The lights and applause at the parade are followed by a never-ending phase on Instagram: receipt of receipts. When working in the comfort of a large home, notes are sometimes passed on to the accounting department without the designer even being aware of the amount. But when you run your own business, the idea takes on a very concrete dimension. “No position puts more strain on the budget than another, but it all adds up.”His latest collection, presented on September 29, epitomizes 28-year-old Alphonse Maitrepierre, who imagines the youth wardrobe of the future, consisting of psychedelic sets with prints “matrixed” with algorithms, sculptural acetate glasses or couture clothes cut from parachute canvas or vintage cut. Quechua backpacks.
This season, the graduate of the Belgian school La Cambre was able to organize his show at the Arab World Institute. Wanting to help the avant-garde, its president, Jack Lang, and his private secretary, Philippe Castro, opened their doors. hypostyle room with imposing columns, at a lower price. On Oct. 3, it’s also where Arthur Avellano, 31, will show off his wardrobe of all latex, walkable, colorful, textured and marble. “Finding a place at fashion week is always challengingsaid the second. Due to demand, a place normally rented for 2,000 euros can suddenly be sold for 10,000 euros…”
Every vein exists to be exploited. Alain Paul and Alice Vaillant, who went through the studios of Vetements and Vuitton for him and Nina Ricci for her, used their personal networks to contact the people responsible for the coveted spots. The 27-year-old designer sent the girls down the runway with raffia-trimmed leather coats, embroidered shirts on short tassel skirts and games at the Georges restaurant on the top floor of the Center Pompidou on September 26. Lace and crystal embroidered panties. Alain Paul, 34, managed to persuade the Théâtre du Châtelet to host his first funded fashion show on September 30. “After seven years” with his partner and friend Luis Philippe.
Young designers also need to finance the set, the rental of sound and lighting equipment, taxi fares, the casting director, and of course the models. Kevin Germanier, 31, keeps an Excel spreadsheet outlining income and expenses with Swiss meticulousness. “I do not have the capacity to book some modelsagrees. But being a designer also means learning to compromise and stay realistic. » On September 26, Germanier managed to create magnificent and radical creatures, half-sea monsters, from reclaimed materials (sequins, feathers, plastics, pearls, etc.).“I discovered nudibranchs, sea snails that open the doors to a world worthy of Pokémon! »), half-dancers at the Rio carnival.
Average budget of 50,000 Euros
Another expense to keep in mind is the payment of royalties to communities of writers and performers, or music in the form of original compositions. The total amount at the end of the day is usually around 50,000 euros. An average we found in other fashion capitals for similar structures. At last London fashion week, Nensi Dojaka, SS Daley and Michael Halpern “to jump” one season due to financial difficulties.
To reduce cost, you can always limit the number of silhouettes or ask acquaintances to model, as Alice Vaillant and Alain Paul did. “Butobjecting to the second, It is still important to look with the help of a casting director to ensure that what we want to say is clearly realized. » For this thirty-year-old young man, who spent his teenage years at the Marseille National Ballet, the idea has its roots in dance. Her mixed, made-in-European collection brings together long flowing dresses in the style of Pina Bausch (one, a scarlet, immediately evokes the slim silhouette of Marie-Agnès Gillot). Orpheus and Eurydice), jersey layers, repurposed warm-up pants or a luxuriously reimagined leotard.
In France, financial aid such as that of DEFI, a support structure financed by a tax on the main federations in the sector, could also make things easier. First of all, young designers learned to negotiate sponsorships and partnerships with big brands. The cosmetics industry heavyweights – L’Oréal, Shiseido, Kiko – often supply them with makeup and teams of makeup artists, in return gaining online visibility and a reputation as altruists. A collaboration (such as Avellano teaming up with shoe maker Ugg) would certainly be welcome in terms of creative dialogue, but it could also be a breath of fresh air to the bank account.
So why not just have a video or a logbook? “Nothing can replace a parade”Shout out to the creators interviewed. “Nothing compares to the visibility shoot of a fashion show in terms of the number of subscribers on social networks and especially the sales generated”says Alice Vaillant. “Experiencing a ceremony where you actually see your work come to life in 3D is a must.”, underlines Arthur Avellano. One step ahead of Kevin Germanier: “I’m thinking of financing my next fashion show [en mars 2024] It starts as soon as the previous one ends. »
