Virtual fashion week gives designers new business opportunities

Dubai based modest fashion organisation, the Islamic Fashion and Design Council, has launched a new initiative for designers to gain global exposure.

Billed as the world’s first virtual fashion week, Pret-A-Cover Fashion Week aims to provide a platform for designers to get discovered from anywhere on the planet. The concept is an extension of the IFDC’s PretA-Cover programme to build dedicated modest-wear sections within stores, and is hosted by the council’s online Cover magazine.

Taking the essence of a live fashion week and translating it to a regular online format, the IFDC’s chairwoman Alia Khan said the virtual iteration is about making business easier for designers by connecting them with buyers, merchandisers, retailers and consumers – providing them with widereaching commercial opportunities.

“We wanted to do something disruptive,” she said.

“It was time for a change in the way we do things in fashion so that more designers can get exposure to our exciting market without the exhaustive measures it normally takes.

“Through PACFW, we intend to offer a more equal opportunity for all talent and businesses without presenting the challenges that normally come with partaking in a fashion week. We hope this and a few other initiatives we are planning to roll out will change the way one thinks of how business can be done in fashion.”

As well as showcasing designers’ work, PACFW hosts virtual and interactive panel discussions with leading names in the modern fashion segment. It also carries reviews of designers’ collections by luxury online retailer Farfetch.