LMFF2013 - FASHION INDUSTRY FORUM 2:
THE FASHION MEDIA LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION
Sofitel Hotel Melbourne
With any industry, there must be an element of "business" attached and accounted for to make it "viable." Not only financially viable, but incorporating factors such as marketing, promotions and advertising, thus making their event or art, "accessible" by all.
The same applies to the week long L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival held in March. Not only is it’s main focus on commercial fashion in the retail market, LMFF also hosts several key industry talks or forums fo- cussing on the “business” side of the fashion industry.
The Fashion Media Landscape Transformation deals with the incredibly changing and constantly evolving media landscape to suit the adaptive and savvy consumer of today. Renowned and recognised media pro- fessions from various newspapers, print publications and online media will be set on stage to debate the emerging marking, publicity and promotional opportunities that result from the recent media revolution and evolution.
The guest panelists included Damien Woolnough, Fashion Editor of The Australian newspaper; Rae Be- gley, Founder and Director of Little Hero; Kim Wilson, Executive Fashion Editor of the Herald Sun; Melissa Hoyer, Fashion and Media Commentator; Janice Breen-Burns, Fashion Journalist and Author; with Glynis Traill-Nash, Fashion Writer and Commentator wearing the Facilitator and Host cap.
DAMIEN WOOLNOUGH opened the proceedings with a decry that “newspapers are no longer the mono- lithic link.” Newspapers, traditionally have been the forefront of news, information, images and editorials. Before the advent of the internet and its resultant offspring - social media; fashion was depicted in editorial write ups and dull images printed in the lifestyle section of any newspaper. Now, Woolnough says, “news- papers are changing but will they continue to exist in this changing landscape?” Interestingly, Woolnough will be leaving his post as Fashion Editor of The Australian, Australia’s largest nationally circulated newspa- per, to become the Fashion Editor of the relaunch of Elle Australia magazine. Proclaiming that “magazines are the way,” he theorised that print is still a priority and is first in leading and influencing fashion news.
JANICE BREEN-BURNS added that “fashion was POLICY in newspapers.” She noted that 5-6 years ago, journalists became increasingly nervous of protecting the integrity of the newspaper masthead they’d worked for. Then came the explosion of “celebrity controversy” in regards to fashion - which “middle age men” in that era thought fashion was all about. Thus, they promoted fashion to all the “silly girls and house- wives,” with that in mind.
Nowadays, these old “monoliths” of fashion information and influence had to adapt. And adapt quickly. Fash- ion articles have done a full revolution, being written to be reflective, in-depth and with comprehensive cov- erage of fashion from all forms.
How has this evolution prompted the change in one of the fashion “bibles” of the industry, VOGUE Maga- zine? EDWINA MCCAIN, Editor-in-Chief of VOGUE Australia commented that the main challenge facing the magazine is trying “to keep it up with it all.” One of the frustrations McCain continually face have been com- plaints from their subscribers and non-subscribers of the streamlining of the magazine’s print content in line with their online content. This cannot happen as “online content is different to digital editions (enhanced ver- sions of the print edition).” McCain diligently explains that Vogue.com.au has “evergreen” content, which is continually published and updated online, in consultation with VOGUE UK and US. It is also highly con- nected with social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter “click throughs.”
An example of this has been the successful launch of Miss Vogue - an online only “edition” aimed at younger audiences with edgier content and a focus on promoting Australian designers. So shall we write the obituary for fashion “media?”
“Media is NOT dead!” exclaimed MELISSA HOYER. Currently working as the Entertainment Editor for news.com.au, she has worked in print, online, television and radio, making her a verbose and formidable contributor in this forum. Hoyer rightly points out that there are now plenty of platforms currently used to engage with the audience. With the audience’s insatiable appetite for fashion, news is now “short and sharp,” with a tweet becoming a news “story.” She looks at change positively, and with everyone embracing new media, the days of “print vs. digital” fighting for media “space” are long gone.
But how do fashion companies embrace the use of both print and digital when it comes to promoting their products and services, whilst building their image and branding? RAE BEGLEY suggested a solution - “content creation.” By utilising social media, PR companies can demonstrate their power for brands. Such content creation like webisodes and events can communicate a brand’s story, providing a medium for people to further interact and engage with their favourite brands. There must be a balance campaign, with print AND online media employed. Begley stressed that content must be ready for all media platforms, which is a chal- lenge with the evolving technology involved. Is the “success” of an online campaign derived from the number of “clicks” or “likes” or “shares” or “sales?” There is no magical measuring tool devised, despite all the tal- ented brains of computer data analysis or coding at our fingers.
KIM WILSON is addicted to information derived from social media. The only fashion editor of any Australian newspaper, Wilson epitomises the challenges of embracing print media in conjunction with digital social media. Being an active user of all social media platforms in promoting her work with the Herald Sun, she lamented that newspapers still need a “hook” when it comes to publishing an editorial article, commentary, opinion or event. That “hook” is the “story.” What is the story? Who is the story? While pictures are a mas- sive part of the newspaper, something substantial is still required to generate a story that can add value to the reader. An example would be an element of video. Wilson shared a tidbit with the forum audience - that a 3 minute video equates to an 8 hour job for the videographer. So if people can generate and provide that video element, it becomes a huge incentive, but stressed that it still must be reflective of the brand and their story.
This next stage in “new media” has almost superseded last season’s darlings, the fashion “bloggers.” Breen-Burns lamented that social media had completely change the workload, and that all these new plat- forms have not solved of the print platform, the long form of fashion editorials and cover stories. She bla- tantly addresses the forum crowd, predominantly filled with these supposed bloggers that these “bedroom bloggers aren’t engaging with the audience.” Instead they have their “niche markets and readers,” and there aren’t many online blogs that dedicate journalistic writings in the “long form” to cover fashion. She and the rest of the panelists all agree that bloggers must employ journalistic skills and quality into their online con- tent.
And despite the decries of “print is dead!,” all the panelists concluded that magazines still do a great job at keeping their audience interested - engaging with them and provide them a sense of escapism.
As McCain pointedly summed up, “fashion is ALL about dreaming. Couture IS the dreaming - fashion for art sake.” Whether that be a gloriously excessive editorial photo shoot in a ten-page spread in VOGUE maga- zine, or that fantastical, whimsical coverage of the inaugural Red Carpet Runway show presented by Harper’s BAZAAR Brides at this year’s L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival posted by a little known “bed- room blogger,” only time will tell.
ALL IMAGES USED WITH PERMISSION FROM LUCAS DAWSON FOR AMPR www.lucasdawson.com.auReuben Cheok - Stylist - is an internationally recognised stylist and TV personality. He is covering L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival as part of BraudiaGM Pty Ltd.
To Contact:
Email: contact@reubencheok.comTwitter: @reubaniaInstagram: @reubania
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