EVELEIGH: Six thousand people per day attended Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (MBFW) in April, staged for the first time in its new home at Carriageworks. A representative of the organisers told the SSH: “The relocation of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia to Carriageworks has breathed a new life and energy into the event.”
MBFW is an industry event to showcase Australian fashion designers and market their designs all around the world, to traditional retailers, but also many online stores.
Asked whether the move from its previous home, the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay, had been successful, organisers IMG Fashion said they are “thrilled with the change of venue, and have received overwhelming positive response to the move from designers and their guests, the media, VIP and fashion industry figureheads alike”.
Lisa Havilah of Carriageworks, said: “It’s the best MBFW so far … the atmosphere was right.” Revealing that the move to Carriageworks is for an initial three years, Ms Havilah added: “It’s a very important Sydney event and we are looking to a long-term partnership with MBFW.”
For one week in April, there was a noticeable influx of high-heeled, expensive-handbagged females and arty male fashionistas stalking the streets of Newtown, Darlington and Redfern. Ms Havilah said: “Coffee shops and restaurants benefited from the fashion visitors.”
The organisers worked with Mercedes-Benz and local taxi providers to ensure additional services were available in the area. A shuttle bus was provided to transport guests between onsite and offsite venues, and a Mercedes-Benz car program was also in place to assist key media and guests with their travel arrangements throughout the week.
Many participants observed that it is easier and faster to make your way to Carriageworks than it was to get down George Street to the Overseas Passenger Terminal at peak hour.
Although it is an industry event, MBFW organisers said they would like to engage more with local fashionistas in 2014 and are keen to engage with fashion lovers, both in Australia and overseas, via various social media initiatives, satellite events and live sites as well as parties and social activities during and in the lead-up to the events.
According to Global Production Director Jarrad Clark, the organisers will work with the City of Sydney to create greater opportunities for businesses within the precinct to capitalise on the additional visitors.
However, MBFW’s success brought an unexpected challenge. With so many journalists, photographers and a contingent of fashion bloggers in town, wireless communications placed great pressure on the network, with some frustrating slowdowns.
“The amount of traffic in both uploads and downloads exceeded our wildest expectations and certainly was a significant increase on past seasons. A great problem to have had but one we won’t be repeating,” Mr Clark said.
