A while back I blogged about film being used as the ‘number one’ form of showcasing a latest collection as apposed to conventional runway shows, but it seems to be more relevant now than ever. Interestingly during Paris Fashion Week, Jefferson Hack interviewed designer and pioneer of fashion film, Gareth Pugh about presenting a collection through the digital form:
JH: There’s been a strong reaction from the press and critics on the collection and the film. Are people starting to accept fashion film as an alternative to catwalk shows? For the record, what was your motivation for making a film and not traditional show?
GP: It was about bringing it to a wider audience and about having complete control over what I bring to that audience. So many things can go wrong with a show and so many things can go wrong in a film but people don’t see those mistakes. It was about taking back control and showing them what I want them to see.
JH: Did the experience match the motivation/expectation of how you wanted it to be received? And also the emotion of it, the feeling of the audience afterward?
GP: Obviously when I do a show there’s a big release at the end. You feel a sense of elation or ”Oh, it’s finished we can get drunk.” We kind of had that when we finished shooting. Then it was two weeks of editing. So there were less peaks and troughs in my mood. Which I think was good. The show is a very small part about what I do as a designer. As soon as the show finishes it’s straight into sales and this time I was able to concentrate on getting that side of things right. It’s often forgotten, or I often forget, that the show is one part of that but, this week, starting from today actually, is where the business happens and I could concentrate on that more.
JH: It is as expensive to make a fashion film as it to stage a show, is that right?
GP: Yeah. I think a lot of people don’t realize that. They consider the option of doing a film as secondary to doing a show because it’s a cheap cop out.
JH: I think you’ve proved the complete opposite. Done at the level at which you do it, is a very clear and viable alternative for you and your brand and your vision.
GP: I think it’s about the choices that you make with regards to the amount of money you spend on things to communicate your brand. To do a show in front of 300 people maybe doesn’t make as much sense to me as making a film that we can present to, potentially millions of people around the world that can see. The idea is not diluted or edited in any way as it can be when you see pictures on sites like style.com. It’s basically what I want people to see. I think the investment…you can reap those benefits. It’s worth the money...
Some designers are now opting to create a fashion film in addition to a traditional runway presentation, but is this just another ‘trend’ that they feel they have to follow…?
