Michael Kors transports fashionistas front row, backstage through all-access digital experience

By Erin Shea - Luxury Daily

U.S. apparel and accessories label Michael Kors is bolstering its upcoming New York Fashion Week show by giving consumers complete access through a microsite.

The brand’s show takes place at Lincoln Center in New York on Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. ET, but it is letting affluent consumers get the full experience without being present through its All Access, All Angles promotions. Michael Kors will also be providing additional backstage content and multiple points of view of the show through the microsite.

“This strategy opens the door for Michael Kors to engage with a larger audience and give them the opportunity for first-view of its runway items to aspire for before they are even released for purchase,” said Dalia Strum, president of Dalia Inc., New York.

“Brands create aspirational lifestyles to connect with their target market and Fashion Week provides them with an outlet to visually story-tell and share their message,” she said.

 “To have those moments captured and discussed on social media, it validates their assumptions about how fashion is trending and the relevancy of their brand in this market.”
Ms. Strum is not affiliated with Michael Kors, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.
Michael Kors declined to comment directly.

All access

The show will be broadcast live on Michael Kors’ microsite, which affluent consumers can access at http://live.michaelkors.com on Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. ET.

The live stream will be available for users on desktop computers, mobile and tablet devices.
In addition to steaming the actual show, the brand will air pre-show activity and certain backstage content.

This stream is an extension of the entire Michael Kors All Access, All Angles experience that lets consumers view the brand’s show at New York Fashion Week.

Michael Kors will also show backstage, pre-show images and additional show content.

Consumers can digitally RSVP for the show through the brand’s microsite.

 A click-through on the “RSVP now” button leads to a calendar reminder notification in whichever email program the consumer is using. It contains a reminder when the show is live and a link to the microsite to watch.

This strategy could gain Michael Kors more aspirational fans by opening up the show for the public to watch online.

“Utilizing technology during Fashion Week is becoming more prevalent because it has opened up the opportunity to participate to the mainstream public,” Ms. Strum said. “They are then able to engage in these events through blogging and real-time conversations.”

Digital age

Social media and digital platforms are becoming a crucial aspect of Fashion Week.

Social media has helped New York Fashion Week evolve into a global event and now plays an integral role for luxury marketers to engage their audience during the shows.

Brands should look to engage users on various social media platforms to drive consumer engagement, especially during the upcoming New York Fashion Week.

Since the runway shows are short and can only have a limited number of attendees, brands should make use of social media to get the most out of the week.

Brands need to have successful strategies on and off the runway for Fashion Week. This includes generating interest and engagement with consumers before and after the actual runway shows (see story).

Exploring new ways to push Fashion Week shows and new collections can help brands stay relevant in the digital realm.

“Brands are continuously trying to increase brand value, and utilizing technology with a mixture of social media in an effective manner increases their visibility and reach to their direct target market,” Ms. Strum said.

“The fashion space is continuously evolving, and now, more than ever before, brands need to explore different strategies to stay relevant and part of the conversation,” she said.