Frequently Asked Questions about Boston Fashion Week
What does Boston Fashion Week do?
What doesn’t Boston Fashion Week do?
Who operates Boston Fashion Week?
How can I support Boston Fashion Week?
What is the Boston Fashion Council?
How does someone join the Boston Fashion Council?
How does someone volunteer for Boston Fashion Week?
How does someone secure an internship with Boston Fashion Week?
How does someone register their event for Boston Fashion Week?
How does an organization become a Boston Fashion Week sponsor?
How does an organization become a Boston Fashion Week partner?
Why haven’t I ever heard of Boston Fashion Week before?
Why wasn’t there a Boston Fashion Week in 2005 and 2006?
Why isn’t there a central location for Boston Fashion Week like the tents in New York?
How do I advertise on the Boston Fashion Week website?
What does Boston Fashion Week do?
Boston Fashion Week DOES:
- Coordinate an annual week of shows and special events dedicated to promoting the local fashion industry. Basic registration is free. Opportunities to enhance a listing’s visibility are also available for a fee. There is one primary criteria for registering as an official Boston Fashion Week event – the Play Nice Rule. We ask that participants be flexible with their scheduling, so that designers are not scheduling competitively if at all possible.
- Operate a network of websites to provide information to industry professionals, the press and the general public about the efforts of Boston Fashion Week throughout the year. These websites also include select listings and special information about events and special projects throughout the year that speak to the Boston Fashion Week mission.
- Produce and secure sponsors for specific in-house events that are designed to promote the local fashion industry. Boston Fashion Week's Opening & Closing Nights, modelBOSTON, Style Summit and various exhibitions are a few of the unifying projects that we undertake.
- Share information, advice and resources when they are available from experienced industry leaders and patrons of fashion. This of course is subject to the generosity and availability of leaders and/or patrons in any given year.
- Create opportunities for the public to discover the great wealth of local fashion talent, which also allows that talent to access audiences they would normally not be able to reach on their own.
What doesn’t Boston Fashion Week do?
Boston Fashion Week DOES NOT:
- Produce fashion shows for designers.
- Subsidize fashion shows and special events for individual designers.
- Secure sponsors for individual designers.
- Provide models, venues, lighting, staging, etc. for individual designers.
Who operates Boston Fashion Week?
Boston Fashion Week is operated primarily by volunteers that include every level of fashion professional, students from every fashion related field (design, marketing, graphics, communications, photography, music, etc.) and individuals who simply love fashion and want to be a part of it.
Yes, that is all we do. It’s hard to believe that anyone would ask such a question of a group of professionals who donate their time, money, creativity and resources to make something like Boston Fashion Week possible but regrettably we get that question a lot.
We try not to judge but, “Shame on you!”
How can I support Boston Fashion Week?
- Spread the word.
- Attend the events.
- Patronize local designers.
- Volunteer.
- Sponsor an event or show.
- Buy the t-shirt from our online store!
VISIT: Boston Fashion Week Online Store
What is the Boston Fashion Council?
The Boston Fashion Council is a group of industry professionals who are invited each year to:
- Help raise money for a scholarship fund.
- Participate in the judging process in an annual design competition.
- Serve as a voice for Boston Fashion Week.
- Act as mentors by lending their experience to projects, shows and general operations.
- Share their resources and expertise with the next generation of local fashion talent.
How does someone join the Boston Fashion Council?
A seat on the council is secured by invitation only and that invitation is non-transferable.
Once invited there are two levels that someone can serve at:
Professional Level 2007 - $100
Leadership Level 2007 - $500
If there is someone you believe should be invited please pass on their information to us and allow us to consider inviting them directly.
EMAIL: BostonFashionWeek@gmail.com
How does someone volunteer for Boston Fashion Week?
Anyone interested in volunteering can submit an online application.
Volunteers are then contacted on a project by project basis as needed.
VISIT: VOLUNTEER PAGE
How does someone secure an internship with Boston Fashion Week?
We are not accepting applications for internships at this time as there are no internship positions currently available.
How does someone register their event for Boston Fashion Week?
Once a designer has secured the basic details surrounding a plan for a fashion show, special event or installation they can submit them through the online registration form. They will then be contacted regarding a confirmation of their place in the schedule and also be made aware of any scheduling conflicts.
VISIT: REGISTRATION PAGE
How does an organization become a Boston Fashion Week sponsor?
Any organization interested in sponsoring Boston Fashion Week may contact us regarding:
Presenting Sponsorship
The Presenting Sponsor role is a powerful way to align your brand with a respected Boston tradition celebrating style and this unique local industry.
It serves as a sign of support and respect for all of the fashion related work that chooses Boston as it's base. It also sends a clear message that we want this creative force to remain here as a part of the evolving culture of Boston.
This sponsor name/logo will be directly tied to select official Boston Fashion Week collateral. (Advertising, website, t-shirts, programs, etc.)
“Boston Fashion Week presented by _________."
The Lead Sponsorship Level for 2007 is $10,000
If you are interested in becoming the lead sponsor please contact us directly at BostonFashionWeek@gmail.com
Patron Sponsorship
The Sponsor role is a powerful way to align your brand with a respected Boston tradition celebrating style and this unique local industry.
It serves as a sign of support and respect for all of the fashion related work that chooses Boston as it's base. It also sends a clear message that we want this creative force to remain here as a part of the evolving culture of Boston.
This sponsor name/logo will be associated with select official Boston Fashion Week collateral. (Advertising, website, t-shirts, programs, etc.)
The Patron Sponsor Level for 2007 is $5,000
If you are interested in becoming the lead sponsor please contact us directly at BostonFashionWeek@gmail.com
Project Sponsorship
The Sponsor role is a powerful way to align your brand with a respected Boston tradition celebrating style and this unique local industry.
It serves as a sign of support and respect for all of the fashion related work that chooses Boston as it's base. It also sends a clear message that we want this creative force to remain here as a part of the evolving culture of Boston.
This sponsor name/logo will be associated with select project related collateral. (Advertising, website, t-shirts, programs, etc.)
The Project Sponsor Level may provide financial support and/or in-kind contributions of:
Advertising space, venues, models, printing, lighting, staging, food & beverage, technology, transportation, celebrity talent, etc.
If you are interested in becoming the project sponsor please contact us directly at BostonFashionWeek@gmail.com
How does an organization become a Boston Fashion Week partner?
The Partner role is a powerful way to align your brand with a respected Boston tradition celebrating style and this unique local industry.
It serves as a sign of support and respect for all of the fashion related work that chooses Boston as it's base. It also sends a clear message that we want this creative force to remain here as a part of the evolving culture of Boston.
This partner name/logo will be associated with select official Boston Fashion Week collateral. (Advertising, website, t-shirts, programs, etc.)
A partner may provide financial support and/or in-kind contributions of:
Advertising space, venues, models, printing, lighting, staging, food & beverage, technology, transportation, celebrity talent, etc.
If you are interested in becoming a partner please contact us directly at BostonFashionWeek@gmail.com
Why haven’t I ever heard of Boston Fashion Week before?
Boston Fashion Week has not had the resources to date to implement any major advertising campaigns.
It relies completely on the generosity of press partners and editorial coverage.
Even so, Boston Fashion Week has enjoyed great success in each of its ten years to date thanks to the great support of industry leaders and the grassroots effort to engage the public imagination and loyalty.
Over the years Boston Fashion Week has acquired several volumes of press clippings featuring articles from every major publication in New England (which will soon be available online). Fashion shows and special events throughout it's history have attracted large, diverse and enthusiastic audiences throughout the metro-Boston area thanks to the efforts of each participant and embracement of the concept - "You get out of it what you put into it."
Almost every prominent local fashion designer has been involved with Boston Fashion Week since it's inception. We are also proud to have created environments in which many emerging talents came into the public eye for the very first time.
We were privileged to have Miss USA 2003 Susie Castillo return to to Boston to host the opening of our 10th Annual Boston Fashion Week. She had participated in our modelBOSTON program only a few years before! She currently hosts the daily program MTV's TRL (Total Request Live) and Big Ten.
Why wasn’t there a Boston Fashion Week in 2005 and 2006?
Operations were suspended because it was decided that Boston Fashion Week was operating under an outmoded model for success. The two year hiatus was spent re-inventing an approach that would lend itself more to change, technology and innovation.
Why isn’t there a central location for Boston Fashion Week, like the tents in New York?
The Boston Fashion Week goal is to make participation in the week as accessible as possible. Most Boston-based designers do not have budgets that would allow them to pay the fees required to fund this kind of venture. When sponsorship becomes available at the level needed to make a central location a possibility we will welcome such an opportunity.
modelBOSTON is an annual effort designed to bring attention to one of the most important yet often under-appreciated elements of the industry – the models. Although you may know many of the world’s leading supermodels by name, most models struggle in a very competitive market and often go un-credited and under-compensated for their contributions.
We believe that the projects we create each year afford the local modeling talent pool greater visibility as well as providing us with the opportunity to celebrate some of the newest faces on the scene, who we believe are destined to develop successful careers.
This year’s project is the result of the collaboration with Viewfinder Productions.
Viewfinder Productions will lead modelBOSTON by promoting and coordinating two large casting calls on April 22nd and 23rd. We are looking for new faces in the industry. This means talent who have been represented for less than 1 year. They may already have a composite card or the start of a portfolio.
A panel of professionals from the industry including photographers, hair and makeup artists, stylists, designers and others will review all applicants and select a top 30 applicants. We expect to select 15 men and 15 women.
Viewfinder Productions plans to host a party to introduce the 30 new faces to the industry panel and others from the fashion and advertising industry. After the event, on-line voting will begin to find the final Top 10 faces. Once the Top 10 are determined; a smaller panel consisting of the photo teams and select fashion industry professionals will select the Top Male model and the Top Female model.
These Two Top Models will be given the opportunity to shoot with 5 different photo teams made up of top photographers in the New England area. These shoots will include wardrobe styling, hair and makeup and full production services by Viewfinder Productions. The value of these shoots easily exceeds $5000. Each photo team will develop, create and implement their individual fashion experience. There are no restrictions on the photo teams. The photographers that will be participating are:
White Packert Photography
Anthony Rugnetta
Tanit Sakakini
Fabrizio Caccaiatore
Michelle Joyce
During all of these spring events, a film crew will be documenting all aspects of modelBOSTON. These images and film taken during the photo shoots will be edited into a short film. This film, along with a photo installation will be presented at an event in September during Boston Fashion Week.
VISIT: modelboston.com
How do I advertise on the Boston Fashion Week website?
There are two basic types of ad spaces available on the Boston Fashion Week website.
BLOCK AD
Upper right hand corner block ad aligned with header
and will link to your website.
June/July/August
Home Page - $250 flat fee per month/per page
Specific Page - $150 flat fee per month/per page
September
Home Page - $500 flat fee per month/per page
Specific Page - $250 flat fee per month/per page
The complete ad must be jpg or gif format, 173w X 220h and 72dpi (under 20k)
CLICK THRU AD
A full page ad that visitors will click through from the home page of BostonFashionWeek.com
Each month ad space will be available on a page that visitors will be taken to, on their way to a specific page on one of three menu bars.
(For example, when you click on the schedule button on the top menu bar, you'll be taken to the ad page and then be bale to 'click-thru' to the schedule page.)
The complete ad must be jpg or gif format, 675w X 450h and 72dpi (under 60k)
Top Menu Bar - 7 pages click-thrus
(schedule, designers, models, incubators, sponsors, store, volunteer)
June/July/August - $500 per month
September - $1,000 per month
Side Menu Bar - 7 pages click-thrus
(gallery, pressroom, mission, contact, council, scene, ink)
June/July/August - $250 per month
September - $500 per month
Bottom Menu Bar - 7 page click-thrus
(register, fashion trail, education, spotlight, resources, fashion cares, archives)
June/July/August - $250 per month
September - $500 per month
ALL ADS must be paid for in full prior to posting and submitted electronically.
VISIT: ADVERTISING