One of Australia's most respected global fashion designers has weighed in on a hot button industry issue, ahead of a forum which will tackle it next month.
Australian-born Megan Park will join a power lineup to discuss the future of Australian fashion event platforms, including ideal dates for Australian Fashion Week, marketing versus sales outcomes and trade buying cycles.
Other key panelists include designer retailing executive Marlene Mangioni, Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia figurehead Jo Kellock, Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman, respected designer Arthur Galan, Alice Euphemia boutique owner Karen Rieschieck and PR gurus Rae Begley and Sarah Gale.
Dubbed 'What's The Industry Verdict?, the forum is an official part of the L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (LMFF) schedule and will take place on March 13.
Park launched her label in London in 1997, after designing textiles for an agency which worked for the likes of Givenchy, Dries van Noten and Kenzo. She believes local trade event dates are a complicated topic.
"We have never tried to garner international stockists in Australia as by the time Australian Fashion Week comes about we have already shown the collection internationally in Paris, New York and Milan," she said. "It would not be appropriate time wise to show again. I think that the timing of the event is a difficulty that will remain as such.
"International and Australian buyers are travelling internationally from late mid to late February until mid March, according to the Northern Hemisphere buying calendar and shows. Accordingly budgets can be spent by the time Australian Fashion Week comes in May.
"Luckily as we design for the Northern Hemisphere first, we are fortunate enough to have our collection ready for February selling, which is what we do. The collection is never identical to what we have shown internationally, however the top up and tweaking is a small amount of work as a whole, which does make it possible for us to be ready for this earlier showing time."
Park said she designs for the Northern Hemisphere first, exporting her collections across some 15 countries, before refining it six months later for the Australian market.
LMFF CEO Graeme Lewsey, a former executive of Australian Fashion Week, described domestic event platforms as "unique globally" and "worth celebrating".
"We have such a diverse and mature fashion events landscape and designers are themselves marketing product differently, where online is key and consumers are demanding fresh looks regularly and speedily.
"Australian designers are sometimes also competing with the Northern Hemisphere with opposite seasons, so timing for Australian designers is complex.
"Australian Fashion Week has indicated potential date changes into the future as has [trade fair] Fashion Exposed. I think it’s important that we all work together to provide the best collective platform. This is why [this forum] should be productive and a positive experience."
The event will take place on March 13, with tickets priced at $25.