Should bloggers be at fashion week?

The same conversation has been going on since 2010 when the spark that lit the growing hatred towards bloggers at fashion week first set flame.

No doubt, it was when Tavi Gevinson wore an oversized hat to a Dior show, thereby obstructing the view of everyone sitting behind her, that the anger really started to boil.

It has been four years and, while we may have learned a few common courtesies regarding what is acceptable to wear on the front row, we are still having the same discussion about whether bloggers deserve to be at fashion week. The resounding answer that comes from within the industry is no. Shows are overcrowded, the atmosphere resembles a circus and, as a result, print media and buyers are incapable of doing their jobs.

Ultimately, it is the designer that suffers. 

But bloggers are still coming to the shows and, these days, no one bats an eyelid when Susie Lau is positioned on the front row next to heavyweights like Anna Wintour or Suzy Menkes - as I'm sure you know, she is a blogger. This leads me to think that the debate we're having is misguided. The issue is no longer about whether bloggers should be allowed at fashion week. Instead we should be looking at which bloggers get to attend and what they can offer in return for their ticket. 

This seems like a simple issue and one that PRs should have a firm grasp on. They are the ones who decide on ticket allocation so surely they have a systematic approach to dealing with bloggers. I contacted a number of London based PR teams who organize shows for fashion week and none were willing to comment on why they invite bloggers to shows or what they hope to achieve through sending them a ticket. I was told repeatedly that the issue was 'too sensitive' for them to weigh in on. But really it is rather straightforward. Do they look at stats? Social media following? Quality of content produced? Do they try to gauge their overall influence? No comment was given. Their insistence on remaining secretive hurts both the blogger and the designer they represent. If there was transparency regarding ticket allocation then bloggers would know what PRs deem important and could thereby act accordingly. 

For print media and buyers there is a clear hierarchy regarding seat allocation but when it comes to bloggers it often feels random. In the past, I have been given front row tickets to shows by designers I have never supported or previously written about. Other times I've been denied access to shows that I've attended for years and repeatedly covered. I spoke to a number of bloggers and they all said they had experienced the same treatment. As a blogger, if you attend a show you are likely to feel confused and bewildered by seat allocation. The incentive to post about a show is reduced when you are on uncertain terms with the designer and their PR team. You are left wondering if they value your coverage or if you are just there to fill an empty seat.

To get to the heart of the issue regarding bloggers at fashion week I contacted a few designers directly.

In the same way I did with PRs, I asked them how they decide which bloggers to invite to their shows and what they hope to achieve by sending them a ticket. Everyone I spoke to was willing and eager to comment. None of the designers ranked blog stats as being an important factor when deciding whether to invite a blogger to their show. Repeatedly I was told that having a relationship with the blogger was of utmost importance. Nik Thakkar, for example, expressed a desire to establish long term ambassadors for his label Ada + Nik. Vin & Omi told me that one of the reasons they value bloggers is because of their ability to put their brand in touch with people who aren't part of the fashion industry but could become potential customers. Charlie May acknowledged that bloggers are key in creating instant buzz through social media but also recognized that for a blogger catwalk reviews often receive the least traffic. For her, it's also important that bloggers be seen wearing her designs because that's what helps boost sales. Each designer expressed an interest in having bloggers post about their show but only if they genuinely saw something they wanted to feature. There were also concerns raised about poor coverage coming out from bloggers that are unable to take clear photos or write a coherent review. 

As far as I see it, there are two types of bloggers that should be invited to fashion week.

First, there are the ones that are 'online famous'. These are the big guns who often attend shows in every city and whose mere presence is good publicity for the brand. They are the equivalent of a celebrity except they have the added bonus of being social media savvy. They'll likely Tweet and Instagram live from the show. They'll probably hashtag FROW along with a photo of their designer clad feet next to the catwalk and that's great because it generates instant buzz. Second, there are the bloggers that are great 'content producers'. These people will Tweet and Instagram too, albeit to a smaller audience, but there is also the chance that they will post a show review if they identify with the collection. They will likely appreciate their ticket and, therefore, feel a loyalty to the designer whose show they've attended. Famous bloggers and people who can produce great content are rare in the blogging world but they are the people that need to be sought out and invited to fashion week. The others should be left out. 

Designers, along with their PR team, should devise a strategic plan when it comes to allocating tickets to bloggers. They should think about the brand's image and what sort of person they want to be marketing to. This shouldn't be an afterthought and time should be allocated to properly think though it. Bloggers that are invited just to fill seats should be left out. The aim of a fashion show should not be to generate the loudest buzz but instead to create one that is well suited to the designer in question.

Photos taken by Jennifer Inglis at the John Rocha SS14 show.

Is street style dead?

There's an argument that says street style has become increasingly contrived. It's no longer about authentic individual style but rather has become a parade of famous faces and it items. No where is this more evident than during fashion week. People flock to the shows with the hope that they'll get photographed. They strut their stuff, pose while looking at their phone and wait for the desperate lenses to descend. The only problem is this has all become a bit fake. It's no longer about a person's style but more about whether they have the right mix of designer items.

Outside the Chanel show in Paris this season the madness of street style reached an all time low. Behold, the mini studio that was erected outside the venue. Complete with a massive reflector and a wall of photographers all getting the exact same shot. Authenticity and originality are lacking. It's one step further in the direction of making street style obsolete and uninspiring. Fingers crossed we never see this sort of set up again.

Please note: This studio setting was put up by French Elle but other people were snapping the same photos from behind their photographer.

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Is fashion week dead to bloggers?

OUTFIT

YMC Backpack

Fashion week felt different this season. Something wasn't quite the same - I didn't feel that same spark of excitement that I normally have. Maybe I was just having an off week but I kept getting the impression from other people that they felt the same way. I can't tell you the amount of times I heard people grumble, 'I'm so over it'.

So why the sudden disenchantment towards fashion week?

 It seemed like people didn't get the same amount of show tickets as in past seasons. My bundle was noticeably smaller than usual. What made it most confusing was that it didn't seem to matter whether I'd attended a specific designers show before. You'd think that including a link to past coverage would increase your chances of getting invited back again but it doesn't seem to work that way. Sadly this means there is little motivation to snap good photos at a show and write a solid report. Why bother if your readers don't care (catwalk shows get the least positive response from my readers) and neither do the PRs? Or, maybe it was the growing circus of fashion week attendees that was putting people off the whole event? Crazy costumes seemed to be at an all time high this season. But it might just be that we are all just growing up a little bit. After attending London Fashion Week for a hand full of seasons the glamour and glitz has started to wear off. With shows being live streamed there's arguably no reason that a blogger, or anyone, needs to be at the actual venue. Why bother getting dressed when you can watch it from the comfort of your own sofa? Whatever the reason, there seems to be an undeniable shift in the way bloggers feel about fashion week. Personally, I'll be applying for less shows and trying to find the new designers that are just getting off the ground. It's not about the FROW (cringe) or being snapped by Tommy Ton... although, let's be honest, I wouldn't turn down either.

Wearing: DAGMAR knit and skirt, Maria Nilsdotter ring and Steve Mono bag exclusively for YMC.