The cost of fashion week has been steadily increasing over recent years with the demand for a spectacle continually being raised. For emerging designers, the pressure is particularly high; not only are they battling to win the attention of buyers and editors, but they are also fighting to bankroll expensive showcases. New York Fashion Week alone had over 250 shows and presentations earlier this month, a significant portion of which were live-streamed.
As Rachel Arthur wrote for Mashable in September, the full video package can reportedly cost anything between USD $20,000-$50,000 a pop (depending on production requirements).The price tag of renting a venue is equally as high. As The Vivant reported last month, rental fees at the Lincoln Center (the official home of New York Fashion Week) range from $15,000-$50,000 depending on the size of the space. And for historic venues like the New York Public Library (where Marchesa was showing this season), fees start at $50,000. Once you factor in styling, public relations costs, models fees and celebrity appearance fees, then a runway show can often represent the pinnacle of economic impracticality – even for established brands. READ MORE