Although the economic slump dampened Fashion Week celebrations last year, this season marketers returned with some new and creative ideas. Following other kickoffs last week, including the Hermès store opening and Amfar gala, Warner Brothers Consumer Products made a bid for attention on Tuesday with a preview of clothes inspired by Korean cartoon character Pucca; Thursday saw a flash mob dance party from Glamour and the opening of Alfred Dunhill's temporary installation inside a meatpacking district warehouse.
For the launch of its seventh season, Style360—the series of shows created by David Manning and Hachette Filipacchi—Elle magazine, Joonbug.com, and the cast of Ugly Betty raised money for Prasperity Project's Haiti relief initiative at a performance-driven event at Capitale on Saturday night.
Noticeable in each was the attempt to put a lighthearted spin on the industry's weeklong event and, for some, reach beyond the trade press and buyers to consumers. This was especially integral for Glamour, whose viral effort—the stunt was filmed for the magazine's YouTube channel—is the second part of the "Live for Glamour" campaign that launched in September.
"For Glamour, being positive and optimistic is inherently who we are as a brand; that's the message. We really wanted to share that, and the flash mob was a really fun and expressive way to do it and feel a little bit more positive during Fashion Week," said associate publisher Leslie Russo.
