A recent study seems to suggest that most people aren’t really interested in fashion shows. This brings up an interesting question: in today’s society, where we try to urge young girls to think for themselves and be body-positive, do we still need fashion shows?
The Case Against
A study carried out by MyVoucherCodes revealed that only 26% of people pay attention to Fashion Week because they have a genuine interest in the shows, while only 7% of men and 15% of women stated that their wardrobe choices were influenced by the shows. These are very intriguing statistics that perhaps suggest that fashion shows are no longer the be-all and end-all of the fashion world. Shopping on the high street means never having to pay attention to the high-end brands, and it also means a disconnect from the styles that they are designing. This could certainly be a big reason behind the results of the survey.
The Case For
On the other hand, it’s clear that fashion shows are not designed for everyone. After all, even the biggest of shows can only seat a few hundred people at most, and the majority will see far fewer than that. While this may partly be done to create an aura of exclusivity, it also means that there are more people who are interested in the shows than ever get to attend them – and looked at from that perspective, you can say that fashion shows are definitely still very popular. These events create a lot of buzz, particularly amongst the younger generation who rely on the blogosphere to get their fashion news. As long as someone is still interested in attending the shows, there will of course be enough of a demand to justify putting them on. Plus, not every show is the same, and a lot of fashion weeks around the world have banned models with unhealthy bodies to ensure that they are putting good role models forward.
The Weigh-Up
While fashion shows are clearly not for everyone, it doesn’t matter how small a minority enjoy them – so long as they are being enjoyed, that’s great news for those who love them. In fact, fashion shows are becoming even more relevant in today’s society, because of the age of social media sharing. You can battle to be the first person to Snapchat from the show of a big brand, or go take street style photographs on Instagram and connect with fashion fans from all walks of life. The instant accessibility that these shows have for the first time ever makes them all the more special. Just like any niche interest – for example, marketing or electronics – there will always be a minority of people who love it and a majority who aren’t interested at all.
A lot of people also don’t realise that high street trends start on the catwalk. It might be interesting to see how many of them love fashion and buying new clothes, but don’t think about Fashion Week – because it’s not something they have the chance to attend or view, they don’t realise how much of an influence it really has on them.
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