The incredible world of Viktor & Rolf

“Hi, welcome to our house. Enjoy your stay.”

This is what you hear from Viktor and Rolf themselves (or actually their virtual versions) when you enter the website called House of Viktor and Rolf (www.viktor-rolf.com). They are dressed in black-tie and walk down a beautiful stairway covered with snowflakes. In the background, music that suggests you are entering into a magical world.

In my post from 23 February (How is the Internet changing the fashion shows role?) I had already mentioned the leading duo of fashion designers as an example of how the internet was being actively used by the majors in the industry – they have replaced real catwalk shows by internet versions to showcase their collections.

Their website reinforced the idea that they are taking the internet very seriously as their main marketing effort. The website design is amazing. You really feel you are wandering around a luxurious mansion, in a world of dream. And as you walk around the house, you can enter in different rooms to discover some “treasures”. In the Library, you have loads of archives with information about the designers. In the Grand Salon, you can watch their previous shows. In the Perfumery, you will find a modern sculpture made from their fragrances bottles. The fragrance Flowerbomb has a poem dedicated to it. Unfortunately, at the time we did the research you are still not able to smell the fragrances online…

And if you are really passionate about this fantasy world, you can sign up to be a member of the Secret Service, to discover “Viktor and Rolf’s best kept secret and enjoy the privileges”. We haven’t gone so far, but nevertheless we strongly believe Viktor & Rolf are very efficient in using the internet to bond with their customers and to increase their image within the fashion world – both virtual and real ones.

How is the Internet changing the fashion shows role?

This week in Bloggetta Veneta we are going to talk about the impact the internet is having in one of the most famous symbols of the fashion industry: the catwalk shows. They have always been the most prominent elements in showing the trends and insights of the world’s best designers. And they have always been very exclusive events where only a few hundred of people would be able to attend, and the invitations for them were an important sign of prestige in the industry.

Today their importance is changing fast with the web reality. One story that gives a good example was told by Cathy Horyn from the New York Times. She talked about the time when she was excluded from the Armani presentation – she just laughed as minutes later anyone could access the collection online.

Now everyone can be front row at the fashion shows. Websites such as www.vogue.co.uk or www.net-a-porter.com present videos of the catwalk shows in a much easier way to check what is relevant than the real thing. And now some times the real thing does not even exist anymore. Last season the design duo Viktor & Rolf decided not to do a traditional catwalk show and instead opted for an internet presentation. This way people from the industry can watch the shows from their own offices, already discussing with each other the relevant aspects of each one and deciding in which way the shows will affect their business.

According to Marion Hume from www.style.com, Natalie Massenet, founder of Net-a-porter, believes that counting bums on seats on the night of a show has become "very 20th-century," and points out that more than two million viewers a month now log on to her site to view fashion shows. "Just because the way we see fashion is changing doesn't mean the appetite for fashion is declining."

And it is not only the internet that is changing the fashion shows reality. The current economic climate is also a strong drive for smaller and less shows, making it even more sense to do them online.