The Runway Era May Be Waning

"According to the Wall Street Journal, designers in one of the cities at the forefront of fashion, Los Angeles, are losing confidence in the system of selling fashion from runways. While Milan, Paris, and Berlin's fashion weeks are backed by their government entities, L.A. must seek the support of corporations who have been backing out of financing this year's event (i.e. IMG, Mercedes-Benz, and Smashbox Studios). However, corporations aren't the only one's backing out. Last February, New York's Fashion Week saw less designers rip the runway as many of them pulled out and had independent fashion shows. With the emergence of the Internet as a marketing and branding tool, many designers and fashion companies are looking to it as a way to market directly to customers. “Everyone is trying to change the format of a girl walking down the runway, because that’s so passé,” says L.A. designer Juan Carlos Obando. Last fall, Viktor & Rolf featured a video on their site instead of being featured on the runway, and the trend is growing as a number of designers display alternative presentations that they replay on their Web sites."