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The Republic of Brooklyn leads an international
group of designers harnessing the power of “Social TV & Social Retail” to present,
market and sell. Brooklyn Fashion
Week has put the call out for designers of fashion, home and accessories
products and services in the fashion, beauty and styling industry to submit a video
(3-15-minutes) for screening in early November!
www.brooklynfashionfilmfestival.com BKFFF is a new platform that leverages emerging technology;
Social TV and Social Retail to offer 'real time' live simulcast or on-demand
films/videos to consumers and trade, who can shop or sell, indie fashion, home
and accessory products and services! Video allows you to have a virtual and
remote presence, Showcase and sell and ultimately cuts your cost!
This year’s Brooklyn Fashion Film
Festival is a “proof of concept” stage, but these designers have
been using Video to discuss and consult, stream live and recorded
presentations of their shows and even the logistics of selling from within
Video! The effort is led by www.Brooklyn FashionWeek.com with interest expressed
from designers in NY, France, Nigeria and the Caribbean, to tap into the New
York fashion scene not just to show, but to access information, source,
sell and garner vital trade!
“We prefer to see our designers
spend thousands of dollars on producing their lines rather than spend it on
walking a runway for 8 minutes! We want
to see their unique vision rather than a group presentation…and at the end of
the show/video we want consumers and trade to buy designers’ products! That is,
after all, the point of Fashion Week,”
said Bonnie Sandy, fashion designer and
tech guru.
“A small independent designer can expect
to invest anywhere from US$4000 and up, to adequately present, whether
that is direct to trade or direct to consumer,” she continued. “Statistics show the average show with
the necessary marketing will see a designer shelling out upwards of US$10,000. For independent designers, many of
whom do specialty, limited edition and private couture work, that is not a
practical figure!”
In an effort to ‘afford’ shows,
we see designers skimping on marketing, while at the same time unable to follow
up on resulting leads because of lack of funds or lack of resources!
It’s a vicious cycle that sees promoters profiting and designers struggling!
www.brooklynfashionfilmfestival.com will see designers position video and take it’s
convergence, interactive and social properties to create a platform that
goes beyond the runway, literally selling to trade and directly to
consumers.
Collaborative strategies create success. “Strangely enough,
it is not the technology nor a lack of professional skill sets that is the
challenge! The NY Tech scene has been supporting Klickables. TV has allowed us to test their product in
video purchasing and we’ve been connecting with others in the Social TV Space!
Adjusting the technology to meet the
needs of the community is just up the alley for Sandy. When a videographer
failed to show for one of last year’s events, she quickly opened a MacBook and
streamed live with surprisingly great quality. She’s had a lot of “firsts” in fashion and technology…she added video of
local designs to her site since 2006, started using (and presenting on the tech
scene) QR codes in 2008 and more recently she’s been attending Hack to create
specific tools designers need.
The challenge has been centered more
on the business side of the independent fashion sector. Designers cannot guarantee delivery of more
than a few pieces. Many designers
showing at local shows cannot produce in the numbers or price points
needed to compete...few are earning more than $1000 a month on a regular
basis. An independent designer needs to
earn a minimum of $60,000 just to be able to afford to run her business and
live in NYC! It is possible to take a new business from 0 to six figures,
in a year business is about numbers. Sandy has designed and tested 282 A Virtual Artist Collective & Incubator
program which addressed all issues necessary
in taking a product from concept to consumers!
A 3-15 minute video-tape is the best
option for local independent designers, given their budget restraints. The key is marketing. There are tons of fashion videos on You
Tube. “Distributon partner, Streets of
New York 411 was responsible for the campaign that made Tyler Perry a household
name and we are working with them to make marketing affordable to small
businesses. Employing print ads
with connected technology components and a heavy distribution strategy will
reach the main thoroughfares; local ‘mom and pop’ stores, salons, churches
and even the Garment District,” said Sandy.
Traditional fashion shows average
seating for 300-500 individuals. Video Simulcasting will provide a much wider
audience. Video can vary from a Look Book,
kiosk or booth, stage, store window, to that of a marketing vehicle, pop-up-shop,
conference table, party centerpiece, podium, counter and cash register. It is merely a medium for communication!
Sandy started streaming video online in
2006 and has successfully tested live, on-demand and simulcast streaming.
The Fall festival will be simulcast
to allow for participants across the globe. Submission of original
videos are due the first week in October. “Video extends the impact of dollars spent. Last week I watched the videoshoot of the ‘Mugler’
video in England. A week later it was
aired – unedited. They will edit and stream the final cut at a later date,” she
opined.
“We are looking for collections
and or brand concepts from designers. We understand that many are just starting out so there is an amateur as
well as a professional package offered. The
hope is that Brooklyn designers will partner with Brooklyn
independent filmmakers, musicians and other service professionals to create
a resource center for the borough.
Other categories include submission
of films/shorts with a heavy Fashion influence, as well as a virtual Expo floor
and trade show that will target online boutiques and web properties.
“Whether or not we like it this
industry is changing. We simply prefer to define our own path! The way we show and sell is changing and since
our needs are not being met we are creating our own thing,” she
concluded.
To participate, partner, sponsor or
register for workshops, click on http://www.bkfff.com/contact-us/
To attend http://www.brooklynfashionfilmfestival.com/
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Fashion By Brooklyn 
