For the first time, Kamali will be showing clothes during New York Fashion Week that are available to purchase not six months from now, but on the spot.
This is actually a concept that has been standard practice in Japan for quite some time. Part of the excitement of attending a Tokyo show is the ability to click away your orders into your phone as they strut by on the catwalk in front of you.
However, to see it embraced by a designer of Ms Kamali’s caliber during none other than NY Fashion Week speaks volumes. The fashion bunch is known for many things. However, being on the forefront of technology has never been one of them.
Norma Kamali’s show, entitled “The Democratization of Fashion” will be held on Sept. 17 at the Soho Apple store. At her show, Kamali will be launching an iPhone application that lets customers shop her signature line (priced in the $1,000 range), a second line priced under $200 that she’s producing for EBay, and her mass market NK for Wal-Mart line — all in the same place.
“The fashion shows used to be such an elite situation, only for editors and very special buyers. Then it opened up and became more of a celebrity-type event. Now there is no elite anymore. You don’t have to be in same country to see a runway show; everybody can see it as soon as it’s over, on the Internet.”
“Between new technology and the economy, the fashion industry will never be the same. It makes you stand back and say, ‘If I continue doing what I’m doing, I may not stay in business. It’s time to rethink and look at what’s working and what’s not.’”
More experimental than your traditional Fashion Weeks, Copenhagen FW Spring/Summer 2010 did not shy away from color, hair, make-up, styling…and the list goes on. Designers such as Ivana Helsinki (a horse head full-length dress), Henrik Vibskov (we like!) and Bibi Ghost may not be the household names of NY Fashion Week but venture into the Nordic region and…well there is a lot more out there than NYFW people! For one, a lot of amazing designers that for whatever reason don’t cross the radar of many people who would otherwise be great fans.
