How much money goes into putting together a fashion show?
We were surprised to find out some of the costs involved for a designer or brand to produce and co-ordinate a high-fashion runway show. With production, hiring models, hair and make up, stylists, in-houe photographers and paid-for celebrity guests, the costs can add up quickly.
According to Bob Bland, CEO of fashion incubator Manufacture NY, the cost to designers can be astronomical.
“The production costs are extremely high,” he said. “At the Lincoln Center shows, the lighting racks alone cost $40,000. Our lights cost at least $25,000, and I think that was a deal.” After all the final details, the total could easily amount to at least $100,000. What’s even more mind-blowing is the fact that fashion shows usually only run for 15 minutes, which means given the estimated total cost, brands are spending nearly $7,000 a minute!
Still, $100,000 is only the tip of the iceberg. WebsiteFashionista reports that some entry-level fashion shows that are typically minimal in scale and spectacle can easily rack up a $200,000 bill. In that case, we can only imagine how much fashion houses like Chanel, where Karl Lagerfeld has become known for extravagant shows, spend to present their upcoming collections. Getting big name celebrities like Rihanna, Katy Perry or Beyoncé to sit front row alone can cost six figures.
This reminds us of our own World MasterCard Fashion Week, where just a few years ago Toronto Is Fashion revealed designers were paying up to $10 000 for use of the main runway space , with sponsors doling out as much as $1 million for title sponsorship. Under the new co-ordination of IMG Fashion, we’re not sure what the new figures are for designer costs in Toronto.
If you’re an aspiring designer though, you’d better start saving.
