Joe Fresh has done it for many seasons and Express closed out the week this time, but is there a place for brands like that at Fashion Week? To some, having mass markets show at Fashion Week defeats the purpose – it isn’t really “fashion,” while to others would say both lines are “accessible” by the vast majority and therefore perfect – especially at a smaller market like Toronto. Personally, I have mixed feelings about this. I like the fact that there are things that everyone can get – especially when the brand is homegrown and sells for well below $100 a piece – and not just imagine themselves getting. It allows people to go “hey, I can’t wait for this to launch in stores in a few months!” However, is the show itself really accessible to all when a ticket to get in costs almost as much as many of the items presented? While tickets aren’t extremely expensive in terms of the price itself – around $25 – it is pretty high for what it is, considering one presentation is usually around 15 minutes. Twenty-five dollars can get you almost two tickets for a movie. At the same time, there are those who believe that budget-conscious brands cheapen the event, even if most designers are showing pieces at higher price points. After all, “mass market” brands who show at other Fashion Weeks tend to show only their “runway” or “collection” pieces.
Joe Fresh
Still, Joe Fresh tends to be one of the most sought-after shows at World MasterCard Fashion Week, more so than the much higher-priced designers who present that same week. In fact, I have never been to any show that is not packed since I started covering Fashion Week for the predecessor of this site, Prospere Magazine, back in March 2009. And the fact that there’s something for “regular people” in the Toronto shows is something that we, as a city, is known for. After all, the Toronto International Film Festival, unlike say, Cannes, offer tickets to the general public, rather than “accredited people” or via invitation. The latter makes something, in my opinion, even more closed off.
Express
What are your thoughts on mass retail at Fashion Week? Is there a difference between something like Joe Fresh/Express and something that generally retails at a higher price point, like J.Crew?
Photos by Deborah Lawrence Photography
