A location must be rented, director hired to plan out the show itself, and production team put in place to ensure the show runs smoothly. The cost of a show like this can cost well over 50,000 Euros. Translation: over $73,000.

Now that the sales campaign is wrapping up, the event which draws in buyers from around the world to view and select for purchase articles from the pre-collection, the path is now clear for the frenzy of preparing for fashion week at the end of February to begin. For anyone who thinks the fashion industry is a well-organized and well-oiled machine, you are only half right. Instead, the industry manages to keep a glossy finish on what is actually well-organized chaos.

The company I work for, Maurizio Pecoraro, has just begun the process of designing the collection, which is to be presented in less than one month. While designing a collection may take only a matter of weeks, all of the sketches must be realized into splendid works of art for the fashion press to review and critique. There is a lot of work to be done.

This year, the pre-collection was the biggest yet, with nearly 60 pieces, each in around four different colors. But now that the sales campaign for the pre-collection is wrapped, the real work begins.

Just today, the model selection process commenced; the show will not only include nameless girls from Eastern Europe, so popular in the industry today, but also the likes of Agyness Deyn and Irina Lazareanu.

Looking at their call cards only starts the process. All the models much be reviewed in person at a casting call, eventually narrowing down the group to those selected for the show.

Much more work must be done than selecting models to create a successful fashion show. A location must be rented, director hired to plan out the show itself, and production team put in place to ensure the show runs smoothly.

The cost of a show like this can cost well over 50,000 Euros. Translation: over $73,000. Even small details like hiring delivery agencies to transfer the clothing from the showroom to the site of the fashion show must be arranged well in advance.

While fashion shows started out as a venue for buyers to view the collection on live models before making their purchasing decisions, they have turned into media circuses that have very little to do with the buyers (who are able to view the collection privately at the showroom) and more to do with who sits in the front row, and how the fashion press feels about the collection.

For Maurizio Pecoraro, there are rumors among the staff that something special will happen at this year’s show, as it will be celebrating his 20th collection. Stay tuned.

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