Bye Bye Mercedez-benz Fashion Week

[contessacolette]

New Name Under the Tents
By THE NEW YORK TIMES
GINIA BELLAFANTE

Published: November 18, 2003


Just as members of the fashion corps were growing accustomed to referring to the seasonal collections in New York by their official name, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, the official name changed. Yesterday, Seventh on Sixth, the producers of the shows, announced that Olympus would replace the automotive company as the title sponsor. Thus the fall 2004 collections scheduled for February will become the first Olympus Fashion Week. Mercedes-Benz, having concluded its three-year contract with Seventh on Sixth, opted out of another, though it will remain the chief sponsor of the twice-a-year shows in Los Angeles.

Olympus initiated its fashion presence at the New York shows in September, tending to the transportation, registration and coffee needs of some 600 photographers who cover the collections. Through its affiliation with Seventh on Sixth, the company wants to penetrate the world of professional photography, which it left in the 1970's. It will hand out trial cameras to those who shoot runway pictures. Martin Lee, the company's vice president for marketing, said Olympus will invest $50 million in its marketing efforts for 2004, up 70 percent from this year.

"Photographers have been really underserved during Fashion Week," said Fern Mallis, executive director of Seventh on Sixth. "And there would be no Fashion Week at all without pictures."

I feel with Olympus, it's a more appropriate sponsorship. Indeed, we would have no clue what happens under the tents if it weren't for photographers/pictures.

 

[lele]

yes more appropriate but there was something exciting about the mere statement
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.... i will miss that...... but of course cameras make it happen!

thanks for the news!

 

[contessacolette]

Originally posted by lele@Nov 20th, 2003 - 1:20 pm
there was something exciting about the mere statement
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.... i will miss that......

me too!

 

[Spacemiu]

i agree olymipus is more apropriate, i never got whya car companyw oudl sposer fashion

 

[lele]

i always think of mercedes as the utlimate in luxury and fashion is a part of that world....i see the connection....

 

[contessacolette]

hey you know maybe olympus will make use of new technologies and fashion shows will be their "lab"

hell, i'm all for better fashion pictures!!!

 

[chanel_girl]

Are the fashion shows open to to general public [Who buy tickets if that is even possible]?

 

[Pete]

Shows are not open to the public and you may not buy tickets. Tickets are distributed from each designer individually to press, buyers, fashionistas, friends family, etc. If you want to get in, you must contact the designers PR firm/showroom. Some get lucky and can get to some shows.

 

[ignitioned32]

Thanks for the info, contessacolette!