack of large venues.
The Mercedes event moved to Culver City's Smashbox Studios the following year, a step many thought would be the death knell for Downtown Fashion Week efforts. Now, local industry insiders say that IMG is quietly considering a return to Downtown next year. The news that IMG and Smashbox might dissolve their partnership was first reported on Los Angeles Magazine's Chic Leak Blog last month.
"I know that they have been exploring locations other than Culver City," said Kent Smith, executive director of the Fashion District, the business improvement district that operates in Downtown's garment industry-oriented neighborhoods. "We've had lots of talks, and we have indicated that we would be highly supportive of having the event in Downtown L.A. As we understand it, Hollywood and Downtown are the leading contenders."
An IMG spokesman would not confirm that the company plans to move the event out of Culver City next year, but said, "conversations with the city of L.A. are ongoing."
Glamour and Glitz
Fashion Week, filled with celebrity-heavy runway shows and parties, is an extension of the less glamorous market weeks - the times of year when buyers for various clothing stores make their pilgrimages to designers' showrooms, often marked by lower-profile, industry-only runway and trade shows.
The Fashion District is Southern California's ground zero for market weeks. This fall, the so-called Majors Market, which focuses on the California Market Center, a complex with more than 1,000 showrooms, takes place Oct. 5-7. The Fashion Market, when all of the showrooms in and around the Fashion District open their doors, runs Oct. 17-21.
The bulk of the roughly 50,000 buyers who visit the Fashion District annually, generating $5.8 billion in revenue, come during the market weeks, said Smith.
There is currently a push within the Fashion District to raise the area's profile as a destination for buyers. "There are many projects in the works to drive buyers and bring buyers to this industry," said Ilse Metchek, executive director of the California Fashion Association. "There should be some energy and expense and glamour tied to the time when we have thousands of buyers in town."
To that end, a new event titled Reveal Los Angeles will come to L.A. Live from March 20-22, 2009. The industry-oriented event, produced by IDG World Expo and featuring designer exhibitions and runway shows, will coincide with Fashion Week. An L.A. Live spokesman said that the venue, whose next phase, complete with restaurants and a bowling alley opens in December, is also negotiating with other events expected to take place during that Fashion Week.
Downtown proponents say that the area's increasing visibility as a center for fashion business, along with its revitalization in recent years, makes it a perfect candidate to host the official Fashion Week.
"Buyers from all over the world are coming to Downtown L.A.," said Smith. "It's improving every year, more and more lines of clothing are being repped here, and more designers are based here." He added, "The Downtown renaissance has made it a much more friendly environment for fashion shows, after-show parties and other events where designers are trying to attract attention."
Outside the Box
Smith suggested several potential venues for L.A. Fashion Week, if it does move into Downtown, that were not options five years ago.
The list includes L.A. Live, several of the upgraded historic theaters along Broadway, and the outdoor plaza at the CMC, which was recently renovated to accommodate runway shows. New restaurants, bars and retail offer an added bonus.
"Wherever they go, they need to be in a location that's going to be easy for people who want to get out for a few minutes," said Smith. "I think Downtown certainly offers that."
Downtown's play for Fashion Week might be bolstered by the efforts of a group of Downtown activists who last year launched a competing slate of runway shows, informally dubbed Downtown Fashion Week. Their events last year, held at the Los Angeles Theatre on Broadway and Vibiana on Main Street, attracted thousands.
"The whole concept is to bring Fashion Week back Downtown," Downtown Fashion Week co-founder and real estate developer Gary Warfel told Los Angeles Downtown News last year. His partners in the project include Downtown L.A. Neighborhood Council Vice President Brady Westwater and artist Peter Gurnz, whose company, BOXeight, produced the events.
The group is currently planning a two- to four-day event, to coincide with the Fashion Week in October and focus on independent designers, in BOXeight's 6,000-square-foot gallery space at 1446 E. Washington Blvd., said Gurnz.
Smith said the activity highlights Downtown's role as a fashion powerhouse. "Whether we're seeing a BOXeight event or the fashion awards, these events try to take advantage of the buyers that are in L.A. for those market weeks," he said. As for where L.A. Fashion Week 2009 will unfold, "We're all on tiptoes waiting for the decision."
Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.
page 1, 9/1/2008
© Los Angeles Downtown News. Reprinting items retrieved from the archives are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or retransmitted without permission of the Los Angeles Downtown News. If you would like to re-distribute anything from the Los Angeles Downtown News Archives, please call our permissions department at (213) 481-1448.
L.A. Fashion Week is held twice a year: in March, when designers unveil their collections for the fall season, and in October, when shows focus on spring looks (this year's event is Oct. 10-17). The event is important in part because it draws thousands of people, as well as invaluable media coverage, to its host city.
The key happening during Fashion Week - essentially an event-within-an-event - is Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, five days of media-studded fashion shows by top designers. That took place in Downtown Los Angeles in 2003 at the Standard Hotel. However, the results were disastrous, as event producer IMG complained about participants having to travel to and from Downtown (especially to Culver City, where other Fashion Week events took place), as well as the area's scarce parking and lack of large venues.
The Mercedes event moved to Culver City's Smashbox Studios the following year, a step many thought would be the death knell for Downtown Fashion Week efforts. Now, local industry insiders say that IMG is quietly considering a return to Downtown next year. The news that IMG and Smashbox might dissolve their partnership was first reported on Los Angeles Magazine's Chic Leak Blog last month.
"I know that they have been exploring locations other than Culver City," said Kent Smith, executive director of the Fashion District, the business improvement district that operates in Downtown's garment industry-oriented neighborhoods. "We've had lots of talks, and we have indicated that we would be highly supportive of having the event in Downtown L.A. As we understand it, Hollywood and Downtown are the leading contenders."
An IMG spokesman would not confirm that the company plans to move the event out of Culver City next year, but said, "conversations with the city of L.A. are ongoing."
Fashion Week, filled with celebrity-heavy runway shows and parties, is an extension of the less glamorous market weeks - the times of year when buyers for various clothing stores make their pilgrimages to designers' showrooms, often marked by lower-profile, industry-only runway and trade shows.
The Fashion District is Southern California's ground zero for market weeks. This fall, the so-called Majors Market, which focuses on the California Market Center, a complex with more than 1,000 showrooms, takes place Oct. 5-7. The Fashion Market, when all of the showrooms in and around the Fashion District open their doors, runs Oct. 17-21.
The bulk of the roughly 50,000 buyers who visit the Fashion District annually, generating $5.8 billion in revenue, come during the market weeks, said Smith.
There is currently a push within the Fashion District to raise the area's profile as a destination for buyers. "There are many projects in the works to drive buyers and bring buyers to this industry," said Ilse Metchek, executive director of the California Fashion Association. "There should be some energy and expense and glamour tied to the time when we have thousands of buyers in town."
To that end, a new event titled Reveal Los Angeles will come to L.A. Live from March 20-22, 2009. The industry-oriented event, produced by IDG World Expo and featuring designer exhibitions and runway shows, will coincide with Fashion Week. An L.A. Live spokesman said that the venue, whose next phase, complete with restaurants and a bowling alley opens in December, is also negotiating with other events expected to take place during that Fashion Week.
Downtown proponents say that the area's increasing visibility as a center for fashion business, along with its revitalization in recent years, makes it a perfect candidate to host the official Fashion Week.
"Buyers from all over the world are coming to Downtown L.A.," said Smith. "It's improving every year, more and more lines of clothing are being repped here, and more designers are based here." He added, "The Downtown renaissance has made it a much more friendly environment for fashion shows, after-show parties and other events where designers are trying to attract attention."
Smith suggested several potential venues for L.A. Fashion Week, if it does move into Downtown, that were not options five years ago.
The list includes L.A. Live, several of the upgraded historic theaters along Broadway, and the outdoor plaza at the CMC, which was recently renovated to accommodate runway shows. New restaurants, bars and retail offer an added bonus.
"Wherever they go, they need to be in a location that's going to be easy for people who want to get out for a few minutes," said Smith. "I think Downtown certainly offers that."
Downtown's play for Fashion Week might be bolstered by the efforts of a group of Downtown activists who last year launched a competing slate of runway shows, informally dubbed Downtown Fashion Week. Their events last year, held at the Los Angeles Theatre on Broadway and Vibiana on Main Street, attracted thousands.
"The whole concept is to bring Fashion Week back Downtown," Downtown Fashion Week co-founder and real estate developer Gary Warfel told Los Angeles Downtown News last year. His partners in the project include Downtown L.A. Neighborhood Council Vice President Brady Westwater and artist Peter Gurnz, whose company, BOXeight, produced the events.
The group is currently planning a two- to four-day event, to coincide with the Fashion Week in October and focus on independent designers, in BOXeight's 6,000-square-foot gallery space at 1446 E. Washington Blvd., said Gurnz.
Smith said the activity highlights Downtown's role as a fashion powerhouse. "Whether we're seeing a BOXeight event or the fashion awards, these events try to take advantage of the buyers that are in L.A. for those market weeks," he said. As for where L.A. Fashion Week 2009 will unfold, "We're all on tiptoes waiting for the decision."
Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.
page 1, 9/1/2008
© Los Angeles Downtown News. Reprinting items retrieved from the archives are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or retransmitted without permission of the Los Angeles Downtown News. If you would like to re-distribute anything from the Los Angeles Downtown News Archives, please call our permissions department at (213) 481-1448.
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