Photo by Rodney Smith

How to run a succssful fashion PR event with Tony&Guy (via MarketR)

• To fit the theme of the show all media and press packs were hand delivered in document envelopes marked “Top Secret.” Envelopes were personally addressed and labeled with a return address and a Toni&Guy stamp. Inside the envelopes was a press-release, a personal letter inviting them to the show + a guest, a letter indicating that a donation in their name had been made to Beauty Night for the enclosed tickets and a mini poster to put up in his/her office.

The success of Clippykit (via Telegraph)

• Working from her London home, with the help of her mother Clare, she kept her overheads to a minimum and ploughed all her profits back into the company. “That £2,000 enabled me to build a turnover of £180,000 in my first year.”

Is Twitter impacting the fashion trend cycle? (via ConsumingPR)

• As fashionistas exchange trends on twitter, consumers will be overloaded with trends and fashion news. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy that there is an overload of fashion news accessible at my fingertips, but this might mean that trends will have shorter life spans.

Sony partners with fashion designers and takes over Manhatten (via TechStarlet)

• Sony really pulled out all the stops with the “Mannequins take to the street” campaign. The company partnered with six different fashion designers that outfitted mannequins what will be up for view in various parts of Manhattan.

What male reporters at the WSJ are planning for Valentine’s Day (via WSJ)

• Valentine’s Day is another one of these simple traditions that has become a big commercial event. People have sent messages to each other on that day for hundreds of years. But now we’re being pressured to buy our loved ones everything from teddy bears to diamonds or take them on expensive vacations. That’s especially true this year, with Valentine’s Day falling on what is a three-day weekend for many people.

[The following is a guest post by Melissa Davis of Ruby Press. Founded in 2001, Ruby Press is a boutique public relations agency representing style-driven businesses. Founder and Co-Owner Melissa Davis is a former fashion editor with a combined twelve years of experience at Harper’s Bazaar, Mademoiselle, Lucky, and 7x7 magazines. Additional information about Ruby Press can be found at www.rubypr.com.]

Vogue Cover Paris November 2008 with Vanessa Paradis

Hire a PR agency in this economy? Really?

In this kind of economy, which naturally makes business owners wary, many look at PR services as a place where they can “trim the fat”. The climate is scary right now, but PR is now more important than ever. In an economic downturn, when shoppers are cutting back on spending and are becoming more discerning as to where they spend their dollars, it is imperative that one’s products are in the forefront of the target audience’s mind.

Consumer spending is down to be sure, but people are still shopping – just not as much. They’re being more careful than ever with each purchase that they make, whether it’s a lipstick or a pair of shoes. They’re doing their homework (reading the magazines, scouring their favorite blogs) and educating themselves on the best buy. Editorial coverage, (specifically fashion editorial coverage) whereby an editor or writer has chosen to provide unique coverage of a brand/product/personality, is uniquely powerful, in that the potential consumer generally trusts the media outlet and its coverage. When they see that the editors have endorsed a particular product by putting it in their magazine, they trust that it’s chic and of-the-moment. And the more they see the brand in the press, the more familiar they feel with the brand and the company’s products.

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(Fashion Reflection by marie leconte )

Fashion PR Fridays December 5, 2008

(extra links since I have been a bit remiss in posting!)

• Interview with Nivia Prescol, AE at Think PR
• Interview with Stylista’s Cologne Schmidt
• The truth about working in the fashion industry
• Love Costume Design? New blog Frocktail is your new best friend
• Fashion Blogger Tips for getting that media pass!
• More Twitter resources than you could ever need (but still fun to read!)
• Interview with Susan Lyne, CEO at the Gilt Group
• Social Media Monitoring tool BackType lets you “find, follow and share comments from across the web.”
• Create your own fashion magazine
• More niche social networking sites