[Sponsored by Pitch! Press] Top Fashion PR Links 3/13/09

This Top Fashion PR Links post is sponsored by Pitch!, a press service for fashion industry clients seeking on-going editorial and media placement at an affordable monthly rate. For more information on sponsoring a post, or to request a media kit, please contact info[at]prcouture.com

Amsterdam Street Fashion by !pablo Vieira!

Amsterdam Street Fashion by !pablo Vieira!

fprfPublic Personae interviews Toni Hacker, Creative Director at Hayden Harnett

  • How long does it generally take for a handbag to go from concept to consumer? We work about a year in advance…concept to consumer.

Targeting women in a recession (via The Economist)

  • But marketing to women may not work for every company. In particular, for firms (such as some carmakers) with brands that are regarded as strongly male, “gender bending”, or trying to attract the opposite sex, could enhance short-term sales but cause a longer-term decline.

Procter & Gamble, the makers of TIDE laundry detergent are selling “vintage” T-Shirts” to help families devastated by disaster. (via A Year of CrockPotting)

  • Tide Loads of Hope helps in the aftermath of a natural disaster by providing clean clothes and a sense of comfort to families in need. Partnering with Feeding America, we travel to disaster affected neighborhoods with the Tide Loads of Hope truck or vans, our free mobile laundry service.

In case you haven’t heard, subscriptions to Glamour are just $1.50 (via Trend de la Creme)

Social Media PR Agencies Ranked by Marketers in New Survey (via PR Squared)

  • Recently, ZDNet’s Jennifer Leggio conducted a survey whose “main purpose was to determine which PR firms are best attuned to social media and are developing the most beneficial social programs for their clients.”

Little Birdie: HARO for Fashion PR & Fashion Bloggers

Little Birdy

In the style of Peter Shankman’s Prof-Net obliterating “Help a Reporter Out” (HARO), Independent Fashion Bloggers, founded by Jennine Tamm (of fashion blog The Coveted) has announced a weekly email newsletter to sync Fashion PR agencies, designers and freelancers with fashion bloggers for potential media coverage.

Little Birdie is a free press access tool that connects PR and fashion companies to IFB members by providing queries from fashion bloggers based on stories they are looking to cover. Fashion PR’s can then contact the bloggers directly.

With so many fashion PR agencies looking to fashion bloggers for coverage, and many not knowing where to begin or who to pitch, Little Birdie offers a groundbreaking opportunity to build long-term relationships with fashion bloggers.

Potential opportuntities include:

  • Seasonal gift guides
  • Specific topics (e.g. shopping on a budget, dressing for a summer wedding, etc)
  • Product reviews
  • 1:1 interviews

The goal of Little Birdie is to help PR access fashion bloggers for coverage based on demand and need, and like HARO, anyone caught pitching off topic will be immediately banned.

Although the tool is primarily for bloggers, Jennine is also open to direct inquiries from fashion PR companies for special opportunities.

While the first emails won’t launch until April, sign up early to be among the first to benefit from this unique approach to better blogger relations.

Independent Fashion Bloggers provides forums, a weekly link carousel and other forms of support for bloggers looking to develop connections with other bloggers, benefit from education and shared learnings via the IFB blog and increase awareness about fashion blogging in general. The organization has over 2,000 members from several countries including top fashion blogs like Style Bubble, Mademoiselle Robot, Wendy Brandes Jewelry, Dramatis Personae, Fasshonaburu and Clutch-22.

Top Fashion PR Links 3/6/09

Kisses in the air by Marta Lamovsek

Kisses in the air by Marta Lamovsek

fprfApplications for the PR News’ Platinum PR Awards are due May 15, 2009. Winners will be honored at the PR Awards in October 2009 in New York City. Additionally, winners will be profiled in the PR News Platinum PR Awards Issue in October.

Working New York Fashion Week as an Fashion PR Intern for Allison Brod PR (via Daily Reveille)

  • Working for a public relations company was a bit of a change for Williams. At previous fashion weeks, she spent most of her time working the week before fashion week helping designers with the preparation of the collection.“I just wanted to get experience with all facets of the industry,” Williams said. “My focus is design, so I would love to ultimately design. As far as starting out, I am not expecting to have my dream job, and I really like event planning, too.”

Fashion designer Black Heart Bunny was at PR Couture’s recent fashion networking talk and wrong a lovely recap of the evening:

  • The guest speaker was Ms Crosby Noricks of the #1 Fashion PR Blog PR Couture… She is endearing, witty, insightful and her talk was very motivating. Besides providing insight into the world Fashion PR and the power of blogging, she also shared with us what fashion means to her on an intimate level.

Paying bloggers for coverage (via AdFreak)

  • Personally, I think there’s nothing wrong with giving bloggers free samples, even if the products are pricey. But when there’s a direct quid pro quo for coverage, you’ve got a recipe for eroded credibility on both sides. That said, I know plenty of hardworking bloggers who subsist on paid reviews and other sponsored projects.

CNN are airing a fly on the wall documentary about the charismatic Carine Roitfeld, the editor-in-chief of French Vogue.(via The Musings of Ondo Lady)

  • Carine’s name is often mentioned in awe by fashionistas around the world who all love her for her edgy fashion spreads and slightly punky covers.

Photo courtesy of Marta L. Lamovšek