INTERVIEW
5 minutes with Natalie Xenita , IMG
It was a tough year for fashion shows in 2020 , but now , they ’ re making a comeback . We chat with Natalie Xenita , executive director at IMG , which organises Afterpay Australian Fashion Week , about what we can expect from the runway .
Inside Retail : What are some of your favourite fashion retail trends right now ? Natalie Xenita : With retail stores shuttered last year as a result of the pandemic , I have been excited to see a lot of designers and brands welcoming their customers back into stores and engaging them through VIP experiences . One-on-one styling sessions , personalisation and limited edition collection drops are just some of the tactics designers are using to engage new and existing customers , rewarding them through experiential moments rather than discounting .
IR : If you could invite anyone dead or alive to a group Zoom conference call , who would it be and why ? NX : Costume designer Lizzy Gardiner , designer and illustrator Ken Done , Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott and pop art icon Andy Warhol . I ’ ve always been inspired by pop art and its ability to elevate popular culture into fine art forms , and vice versa . Fashion and pop art go hand in hand , using irony to democratise fashion for all . I love seeing the way in which designers and brands collaborate to incorporate iconic imagery into their collections , to create wearable art .
IR : How would you describe the Australian fashion landscape right now ? NX : Last year changed a lot for the fashion industry . Designers in particular have used the time to reflect and think about how they move forward , from the collections they produce to the ways they communicate with their customers .
Through 2020 and into 2021 , we also saw Australian designers including Camilla and Marc , Carla Zampatti , Rebecca Vallance , Camilla and Romance
Was Born respond to customers ' changing lifestyles by introducing more casual items into their collections , such as loungewear , sleepwear and even bed linen .
After 12 months of casual dressing , designers are now seeing customer demand for a return to evening wear . As the pioneers of the athleisure category , Australian designers are well placed to strike a balance between casual comfort and elevated elegance – and it is an opportunity for retailers to sell through additional collections .
The Australian fashion industry has proven extremely resilient and there is a bright future ahead . We cannot wait for Afterpay Australian Fashion Week in Sydney to return from 31 May – 4 June , so we can continue to support not only designers , but also the countless professionals who make up our industry , including stylists , hair and makeup artists , photographers , producers , creative directors and others .
IR : When you look around at some of the events that have taken place around the world in the past year , which ones really caught your eye ? NX : New York Fashion Week : The Shows , was definitely the stand out for me . The pandemic forced designers to consider new ways to showcase their collections and express their ideas during digital fashion weeks , to replace big production runways and presentations . With audiences consuming more content , and demanding more from the digital experience , the September 2020 season saw IMG launch a global fashion OTT ( over the top ) on NYFW . com , streaming designer shows and live experiences throughout the week . This central fashion hub gave designers the flexibility to showcase their collections or tell brand stories via digital content such as virtual runways , brand films and presentations , and enabled them to reach a global audience of consumers like never before .
It was great to see the creative and innovative ways designers chose to showcase their collections , including Australian designers Christopher Esber and macgraw who showed on the official NYFW : The Shows schedule for the first time .
Aside from designer content , the NYFW : The Shows OTT continued to highlight how fashion can be an agent of social change , bringing conversations of representation and inclusion to the forefront as part of NYFW : The Shows ’ ongoing series of culturally-enriching conversations , The Talks .
IR : What do you miss most about physical fashion shows and why ? What are some of the things that a virtual event cannot replicate ? NX : There is really nothing that can replicate the experience of sitting at a runway show . Afterpay Australian Fashion Week is a pivotal moment in the international fashion calendar , and for our Australian designers , it is the ultimate way for them to freely express their creative vision through set design , music , hair , and makeup that set trends and create cultural moments for years to come .
Each year , I am constantly amazed at the ways our designers are able to bring their collections to life in our unique and beautiful city – be it a lunchtime soiree at Totti ’ s in Bondi with Bondi Born , a tour of the Chinese Garden of Friendship with Double Rainbouu , or a dinner and a show at Restaurant Hubert with Romance Was Born . What makes a great show is the freedom of expression and the boundary-pushing spirit of Australian designers . �
10 | www . insideretail . com . au May 2021