SIX MONTHS FORWARD: FROM RUNWAY TO STORE
project by Anastasia Shevchenko
fashion buyer (noun) - a person employed to select and purchase clothes and accessories for a large retail store to stock.
(Oxford Languages)
Fashion may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about art – but it’s definitely the closest (physically too) to every human: every day each of us chooses what to wear, and although we may think it’s our free will, there’s a whole chain of events that influences these decisions behind the scenes. Let’s reveal some parts of the (truly) artistic process of buying.
ANASTASIA SHEVCHENKO
Fashion Buyer for VERY Concept Store
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Part 1. Fashion show
Flashing lights, just-as-flashy guests, conceptual venues, anticipation, sweet excitement – we’re lucky to be among the first to see new collections during Milan Fashion Week. Over the past decade, fashion shows have come to resemble carefully curated (though very brief) performances, where clothes, music, and lighting work together to express the designer’s vision.
This season, for example, part of the show of Giuseppe di Morabito was Ameca – the most advanced humanoid robot in the world, who interacted with models and posed the existential question ‘Who am I?’
A successful fashion show may touch the hearts (and budgets) of the buyers – I was so moved by Blumarine SS23 that I walked home in heels for almost an hour without any fatigue, and the music from this runway is still a treasure in my playlist.
OVER THE PAST DECADE, FASHION SHOWS HAVE COME TO RESEMBLE CAREFULLY CURATED (THOUGH VERY BRIEF) PERFORMANCES, WHERE CLOTHES, MUSIC, AND LIGHTING WORK TOGETHER TO EXPRESS THE DESIGNER’S VISION.
Part 2. Showroom
The next day, we move to the showroom – the collection is carefully presented on the racks and it’s time to work: touching, exploring piece by piece, seeing them on a model, and making our own selection. Usually, the clothes we see on the rails are different from the ones we just saw during the show: pieces are altered to fit the needs of a “normal” human being, but they still represent the key concept.
The selected items will be produced for us and presented in our concept store in 6 months, along with other brands – buyers may place their orders only during fashion weeks, which, to me, resembles the schedule of art fairs.
But showrooms themselves also deserve special attention – that’s how the new space of the Italian brand MSGM was described by ML Architettura:
‘The only intentional pop of color comes from a permanent installation by designers Eva and Franco Mattes, adding a playful yet subtle contrast. A fluorescent yellow electrical cable tray runs through all the rooms, snaking across the showroom and injecting a vivid, unexpected touch of energy into the otherwise pristine space. This bold accent complements the neutral backdrop, reinforcing the idea that even in a minimalistic setting, color remains an essential part of MSGM’s identity.’
Well, I couldn’t agree more.
Just like retail stores, showrooms can also represent different brands – take Massimo Bonini, for example, a well-known platform for wholesaling fashion footwear, handbags, and accessories. For many years, they have been located in a historic venue in the heart of Milano, and almost every season they invite different artists to display their works – take a look at the pictures throughout the years. Breathtaking.
Part 3. Concept store
Half a year later, just in time for the beginning of the season, the selection reaches its final destination. The real work begins here – one of the most exciting things to me is to merchandise and curate dresses, t-shirts, pants, jewelry and finally make them part of our own concept space: represent them while keeping the idea of the collection, but also fit into the interior and atmosphere of the boutique.
Part 4.
These items truly come to life when someone buys them – and that’s the most exciting part. But by then, my work is done.
FIN