Monday marks the launch of the 10th edition of Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek, and in addition to the usual jam-packed show schedule for media guests and buyers, this season will see the Week take a further step towards reaching out to consumers. The activities will include not only a range of different events in the city centre, but also an “open walls” approach to a number of selected shows, enabling consumers with a keen interest to catch a glimpse of next year’s fashions, this year.
Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Stockholm kicks off on 16th August, and over the next three days, a record number of participants will be showcasing the very best of Swedish fashion. The week is expected to attract big international media names, such as Italian Vogue, British Elle, and Style.com, but will not only be covered by a large international press corps some of the world’s leading fashion bloggers and buyers will be attending, too.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, formerly Fashion Week by Berns, has always attracted a large international audience and Mercedes-Benz’s presence as the title sponsor for this season’s fashion week has given a further boost to this international interest.
Annika Frisch, Marketing Director of Berns Salonger and responsible for the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Stockholm says “I’m absolutely delighted that we now have the same title sponsor as the international fashion weeks in Berlin and New York, for example. It means we can enhance the positioning of Swedish fashion on the global fashion stage, which is an important step towards our goal of becoming northern Europe’s leading fashion week”.
Swedish fashion exports were one of the few industry sectors to report growth last year and during the first quarter of this year alone, clothing exports rose by 7 per cent in comparison with the corresponding period last year. The international interest is also reflected in this season’s confirmed guest list, which includes not only the above-mentioned titles, but names such as Cover from Denmark, Elle from Norway and Maxi from Germany.
Some of the world’s leading fashion bloggers and buyers will also be taking their seats on the front row, alongside the big international fashion magazines. Famous fashion blog profiles such as Susie “Style Bubble” Lau from the UK, Francis Bryan “Bryanboy” Grey-Yambao from the Philippines, and the Norwegian model and blogger, Hanneli Mustaparta, along with Yasmin Sewell, a buyer for Liberty’s, the venerable London department store, are just some of the names who will be coming to Stockholm.
“It’s important for us to attract high quality international coverage. We have a strong show schedule this season that includes Sweden’s leading fashion labels, so we’re particularly pleased to have this chance to welcome not only some of the world’s leading fashion bloggers and fashion editors, but also some of its leading buyers” says Annika Frisch.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Stockholm starts on 16th August and ends on 18th August. Berns Salonger will continue to organise the week in partnership with ASFB, and several of the shows will be held in Stora Salongen at Berns and in the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Pavilion in Kungsträdgården. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, Max Factor, Coca-Cola Light and Eurocard. Berns Salonger will continue to organise the week, which has been developed with a view to raising awareness and promoting exports of Scandinavian designers. The Organising Committee comprises representatives from Berns Salonger, Patriksson Communication, Bon, Peter Andersson Production and the Association of Swedish Fashion Brands.
Designers have shown considerable interest in presenting their collections during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and no fewer than 24 of Sweden’s leading fashion labels will be showcasing their spring and summer collections for 2011. Stockholm city will also be more involved this season in the form of Fashion Night, an Association of Swedish Fashion Brands (ASFB) initiative. The activity was inspired by its American role model, “Fashion Night Out”, which was born as part of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York. The aim of Fashion Night is to organise consumer-orientated activities – as part of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week – that offer Stockholm’s fashion aficionados and tourists the chance to take part in the city’s Fashion Week.
Fashion Night will be held on Thursday, 19th August between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. This season, it will encompass the areas around Stureplan, Biblioteksgatan and Norrmalmstorg. Stores will extend their opening hours, and customer-orientated and consumer-friendly activities will be held in the area.
Carin Wester and Lexington, who are showing in the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Pavilion in Kungsträdgården, will be opening the walls of the show tent during the week, giving passers-by the opportunity of a sneak peak at upcoming collections.
The following labels are showing their SS11 collections during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Stockholm; Ann-Sofie Back, Nakkna, Filippa K, Stylein, Ida Sjöstedt, Ljung, Camilla Norrback, Dagmar, Woolrich, Lagom, Nina Jarebrink, Hope, The Local Firm, Cheap Monday, Carin Wester, Whyred, Boomerang, Dr Denim, Mayla, Eva i Walla, Mi Lajki, Lexington, Post Fire Dew and Tiger. Graduating students from the Swedish School of Textiles at the University of Borås is participating for the first time ever be showing some of their degree portfolio collections in the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Pavilion.