‘Fashion weeks’ can boost economy

The article by Paul Omondi titled Nairobi Farce Week that was published last Sunday started a welcome debate in a sector which is very dear to my heart. Paul has shown why fashion is important and why all of us — the government, business owners and general public — should care.

Fashion is a global money-spinner, so why are we in Kenya not benefitting? Paul mentioned mind-boggling figures: $887 million (Sh 80 billion) is injected in to the economy of New York city, twice a year, thanks to New York Fashion Week.

The amount comes through direct spending and associated celebrity parties, not to mention an influx of over 230,000 people to the city.

The New York fashion platform is not a one-night flash of entertainment. It is a series of events which boost an already vibrant economy.

So, what are fashion events in Kenya doing wrong? What do we have to do to create such a phenomenon whose economic ripples can be felt throughout Nairobi and beyond?

By comparing Nairobi Fashion Week, which started in 2013, to a 70-year-old event in one of the world’s strongest economies is a bit unfair though.

New York Fashion Week was founded in 1945 to encourage Americans to buy American in the wake of World War II.

UPS AND DOWNS

The French Chamber of Fashion changed Paris from individual and uncoordinated shows to Paris Fashion Week in 1973.

The National Chamber of Italian Fashion created Milan Fashion Week in 1958 and London Fashion Week was formed by the British Fashion Council and London Development Agency in 1984.

These events have been through their ups and downs to become firmly established as the top four international fashion weeks.

 Their governments recognise the importance of fashion in marketing their countries and creating jobs.

Apart from textile manufacturing, other sectors that significantly benefit from the fashion industry include retail, media, tourism and hospitality.

BEAUTIFUL TRADITION

Kenya is yet to fully wake up to this potential as the government takes a different approach to celebrating the beautiful traditional arts and culture, and does not understand that fashion and design are at the core of modern lifestyle.

They marry well with technology due to high-visual content, and need to be supported if we want to keep a prosperous manufacturing and craft sector in the future. South Africa woke up to this potential, and apart from banning second hand clothes, which has had an extremely positive effect on the local textile industry, it has also invested in design.

FOOTWEAR MARKET

The South African apparel and footwear market is currently worth $15.6 billion (Sh 1.3 trillion), and is expected to increase by over $6 billion (Sh 546 billion) in the next four years. (Robb Young, Business of Fashion 2015).

The investment is not only at national level, but also in the regions, where designers are encouraged to work with the traditional crafts sector, keeping their products modern and relevant to the changing lifestyles.

In 2006, the Johannesburg Economic Development Unit made a decision to develop the city into an “an internationally recognised creative city.”

It established a Fashion District in the city to house fashion enterprises and schools, and started providing training to designers and also organised fashion competitions in the city.

The amount of money generated through sponsorship at the top international fashion weeks is astounding. Mercedes Benz has been paying millions of dollars to be the title sponsor of New York Fashion Week per year. There are other sponsors who pay top dollar and designers spend upwards of $200,000 (Sh 18 million) apart from the cost of their collections.

Herein lies a very significant difference with fashion events in Kenya.

The common story that event organisers in Kenya make money at the expense of others is generally false.

Organising fashion shows is expensive, and a majority of fashion promoters actually make payments from their pockets for the love of the industry rather than filling their own bank accounts.

COME AND GONE

An easy gauge of this is how many events have come and gone — a sure sign that it is not as lucrative as it appears.

Whereas a quality event would take Sh 20 million or more, most are making do with Sh 5 million.

Visitors are the general public rather than trade buyers as local retail chains currently import instead of buying local.

However, events generate great visual content, which designers need to promote themselves and the mere deadline means they push themselves to innovate.

Fashion designers also need a retail distribution network and sales agents for their products wholesale throughout the region.

With this in place, economies of scale would set in boosting the size of production and thereby bring down unit costs to satisfy our rising brand-hungry middle class.

LOCAL BUYERS

Fashion events would then have professional local buyers as well as some international ones, scouting for new collections from participants and the whole fashion cycle starts to make sense.

Festival of African Fashion and Arts (FAFA) has taken designers to London, introduced them to buyers, and several continue to sell there. People do want our products!

The time is also ripe for a Kenyan Fashion Council.

A national government and industry appointed board of professionals who can help regulate the industry.

When events include the name Kenya or a specific Kenyan town such as Nairobi, they carry the full weight of branding that location and so it is important for county and national government to take an interest in how they are being represented.

It is also critical that they lend support and help such events display the country at its best in regards to modern lifestyle.

With a concerted efforts from private sector and government, fashion and design can lead the way in further promoting Kenya as the country to visit and do business with in Africa.

Known for strong technology, media and hospitality sectors, well supported fashion events will attract international visitors, creating a positive buzz, which will ultimately boost the coffers of our economy.

—Ann McCreath is the chair of FAFA, and Founder and Managing Director of KikoRomeo fashion/ design house. She was recognised in the “Africa’s Fashion World Power players” by New African Woman 2015, “Top 100 Women Changing Africa” by Arise Magazine 2012, and was a finalist for Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Fashion in the Source Awards 2012.