Walk Like a Pro: Tips to Maximize Brand Impact on the Catwalk

Summary: In addition to choosing the right models who can walk the catwalk, brands should focus on the designs and their marketing to create a buzz around the catwalk event. Designers who plan to launch their collection on the catwalk should carefully select clothing to reach their target audience.

When a model readies to walk the catwalk, they are about to present the designer’s creativity to the world. In the words of supermodel Gigi Hadid, models on the ramp ‘take on the power’ that the designers have given them. Gigi says she tries to understand the story behind a collection, which makes it easier for her to model the clothes. 

A model’s attitude can indeed make or break a show. Whether you have Gigi or someone else, communicating the story and ethos of your brand with the models beforehand will go a long way in getting their attitude and representation right on the catwalk. 

Why is the catwalk important?

Fashion designers know that success is more than creating a fabulous garment. It is about creating a vision, bringing the pieces to life, marketing, and getting to the press. A designer must be innovative, creative, and strategic. A fashion show is the best opportunity for a designer to showcase the pieces for the season.

1. Marketing the event

Marketing is a vital part of any designer's business. It has led to an increase in the number of fashion shows to showcase new trends and designs. When models walk the catwalk in brand clothes, they convey important information to the target audience, like wearability, styling choices, and how the outfit may look on an actual person. 

2. Choosing the right models

Choosing the right models for a show should be of utmost importance to brands, as they are the ones who bring your designs to life. The audience and critics will associate the brand or designer’s outfits with people who walk the catwalk. The models’ body language, expressions, attitude, and confidence combine to make a successful show.

It is also important to work with models who represent the philosophy of your brand and collection. For instance, models who come from different ethnic backgrounds can give your target audience a better idea of how the clothes will look on them. Diversity in body size, shape, cultural background, etc. in the models also helps market your collection and brand to a much wider audience.

3. How to design clothes for a fashion show?

Clothes that match the brand’s aesthetics are a must. It is also important to keep an eye on trend forecasts for the season. In addition to the latest fashion trends, designers can draw inspiration from nature, architecture, history, art, and music. Fashion shows from around the world and global brands can inspire upcoming collections as well. The possibilities are endless, but they must speak to the brand's identity.

Acing the catwalk: Tips from supermodels

While top labels hire the best models, upcoming brands can also guide their models well to create a successful fashion show. Here are a few tips from supermodels on how to maximize your brand's visibility on the catwalk.

• Make sure your models are familiar with the clothes that they are going to walk in before the show. Designers should let models feel the fabric to know its weight, fluidity, and movement it will allow.
• Ensure that the clothes remain the main focal point of the runway. Supermodel Naomi Campbell's words are to live by in this situation: "it’s not about showing off yourself; it’s about showing the clothes.” Direct your models accordingly.
• Make sure your models are confident, rested, and in a relaxed mood. Panic and nerves on the runway can ruin even amazing collections just because they were not displayed properly.
• Make sure models have the right posture and expression. straight back, fixed and neutral gaze, natural swinging of the hands, and lack of overtly stylized movements help bring the most out of the clothes. Although, if your brand and/or the collection have a specific vibe, you can also direct the models to add specific movements or expressions, like when Nigerian models went viral for dancing on the runway during the 2019 Vienna Fashion Week.

Catwalk: The perfect stage to launch a brand

Fashion shows require perfect coordination between designers, fashion consultants, and models. Catwalk shows are hard work, but they are also amazing tools to showcase the best they have to offer to the world. With the right amount of preparation and proper execution, brands can have the fashion world talking about their new collection before it's even released. Hence, it is important to plan ahead and find trusted vendors and partners that can help you create magic on the catwalk and cement your brand identity.

Designers looking to launch a new clothing brand with a show can find reliable partners on the AI-powered platform of Fashinza. The platform keeps you updated with the latest industry news and fashion trends. It gets you in touch with suppliers and manufacturers.

Plan your catwalk show with Fashinza today! 

Key takeaways

• The Catwalk is a crucial part of a brand's identity and a chance to directly reach target audiences.
• To maximize on the runway, choosing the right models and the right clothes from the collection is extremely important.
• Tips from supermodels can help brands direct their models in ways that are most fruitful for the collection.